In October 2025, NDPonics secured and protected 149 acres of forestland in western Virginia, preserving a high-value landscape that includes old-growth forest, a 20-foot waterfall, and critical wildlife habitat. The property directly adjoins the Short Hills Wildlife Management Area and other NDPonics-protected lands, strengthening a growing conservation corridor and preventing future fragmentation from logging or…
At the end of 2025, Trust for Public Land, in partnership with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation (FPR), successfully protected a 344-acre parcel at the center of Vermont’s Eden Forest. By filling in the last piece within a protected landscape, they completed a conservation effort that began more than a decade ago….
Oregon State University (OSU) has acquired more than 3,000 acres in the Tualatin Mountains, securing the last large block of undeveloped forest within 10 miles of Portland and transforming it into a publicly owned research forest and recreation destination. The new Tualatin Mountain Forest will advance climate-smart forestry, expand equitable access to nature, and support…
In a historic milestone for Indigenous-led conservation, the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County has reclaimed 1,720 acres of ancestral land in Big Sur through a transfer facilitated by The Wildlands Conservancy. This land return marks the first time in more than 250 years that the Esselen people have regained ownership of part of their homeland….
On January 17, 2025, the U.S. Forest Service authorized the East Crazy Mountains & Inspiration Divide Land Exchange, consolidating over 5,200 acres of public and private lands in Montana’s Crazy Mountains. The agreement creates a contiguous block of protected land, restores public access through a new 22-mile trail system, and resolves decades of access disputes…
On June 24, 2025, Texas Tribal Buffalo Project welcomed community members for its first ever open house celebration to mark the acquisition of its new 149.5 acre property in Floresville, TX and the rematriation of buffalo onto this land. Alongside hayrides, conversation, and food, attendees were also able to see the first calf born on…
In early January 2025, the Bureau of Land Management signed the Record of Decision for the final Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The plan is the result of over 30 public and stakeholder engagement meetings over two years with community members, state and Federal officials, Tribes, and other stakeholders. The…
In January 2025, Oregon Desert Land Trust (ODLT) successfully added 40 acres to its 16,645-acre Trout Creek Ranch effort. This addition will help consolidate the organization’s ownership of nearly 3,000 acres of wet meadows that provide critical habitat for numerous migratory birds. The 40-acre Cottonwood Ranch property also provides habitat for pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep,…
In March 2025, the Trust for Public Land successfully conserved 468 acres at the entrance to Vermont’s Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area. This newly protected land features dramatic quartzite cliffs, biodiverse forests, and popular trails like the Ice Beds Trail, which connects to the Appalachian and Long Trails. The acquisition enhances wildlife…
In March 2025, CalTrout, in partnership with the California State Coastal Conservancy, acquired 175 acres along the Elk River in Humboldt County. This acquisition includes four former ranch land parcels along the largest tributary to Humboldt Bay. Three parcels will be transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Elk River Wildlife Area for…
