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…
In January 2025, President Biden protected over 224,000 acres by designating Sàttìtla Highlands National Monument in the Medicine Lake Highlands region in northern California. Located near Mt. Shasta, this monument preserves high value public lands, critical fresh water resources, and will further bolster California’s vibrant outdoor recreation economy. The well-being of the Highlands ecosystem and…
In January, 2025, President Biden protected over 624,000 acres of public lands by designating Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California. Located near Joshua Tree National Park, the monument preserves a unique desert ecosystem and biodiversity that provides habitat for desert tortoise, the chuckwalla lizard, and a critical migration corridor. The new national monument will also…
On December 12, 2024, the US Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the 2-year withdrawal of 165,000 acres in the Pecos watershed, a biodiverse landscape in New Mexico that was the target for exploratory mining. Support for this effort came from a wide range of groups, including local landowners, local Hispanic communities engaged in…
