Finding common ground outside.
At Blue Mountain Land Trust, we go beyond just protecting land. We focus on building connections to place, strengthening relationships, and providing meaningful experiences outside. We aim to inspire a deeper sense of well-being and a greater understanding of the natural world surrounding us.
Connecting with a specific place — whether it’s a trail, meadow, or park — brings a sense of belonging. This connection can inspire us to take responsibility for its care, ensuring its well-being for the future.
Our commitment at BMLT is clear: we’re here to share positive environmental education opportunities and outdoor experiences for all. Our programs are designed to help build community, common ground, and connection with the land.
Photo by Brittani Smith
Reimagine the future
This year, BMLT took time to reflect and recalibrate, collaborating with a dedicated consultant to evaluate our community engagement programs. Together, we assessed the goals, effectiveness, and impact of our efforts to ensure they evolve with our mission and meet the needs of our community. When we say communities, we mean all of our neighbors. Strategic planning is vital — sometimes, taking a step back enables us to move forward with a renewed purpose.
Stay tuned for updates on our 2025 Learning on the Land series, which will offer fresh, mission-aligned opportunities for outdoor and conservation education. From youth and family nature classes to winter recreation programs and cultural land restoration projects, we are excited to keep building inclusive opportunities that deepen community connections to the lands & waters that define the region.
Summer fun at Welcome Table Farm
Farm Kids & Kinder Sprouts
This summer, Welcome Table Farm partnered with BMLT to host Farm Kids summer camp and the new Kinder Sprouts camp, designed for pre-K and kindergarteners. Over four weeks, 70 young campers explored farm life and connected with the natural world around them.
For the first time, BMLT was thrilled to offer scholarships to cover the cost of tuition, making it possible for more kids to join in the fun. From pickling cucumbers and arranging bouquets to creek adventures and critter observations, each day was filled with hands-on activities that brought nature learning to life. We’re grateful to Emily & Andy Asmus and the camp counselors for creating such a positive summer experience to nurture curiosity and joy in the outdoors.
Oregon Land Justice Project cohort visits with the Klamath Tribe. Photo by Gabe Sheoships
Oregon Land Justice Project
Supporting Tribal Partners
We honor and acknowledge the importance of Indigenous peoples on the landscape, and their stewardship today and since time immemorial. In our partnerships with local Tribes, tribal leaders and natural resources teams are the experts on how to restore the land.
The Oregon Land Justice Project is a cohort of land trusts, including BMLT, working to change land conservation practices to enhance collaboration, support land access projects, and recognize the important role of Tribally-led initiatives.
As part of the project, the Indigenous Land Relationship Fund supports Indigenous-led community projects to reconnect with culture, traditional landscapes, and First Foods. Created to demonstrate solidarity, it provides financial resources and logistical and technical assistance.
A river runs through
Connecting with the Touchet River
Blue Mountain Land Trust hosted a tour of two adjacent conservation easements — North Touchet and Touchet Orchards. These easements collectively protect approximately 1.6 river miles and 35 acres of historic floodplain and riparian habitat along the North Fork Touchet River, just upstream of Dayton, Washington. The conservation easements support river and floodplain restoration efforts prioritized and implemented by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).
Attendees learned how restoration efforts align with CTUIR’s First Foods mission, the benefits of reconnecting a floodplain, and why conservation easements and water transactions support river health. Community-driven conservation reinforces a shared commitment to protecting these vital ecosystems for people, farms, fish and wildlife.