What We Do
As a public benefit nonprofit corporation, the Wallowa Land Trust has educational, charitable and scientific purposes. In order to fulfill its mission to protect the rural character of the Wallowa Valley and the surrounding landscape, the Trust works cooperatively with landowners, Indian tribes, governmental entities and a variety of community organizations. Specific activities include: 1) acquisition of specified important lands and conservation easements, through donation or purchase; 2) cooperative land and natural resource management planning; 3) scientific research; and 4) public education.
The Wallowa Land Trust invests in lands it considers most critical within the Wallowa Country. The Trust is controlled exclusively by a local board of directors whose members are themselves local landowners, or else registered members of an Indian tribe which historically occupied these lands.
The Trust operates in a number of ways. Its programs aim to secure, through acquisition or donation, open space, wildlife and fisheries habitat, agricultural lands, historic areas, and cultural sites considered sacred by Indian people.
As a tax-exempt organization, the Trust can receive voluntary donations of property (title) or Conservation Easements (development rights) from local landowners, who in turn receive a tax deduction on their federal income taxes for the value of their donation, as well as their neighbors’ often deep appreciation.
In other cases, independently or in partnership, the Trust will purchase property or Conservation Easements from willing sellers. This can provide significant cash infusions to those who might prefer their family’s land be left intact, but who also need to realize its monetary value, for whatever reason.
Frequently the Trust will pursue an acquisition/donation combination, which can optimize benefits for both the Trust and the landowner.
The Trust operates three programs for land acquisition, protection and restoration: 1) Habitat & Open Space; 2) Farms & Ranchlands; and 3) Indian Sacred Lands. Each of these programs is described in some detail in corresponding tabs on this website.
The Wallowa Country comprises over 3000 square miles of the magnificent northern Blue Mountains and valleys of northeast Oregon. Within this vast territory, the Trust manages its three programs across a dozen biogeographic regions: 1) Wallowa Mountains; 2) Wallowa Lake Basin; 3) Imnaha-Hells Canyon; 4) North End; 5) Elk Mountain – Zumwalt; 6) Upper Valley; 7) Mid-Valley; 8) Lower Valley; 9) Powwatka – Tope Creek; 10) Promise – Norgaard; 11) Minam – Upper Grande Ronde; and 12) Middle Grande Ronde.
In addition to land acquisition and management, the Trust invests in public education. Beginning Summer 2006, the Trust will co-sponsor Outings Into The Wallowa, regularly scheduled educational forays into the Wallowa Country with scientists, naturalists, members of local Indian tribes, and other local experts. The Trust sponsors workshops and other educational events, and will publish a series of maps and related documents.
The Trust also anticipates supporting research projects and working cooperatively with others on restoration and conservation management plans for a variety of lands, including its own holdings.
