Palouse Land Trust works with landowners and communities to conserve the lands we love, now and forever, and to enrich connections to the natural world.

We envision a future where natural beauty persists, lands are cared for and connected, and healthy soils, wildlife, and clean water are abundant.

A place where communities intertwine with the natural world, complementing one another, whether within neighborhoods or on farms, ranches, and forests.

A region with an unrivaled quality of life and vibrant economy, where people live knowing that some of the most special places will be protected forever as working lands, preserves, wildlife corridors, and places to recreate or connect with the natural world.

guiding principles

• We support the preservation of the working farms and forests and rural heritage of the Palouse.

• We support efforts to maintain the natural and managed landscapes of significant conservation value within the Palouse region.

• We promote the stewardship of natural resources based on the principles of environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

• We facilitate the conservation of private land to enable local communities and landowners to establish conservation legacies.

• We respect and value the rights of private land owners.

• We maintain an effective, non-partisan, sustainable organization that represents the values and perspectives of the communities within the Palouse region.

• We subscribe to and uphold the Standards and Practices of the National Land Trust Alliance.

While we do own land outright, the majority of our work is helping local families establish conservation easements. Conservation easements enable private landowners to protect and conserve open space, wildlife habitat, water quality and our community's favorite views while keeping the land in private ownership.

Conservation easements are legal agreements between a landowner and a land trust that permanently limit uses of land. Because they are very flexible, easements can allow continued agricultural or forest production, or even limited development.

A conservation easement permits landowners to:

• Protect what is special about their land

• Control future development and uses of their land

• Pass land from one generation to the next with reduced inheritance taxes

• Gain significant income and estate tax advantages

If a property meets our Conservation Easement Criteria, we can work with landowners to reach their conservation goals. If you are interested in working with us to conserve your land, or know someone who would like to, please contact our Executive Director, Lovina Englund

Not in our service area?  Not to worry.

With over 3,000 Land Trusts across the nation, we can connect you with the Land Trust serving your region.  In Idaho, find your local Land Trust by visiting the Idaho Coalition of Land Trusts;  in Washington, please refer to the Washington Association of Land Trusts; in Oregon, please visit the Oregon Coalition of Land Trusts; and in Montana, please check out the Montana Association of Land Trusts.  If you are outside of the Northwest region, the National Land Trust Alliance can connect you with the Land Trust in your area.