Working Lands
Credit: Arna Johnson
The nation's farms, ranches, and forests yield food food and timber, support local economies, safeguard clean water, and comprise some of our most beautiful landscapes. A working landscape may be a Western forest of tens of thousands of acres, an emerald mosaic of ranchland in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, or the last farm in a New England town, supplying healthy food while linking the community to its rural past.
Such lands are too important to be lost to poorly planned development. The Trust for Public Land works with landowners, agencies, and communities to keep working lands working while preserving their environmental benefits—often through the use of conservation easements that prevent development while permitting ranching, farming, and sustainable forestry to continue. The result: lands that continue to support our bodies, industries, spirits, and communities, and foster a healthy, vibrant agricultural system.
Explore some of our working lands projects below. Choose a state to get started.
Anderson Ranch
In 2005, The Trust for Public Land protected the 1,760-acre Anderson Ranch in Gallatin County. read more »Androscoggin Headwaters
Covering 31,300 acres of remote forests, streams, and ponds, the Androscoggin Headwaters near Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest unprotected properties remaining in the state of New Hampshire. read more »Arcata Community Forest
Established in 1956, Arcata's community forest is the oldest city-owned community forest west of the Rockies. read more »Ballam Farm
In 2005, the historic Ballam Farm, situated on the banks of the Connecticut River and above the town of Walpole's most productive drinking water aquifer, was nearly sold for development into a car dealership. read more », spirits, and communities and foster a healthy, vibrant agricultural system.
