In March 2021, we awarded a grant to the Open Space Institute (OSI) to acquire and permanently protect 1,277 acres along the Black River in South Carolina. This tract of land serves as a linchpin in an effort to create a conservation and outdoor recreation corridor along a 75-mile stretch of river—and establish the Black…
The Thumb and Needle spires in Estes Park, Colorado, offer iconic granite rock where legendary climbers have been training and developing routes for decades. In addition to its 50 climbing routes and high-quality bouldering, the area is known for hiking, trail running, and dog walking—with views of Longs Peak, Mount Meeker, and Twin Sisters along…
The San Miguel surf break in Baja California is the first wave ever surfed in Mexico—and now it’s Baja California’s first state park. It’s the local surfing spot for nearly half a million residents of Ensenada, and it supports a surf tourism economy that attracts visitors from across Mexico and around the world. The San…
With tremendous support from its local community, including many individual donors, Green Mountain Conservancy added 626 acres to the 913-acre Deer Run Nature Preserve in Vermont. The preserve spans both sides of the Putney Mountain Ridge and includes 2.5 miles of undeveloped shoreline along the West River. It also contains substantial grasslands managed for both…
Skookum Creek is the largest cold-water tributary to the South Fork of the Nooksack River in northern Washington. Its cold, clear water provides salmon habitat, water for agriculture, and the riparian habitat surrounding Skookum Creek prevents sediment flow into the creek and keeps its water clean for both human and wildlife use. In 2020, we…
At the heart of a popular trail system just fifteen minutes from downtown Yakima, Washington, 325 acres of endangered shrub steppe habitat was slated for residential development. Cowiche Canyon Conservancy (CCC) used Conservation Alliance grant funding to secure protection for 245 acres, ensuring permanent protection and public access for outdoor recreation. The two purchased parcels…
Last July, we awarded The Frontera Land Alliance a $10,000 grant to protect 1,006 acres in El Paso, Texas. A welcome addition to the city’s outdoor spaces, the Lost Dog easement creates a connection between the 26,000 acre Franklin Mountains State Park to the east, and residential areas to the south and west. The area…
In 2018, we awarded Ventura Land Trust a grant to acquire the 2,100 acre Walker-Hearne Ranch at Harmon Canyon. Last year, the property transfer was completed and in June, the Harmon Canyon Preserve opened to the public. This acquisition is remarkable as it created the first large-scale nature preserve in the Ventura area. The property has many…
In our 2018 winter grant cycle, we awarded Montana Trout Unlimited (MTU) a grant to further their work to remove the Rattlesnake Dam, located near Missoula, Montana.
In November 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers denied the most important federal permit needed to dig in the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska. After a multi-year permit review, the Army Corps found that the proposed copper and gold mine would cause “significant degradation” to wetlands and aquatic resources in southwest Alaska. This permit…
