Amid calls to protect 30% of U.S. lands and water by 2030, the question is being asked how the 30x30 strategy can work given the growth of renewable energy operations. After all, both plans require vast swaths of land to achieve their goals.

The Green Bay watershed is one of the largest freshwater estuaries in the world.

Today, the Biden administration provided more clarity on its commitment to conserve 30% of our nation’s lands and waters by 2030 with the release of the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful report. It is good news for land trusts.

Land trusts across the country are working diligently and creatively to protect water quality, quantity and equitable water access every day. Land trusts working in the Great Lakes basin are no exception, helping to protect one of the largest sources of fresh water on Earth.

People love gnomes. Or so Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy discovered last summer when the accredited New York land trust hosted a Summer Hike-a-thon Scavenger Hunt.

The closure of farmers markets around Madison, Wisconsin, last spring left some Hmong growers at a disadvantage. As markets moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, growers were left behind if they weren’t proficient in technology or didn’t speak English as a primary language.

In 2017, Colorado Open Lands took attendees of Land Trust Alliance's Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference on a field trip north of Denver to tour a local foods co-operative. Four years later, we've finalized our first conservation easement with Poudre Valley Community Farms.

It's been mentioned before, but it still rings true: Land trusts are well positioned to lead in mitigating the impacts of climate change and helping their communities adapt.

Saving the places people need and love requires more than hard work. It also requires funding. Just as it took the Chicago Bulls the winning combination of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to bring home six NBA championships, land trusts need both funding and hard work to get conservation done. And you can play a helpful role.

Volunteering is a fun and rewarding way to meet new people, visit beautiful places and give back to your community.