Columbia Land Trust

What Columbia Land Trust does

Columbia Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization founded in 1990 and headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, with additional offices in Astoria, Oregon, and White Salmon, Washington. The organization conserves and restores lands, waters, and wildlife across the Columbia River region in Oregon and Washington, operating across six ecoregions: Coast Range and Estuaries, Willamette Valley and Puget Trough, West Cascades, East Cascades, Columbia Plateau, and the Backyard Habitat metro area. Its core technical capabilities include land acquisition, conservation easement negotiation, ecological monitoring led by a dedicated Monitoring Program Manager, GIS-based spatial analysis, prescribed fire operations for fire-adapted ecosystem restoration, dam and road removal for fish habitat reconnection, and habitat restoration including native planting.

The organization is supported by approximately 45-50 staff and generates revenue through a diversified mix of individual donations (monthly Evergreen Circle giving, one-time gifts, major gifts, bequests), grants from federal and state agencies and private foundations, donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, IRA qualified charitable distributions, stock donations, and conservation-related transactions including land donations and purchased conservation easements. Notable operational outcomes include more than 3,000 acres conserved in 2025, 233 acres treated with prescribed fire, the completion of the Haul Road floodplain restoration (233,000 tons of fill removed, 50,000+ native plants planted), removal of a 55-foot dam at Wildboy Creek with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and a Backyard Habitat Certification Program co-managed with Bird Alliance of Oregon that has enrolled over 14,000 households.

Name

Columbia Land Trust

Legal name

Columbia Land Trust

Website

https://columbialandtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Columbia Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that conserves and restores lands, waters, and wildlife across the Columbia River region in Oregon and Washington. It serves individual donors, landowners, farmers, tribes, and government agencies through land acquisition, conservation easements, restoration, and the Backyard Habitat Certification Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Habitat restoration
• Conservation easements
• Wildfire risk reduction
• Watershed protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Gifts: Columbia Land Trust receives donations from individual supporters including monthly giving (Evergreen Circle), one-time gifts, and major gifts. The organization runs donation matching campaigns and encourages tax-smart giving.
2. Grants and Government Funding: The organization receives funding from government programs including Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, and various state programs. Also receives grants from private foundations.
3. Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): Donors can establish Donor Advised Funds that provide immediate tax deductions while allowing grant recommendations to be made to Columbia Land Trust over time.
4. Charitable Gift Annuities: Donors can create gift annuities that provide fixed income payments to them during their lifetime, with the remainder passing to Columbia Land Trust.
5. IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions: Individuals aged 70½ or older can make tax-free distributions directly from their IRAs to Columbia Land Trust up to $111,000 per year.
6. Stock Donations: Donors can transfer appreciated securities directly to Columbia Land Trust, providing tax advantages and enabling larger contributions.
7. Land Donations: landowners can donate land outright to the Land Trust, receiving charitable deductions and avoiding capital gains.
8. Conservation Easements: The organization purchases conservation easements from landowners, paying for development rights while landowners retain ownership and receive compensation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Columbia Land Trust is a nonprofit land conservation organization that acquires, protects, and restores lands, waters, and wildlife across the Columbia River region of Oregon and Washington. Its core offerings include direct land acquisition and conservation easement purchases from private landowners, the Backyard Habitat Certification Program for residential properties, prescribed fire operations to restore fire-adapted forests, ecological monitoring and long-term stewardship, and dam and road removal for river and fish habitat restoration. The organization is funded through individual donations, government and foundation grants, planned giving vehicles, and conservation easement transactions.

Product overview

Columbia Land Trust is a land conservation nonprofit offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on protecting and restoring lands, waters, and wildlife in the Columbia River region. Core offerings include direct land conservation and stewardship, the Backyard Habitat Certification Program for residential properties, prescribed fire services for forest health, conservation easements with landowners, dam and road removal for habitat restoration, and volunteer engagement programs. Supporting infrastructure includes tax-smart giving options (donor-advised funds, gift annuities, stock/IRA donations, estate planning) and ecological monitoring services. The organization operates across six geographic regions: Coast Range & Estuaries, Willamette Valley & Puget Trough, West Cascades, East Cascades, Columbia Plateau, and Backyard Habitat areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Backyard Habitat Certification Program: A co-managed program between Columbia Land Trust and Bird Alliance of Oregon that certifies residential yards and public spaces for wildlife habitat and stormwater management. The program began in 2006 and has enrolled over 14,500 households across Oregon and Washington.

Products and services

• Land Conservation and Stewardship Direct acquisition, permanent protection, and long-term stewardship of lands, waters, and wildlife across the Columbia River region in Oregon and Washington through science-based conservation strategies, managed for private landowners, donors, agency partners, and the broader public.
• Backyard Habitat Certification Program A certification program co-managed with Bird Alliance of Oregon that helps homeowners in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, and Clark Counties create wildlife-friendly yards with native plants, with enrollment exceeding 14,000 households and 4,500+ certified yards to date.
• Prescribed Fire / Beneficial Fire Operations Controlled broadcast burning programs to restore fire-adapted ecosystems, reduce wildfire risk, and maintain forest health in the East Cascades region, executed in partnership with Mt. Adams Resource Stewards and local fire districts.
• Conservation Easement Purchases Legal agreements in which Columbia Land Trust purchases development rights from landowners, permanently restricting development while allowing continued agricultural or forest use and providing the landowner with compensation and tax benefits.
• Dam and Road Removal / River Restoration Removal of obsolete dams and roads to restore river connectivity, floodplain function, and fish habitat for salmon and steelhead recovery in the West Cascades and Columbia River estuary.
• Ecological Monitoring and Adaptive Stewardship Long-term ecological monitoring and adaptive land management across conserved properties, including habitat and species surveys, GIS-based spatial analysis, and data-driven stewardship of salmon habitat, wetlands, oak woodlands, and forests.
• Tax-Smart Giving and Planned Giving Services Planned giving services for individual donors and supporters, including donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, appreciated stock donations, IRA qualified charitable distributions, land donations, and estate planning support, delivered as part of Columbia Land Trust's philanthropic offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ acres conserved over the last year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Yakama NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYakama Nation is a key strategic partner in multiple conservation projects including the Klickitat Oaks acquisition (funded through America the Beautiful grant), Rattlesnake Creek restoration (floodplain enhancement with Yakama Nation Fisheries), and the Haul Road dam removal project. The Nation provides habitat assessments, wildlife use data, and technical expertise for stewardship activities.
• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Conservation Fund (TCF) acquires land and holds it temporarily while Columbia Land Trust raises funds for permanent conservation. TCF facilitated the Klickitat Oaks acquisition and Rattlesnake Creek purchase, and partnered on a 20,000+ acre forest acquisition in Pacific and Wahkiakum Counties, Washington.
• Cowlitz Indian TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cowlitz Indian Tribe on the Wildboy Creek project to remove a 55-foot dam and reconnect fish habitat in the West Cascades.
• Bird Alliance of OregoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-management of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program with Bird Alliance of Oregon. The program has grown to 14,000+ participants since its 2006 founding and current structure established in 2009.
• Oregon Department of ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Forest Legacy Program securing $9,315,000 to conserve 14,000+ acres of forestland in Oregon. Conservation easement holder for productive conifer forest owned by Green Diamond/Twin Creeks Timber.
• Green Diamond Resource Company / Twin Creeks TimbercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking forest partnership to conserve 10,653 acres of productive conifer forest and oak woodlands that will continue to be managed for sustainable timber harvest with permanent conservation easements preventing subdivision and development.
• Yakama Nation Fisheries ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to remove eight miles of defunct Haul Road to reconnect the Klickitat River with its floodplain. The restoration project removed 233,000 tons of fill, planted 50,000+ native plants, and was completed in 2017 after six phases over more than ten years.
• Mt. Adams Resource StewardsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for prescribed burn operations at Bear Creek and Bowman Creek Natural Areas. The organization's stewardship crew participated in 2025 burn operations.
• Klickitat, Wahkiacus, and Rural 7 Fire DistrictsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal fire districts supported prescribed burns with experienced personnel and fire engines during 2025 burn operations.
• Craft3minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNonprofit community development organization coordinating the loan and pilot program for the Grays River watershed acquisition.
• Hoffman FarmsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerJay and Jayson Hoffman provided agricultural expertise, field preparation, groundwork, and planting implementation for the Rainbow Natural Area restoration project in the Tualatin Valley.
• Scholls Valley Native NurseryminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeorge Kral, co-owner, served as key advisor and supplied much of the seed and bulbs for the Rainbow Natural Area wet prairie restoration. The nursery brought decades of experience growing and hand-collecting native plants in the Tualatin Valley.
• Three Creeks ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConducted botanical inventory at Columbia Stock Ranch, leading to the discovery of Water Howellia (Howellia aquatilis), a rare species thought to be extirpated from Oregon.
• Portrero GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExecutive search firm engaged to conduct the search for Columbia Land Trust's new Executive Director.
• Washington Department of Fish and WildlifemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration partner on conservation projects including the East Fork Lewis River Greenway (150+ acres conserved), Wildboy Creek dam removal, and salmon recovery efforts.
• Clark CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration on the East Fork Lewis River Greenway project, helping conserve more than 150 acres in this rapidly growing part of Washington state.
• City of The DallescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of The Dalles will purchase 3,442 acres of ponderosa pine forest and oak woodlands to protect drinking water quality for approximately 14,000 residents (nearly 80% of the city's water supply).
• Washington Association of Land TrustsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing the pilot program expanding access to the Clean Water Revolving Fund for conservation organizations.
• Sustainable NorthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in developing the pilot program for conservation lending.
• Land Trust AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting land trusts; Columbia Land Trust displays Land Trust Accreditation Commission accreditation from this organization.
• Charity NavigatorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent charity evaluator; Columbia Land Trust holds a 4-star rating demonstrating strong financial health and accountability.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership: Bi-state (Oregon/Washington) nonprofit focused on restoration and protection of the lower Columbia River estuary, including Kerry Island and similar tidal floodplain projects Columbia Land Trust works on. Highly comparable mission on estuary restoration, tribal partnerships, and federal funding (NOAA, USACE) overlap.
• Forterra: Pacific Northwest land trust, formed from merger of Cascade Land Conservancy and others, operating across Washington state with similar landscape-scale conservation, working forest easements, and urban green space work. Strong overlap in service geography, programmatic mix (land protection, stewardship, restoration), and donor/diversified revenue model.
• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit that acquires and holds land temporarily to enable permanent conservation by others, including land trusts and agencies. Direct strategic partner of Columbia Land Trust on Klickitat Oaks, Rattlesnake Creek, and the 20,000+ acre Pacific/Wahkiakum forest deal; functionally a transactional peer in the same acquisition-to-permanence pipeline.
• Capitol Land Trust: Washington-state accredited land trust serving the southern Puget Sound region with similar land protection, stewardship, and easement work. Same accreditation regime (Land Trust Accreditation Commission), similar programmatic categories, and overlapping geographic scope in Washington state.

Others

• Yakama Nation Fisheries Program: Tribal natural resource program that is both a core partner and adjacent peer in PNW salmon/floodplain restoration. Columbia Land Trust partners with Yakama Nation on Klickitat Oaks, Rattlesnake Creek, and Haul Road projects. Comparable restoration toolkit on fish habitat and floodplain reconnection, but operating under tribal sovereignty rather than 501(c)(3) structure.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The largest global conservation nonprofit, operating across all 50 US states and 80+ countries. Directly comparable as a land-acquiring, easement-purchasing, science-driven conservation organization with similar programmatic categories (land protection, restoration, freshwater, climate). Operates at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that conserves land for people, with strong programs in land conservation, conservation easements, and creating parks in urban areas. Directly comparable mission and toolkit (purchase, easement, partnership with agencies), though TPL has stronger urban-park-creation focus while Columbia Land Trust emphasizes rural landscape-scale conservation.

Regional players

• McKenzie River Trust: Oregon-based accredited land trust working in the Willamette, McKenzie, and Coast Range with similar freshwater/salmon-habitat restoration and conservation easement toolkit. Strong overlap in restoration focus (dam removal, floodplain reconnection) and Oregon-specific operating geography.
• Oregon Land Trust (Oregon Coast Land Conservancy): Oregon-focused regional land trust with similar land-protection and stewardship toolkit. Comparable in scale and mission though more narrowly focused on the Oregon coast. Sister-organization dynamic since Columbia Land Trust's Astoria office was reopened in 2026 to serve the same coastal region.
• Skagit Land Trust: Washington-state accredited land trust focused on Skagit and surrounding counties. Comparable toolkit (easements, acquisitions, restoration) and same accreditation/regulatory regime, but more geographically narrow than Columbia Land Trust's multi-region footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCie00CEFdbTKPZ0i6WQuHzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColumbiaLT
• Instagraminstagram.com/columbialandtrust
• Xx.com/ColumbiaNature

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Columbia Land Trust