ABOUT US

 

For over 25 years, Blue Mountain Land Trust has protected the lands and waters that shape southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon. As a nationally accredited land trust, our mission is simple yet vital: to protect the lands and waters of the Blue Mountain region for people, agriculture, and wildlife.

ABOUT BLUE MOUNTAIN LAND TRUST:
Blue Mountain Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nationally accredited land trust on a mission to protect the lands and waters of the Blue Mountain region for people, agriculture, and wildlife.

We began in 1999 with the protection of Carl and Sonia Schmitt’s farm on Titus Creek in Walla Walla. That single act of conservation has grown into a movement. Since our founding in 1999, we have protected over 24,294 acres of land and more than 48 miles of rivers and streams. We work collaboratively and strategically to conserve our region’s natural resources, build relationships, and create meaningful opportunities to connect with the land and its important resources.

What we do:

At Blue Mountain Land Trust, we protect the natural and working lands that define our region. Through conservation, stewardship, and community engagement, we aim to safeguard farms, ranches, rivers, and wildlife habitat, connect people to nature, expand outdoor recreation access, and provide environmental education for all.

  • Conservation: Protect farms, ranches, rivers, and wildlife habitats.

  • Stewardship: Restore and steward protected lands and waters in perpetuity. When we say “forever,” we mean it!

  • Outdoor Access: Improve access to outdoor recreation through trail maintenance and stewardship on public lands.

  • Community Engagement: Offer hands-on environmental education programs for children, families, and adults.

History + Impact:

In 1999, a group of visionary local leaders took action to preserve fish and wildlife habitat, forests, grasslands, and agricultural land in the Blue Mountain region. They were concerned about residential development sprawl, commercial encroachment, and natural resource degradation. To meet these threats, the Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) was formed.

Since our founding in 1999, we have acquired 22 conservation easements and one purchased property totaling over 24,000 acres. We provide conservation services to landowners across eleven counties: Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin counties in Washington, and Baker, Grant, Wheeler, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, and Union counties in Oregon.


A Bold Vision for the Future:

We envision a future in the Blue Mountains where people, wildlife, and agricultural communities thrive together. Achieving this vision will take all of us. As we celebrate 26 years of conservation, we’ve set an ambitious goal: to protect 25,000+ acres over the next decade. Your support is more important than ever. Together, we can confront the growing threats of climate change, farmland conversion, and habitat loss, while ensuring everyone has access to the outdoors.

Our team is passionate, collaborative, curious, and committed to protecting clean water, natural areas, vital habitat, healthy soils, safe trails, and livelihoods for agricultural communities across the Blue Mountain region.

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Featured
Blue Mountain Land Trust saves Hayshaker Farm through farmland property purchase.
Blue Mountain Land Trust saves Hayshaker Farm through farmland property purchase.

Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) is taking bold action to secure the future of Hayshaker Farm, an 11.53-acre farm and regional food hub on the edge of College Place, WA. With development rapidly encroaching and the current landowner prepared to sell, this property, farmed since the early 1900s, was at risk of being lost to residential development. BMLT stepped up to purchase the property, keeping the land in agriculture and accessible to the farming community. Hayshaker Farm is the second property BMLT owns, the first located in Washington, and a major step to protect local food systems. 

Blue Mountain Land Trust protects local food and wildlife habitat at Welcome Table Farm.
Blue Mountain Land Trust protects local food and wildlife habitat at Welcome Table Farm.

As farmland disappears across the Pacific Northwest, protecting agricultural land has never been more urgent. Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) is excited to announce the permanent protection of Welcome Table Farm, a 24.62-acre diversified vegetable farm located on the south side of Walla Walla. Through a conservation easement, this protection ensures that the land will remain in agricultural production while safeguarding critical fish and wildlife habitat along Yellowhawk Creek.

A future we shape together: 2024 Impact Report
A future we shape together: 2024 Impact Report

Blue Mountain Land Trust celebrates a quarter of a century of bringing communities together to protect working farms, ranches, and natural lands of the region. 25 years is a major milestone, an important opportunity to appreciate the hard work and dedication that is the legacy of collective community action.

A river's revival: Restoring the Umatilla River to its original flow.
A river's revival: Restoring the Umatilla River to its original flow.

Through the dedicated efforts of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), fish populations now have a better chance at recovery in one of the most productive steelhead tributaries in the region. Blue Mountain Land Trust is working to permanently protect CTUIR’s investment in the river restoration project to ensure its longevity, forever.

 
 
 

Cover photo by Bill Rodgers