ABOUT US

 

Our Mission:

We protect the lands and waters of the Blue Mountain region for people, agriculture, and wildlife.

Blue Mountain Land Trust is a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust working in southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon. Our mission is to protect the lands and waters of the Blue Mountain region for people, agriculture, and wildlife.

We do this through conservation, stewardship, and community engagement. Our goals: protect and restore farms, ranches, rivers, and wildlife habitat, connect communities to nature, improve access to outdoor recreation through trail maintenance, and expand environmental education offerings for all children and families.

We work to:

  • Safeguard our community's agricultural heritage

  • Protect spawning streams for native fish

  • Conserve important wildlife corridors

  • Connect people with the land and its abundant natural resources

  • Improve access to outdoor recreation through trail maintenance on public lands

  • Expand environmental education offerings across the Blues for children, families, and adults

  • Help communities thrive for present and future generations 

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 21 conservation easements and one purchased property totaling over 23,000 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.

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Featured
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.

Land &amp; Water Stewardship: Bold action for a brighter future.
Land & Water Stewardship: Bold action for a brighter future.

When BMLT completes a conservation easement, we are responsible for regularly monitoring and collecting data to ensure responsible stewardship, leading to greater conservation benefits for the environment and communities. This ongoing land stewardship is what we mean when we say, “We protect the land you love. Forever.”

Community engagement &amp; DEIJ: Finding common ground outside.
Community engagement & DEIJ: Finding common ground outside.

At the Blue Mountain Land Trust, we focus on building connections to place, strengthening relationships, and providing meaningful experiences outside. Our programs are designed to help build community, common ground, and connection with the land.

 
 
 

Cover photo by Bill Rodgers