Conservation for People and Wildlife
About Us
Heart of the Rockies initiative
Keep It Connected is a program of the Heart of the Rockies Initiative. We are a network of 27 independent land trusts working in five states and two provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Washington. Each partner is deeply rooted in their local community and native ecosystem. They each represent their communities’ unique set of values and they all work only with willing landowners using voluntary agreements. Heart of the Rockies Initiative provides high-level landscape science and coordinated, strategic fundraising assistance.
Proven Track Record
Land trusts in this region have an impressive history of helping private landowners voluntarily conserve their land. Over the past 20years they have raised over $4 billion from federal, state, county, landowner, and philanthropic contributions, to conserve 4.5 million acres through voluntary conservation easements with willing private landowners.
Yet, so much more is needed to match the pace of growth and development, and to meet the needs of landowners seeking conservation options. Land trusts know how to do this work, but need capital to scale up solutions to meet current challenges.
Last Best Chance
The Central Rockies of North America offer perhaps the last best chance to conserve intact ecosystems that protect a full theater of wildlife and the clean, rushing rivers that support salmon and native fish along with human communities far downstream. What we do today determines the course of our future. We have an opportunity to make a real difference.
PUBLIC BENEFITs
Conserving private lands for wildlife has enormous public benefit. The entire community benefits from the persistence of our iconic wildlife and the associated impacts like hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and tourism. Conserving private land also provides locally grown food and food security, protects clean water, supports rural livelihoods, and helps with climate resilience.
These land trusts
need your investment
Help us leverage conservation funding into long-term results
