Blue Mountain Land Trust

What Blue Mountain Land Trust does

Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Walla Walla, Washington, with a second regional office in John Day, Oregon. It operates across ten counties in southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon, protecting working farmland, ranchland, rivers, streams, and wildlife habitat through voluntary conservation easements with private landowners and, more recently, fee-simple ownership of strategically important properties such as Phipps Meadow (2021) and Hayshaker Farm (2025). As of 2024, BMLT had permanently protected over 24,294 acres of land and 51+ miles of rivers and streams through 19+ completed easement projects, and contributed 27,949+ Blues Crew volunteer hours to trail maintenance on USFS-managed public lands.

BMLT's core products and programs are conservation services rather than technology: voluntary conservation easements, the Blues Crew volunteer trail stewardship program, education programs (Farm Kids summer camp, Nature Kids family events, Learning on the Land series), recreation resources (Horseshoe Prairie Nordic ski area, Outside Walla Walla trail guide), and an annual Celebrate the Blues fundraiser at partner wineries. The organization holds Land Trust Accreditation Commission accreditation — earned in 2014, renewed in 2020, and reaffirmed for a third time in January 2026 — placing it among roughly 470 accredited land trusts stewarding 50+ million acres nationwide.

The business model is a nonprofit funding stack composed of restricted and unrestricted revenue: large project grants (notably Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Healthy Watersheds Consortium, USFS, NRCS, Bonneville Power Administration, and the Sherwood Trust), individual donations and planned giving (a year-end giving season produced $160,123 in a recent campaign), corporate and winery event sponsorships, and ticket/auction revenue from Celebrate the Blues (~$150/ticket, ~150 attendees). Distribution is relationship-driven and regional: direct landowner negotiations, Blues Crew field operations with USFS Umatilla National Forest, education partnerships with Whitman College and Tri-State Steelheaders, and tribal co-stewardship with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. BMLT does not have a technology product, API, or AI component; its competitive position rests on regulatory accreditation, multi-decade institutional partnerships, and the permanent nature of its conservation instruments.

Name

Blue Mountain Land Trust

Legal name

Blue Mountain Land Trust

Website

https://bmlt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blue Mountain Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1999 and based in Walla Walla, WA, that permanently protects farmland, ranchland, rivers, and wildlife habitat across southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon through conservation easements, fee-simple land ownership, and volunteer-driven trail and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easements
• Trail stewardship
• Environmental education programs
• Nonprofit land trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Walla Walla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations from supporters, tax-deductible charitable contributions under 501(c)(3) status, with Tax ID 91-1989279
2. Annual Fundraising Events: Celebrate the Blues annual benefit dinner with ticket sales at $150 per person, silent auctions, and raise-the-paddle moments
3. Planned Giving: Legacy giving programs including bequests and estate planning donations
4. Business Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events and programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blue Mountain Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that permanently protects farmland, ranchland, rivers, streams, and wildlife habitat in southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon through voluntary conservation easements, fee-simple land purchases, and ongoing stewardship. It complements conservation with the volunteer-led Blues Crew trail stewardship program, fee/free outdoor education programs (Farm Kids, Nature Kids, Learning on the Land), and recreation resources including the Horseshoe Prairie Nordic Ski Area and the Outside Walla Walla outdoor guide.

Product overview

Blue Mountain Land Trust operates as a nonprofit land conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include conservation easements (voluntary legal agreements protecting land forever), trail stewardship through the Blues Crew volunteer program, and owned protected properties. Education initiatives span Farm Kids (summer camp), Nature Kids (family events), and Learning on the Land (community outdoor events). Recreation access is supported through trail maintenance, the Horseshoe Prairie Nordic Ski Area, and the Outside Walla Walla resource guide. Fundraising events like Celebrate the Blues support organizational operations. The organization does not offer software products, APIs, or technology platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easements Voluntary legal agreements between landowners and BMLT that permanently protect natural, scenic, and agricultural lands from development while allowing landowners to retain ownership and continue working the land. Service is for private farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners across southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon.
• Blues Crew Trail Stewardship Volunteer-led trail maintenance and stewardship program partnering with regional agencies (USFS) to improve and maintain trails on public lands in the Blue Mountain region. Open to community volunteers.
• Farm Kids Program Three-week summer camp connecting children to local agriculture and food through hands-on farming activities, cooking experiences, and nature exploration. For families and children in the Blue Mountain region.
• Nature Kids Series of free outdoor events for children and families teaching nature exploration, Leave No Trace principles, and environmental awareness. For local families in southeast Washington and Eastern Oregon.
• Learning on the Land Community education series featuring guided outdoor events that showcase the natural wonders of the Blue Mountains through diverse experiential activities. For community members and visitors.
• Horseshoe Prairie Nordic Ski Area Volunteer-maintained cross-country skiing and snowshoeing destination operated by the Blues Crew, including a warming hut. For outdoor recreation visitors in the Blue Mountain region.
• Outside Walla Walla Online guide helping visitors and residents explore trails and natural areas surrounding Walla Walla Valley.
• Celebrate the Blues Annual Fundraiser Annual benefit dinner and fundraiser featuring live music, silent auction, regional food and wine, and paddle-raise to support BMLT's conservation work. Tickets sold at $150 per person. For donors, sponsors, and community supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Protected over 24,294 acres of land
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on river restoration and conservation easements. CTUIR led extensive restoration at Umatilla River/Birch Creek confluence; BMLT holds easements protecting CTUIR's restoration investments. Partners on UmaBirch Conservation Easement protecting 942 acres and 3.72 miles of river.
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for trail maintenance through Blues Crew volunteer program. USFS provides training, safety orientation, and tools. USFS Umatilla National Forest partners on Nature Kids educational series. Awarded $15,000 grant for natural resources education programs.
• Western Rivers ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner in UmaBirch project, collaborating on protection of Umatilla River and Birch Creek
• Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs ReservationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Phipps Meadow property purchase, first property acquired by BMLT. Also key partner in John Day River Basin conservation work, providing capacity funding and connecting with local landowners.
• Trust for Public LandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Bennett Ranch conservation easement project to preserve working ranch in Baker County, Oregon
• Whitman CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership hosting interns, providing volunteers for Nature Kids and Learning on the Land programs. Whitman professor Heidi Dobson participates in Farm Kids program.
• Tri-State SteelheadersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for youth education programs, supporting Nature Kids events
• Blue Mountain Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for youth education programs including Nature Kids events
• North Fork John Day Watershed CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Phipps Meadow restoration work, hosting volunteer stewardship work parties
• Echolands WineryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Celebrate the Blues 2026 annual fundraiser event
• Abeja WineryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Celebrate the Blues 2025 annual fundraiser, located next to BMLT's first conservation easement at Carl & Sonia Schmitt's Farm on Titus Creek
• ConfluenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Sacajawea State Park restoration project, clearing brush and reestablishing native plants at Confluence Story Circles
• Washington State ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Sacajawea State Park Confluence Story Circles restoration project
• Greater Hells Canyon CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Blues Crew and Northwest Youth Corps on Umatilla River trail restoration
• Northwest Youth CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Umatilla River trail restoration project with Blues Crew and Greater Hells Canyon Council
• Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts (COLT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon land trust association for policy advocacy in Salem. BMLT represented on COLT board.
• Washington Association of Land Trusts (WALT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington land trust association for policy advocacy in Olympia and DC. BMLT represented on WALT board.
• Oregon Agricultural TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on advocacy for Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP) farmland preservation
• Welcome Table FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarm partner hosting Farm Kids summer camp program for children

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Columbia Land Trust: A regional land trust serving southwest Washington and northwest Oregon, directly comparable to BMLT as a state-accredited Pacific Northwest land trust that protects working farms, forests, and riverlands through voluntary conservation easements.
• Deschutes Land Trust: An Oregon-based land trust conserving working lands, rivers, and wildlife habitat in central Oregon, comparable to BMLT in mission, voluntary-easement model, and community-based landowner engagement.
• Oregon Agricultural Trust: A statewide nonprofit dedicated to preserving Oregon's agricultural land base through easements and acquisition, highly comparable to BMLT's working-lands focus and a documented BMLT advocacy partner on the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program.
• Palouse Land Trust: A Whitman County, Washington land trust conserving Eastern Washington grassland, farmland, and wildlife habitat — directly comparable to BMLT on geography, working-lands focus, and rural landowner engagement model.

Regional players

• McKenzie River Trust: An Oregon land trust focused on conserving McKenzie and Willamette river valleys through voluntary conservation agreements, comparable to BMLT in mission and easements-driven model but serving a different (western Oregon) geography.
• Ecotrust: A Pacific Northwest–based foundation and impact investor supporting forest, farm, and fisheries conservation; comparable to BMLT in regional scope and mission alignment, though structured more as a funder than a direct landowner partner.

Broad incumbents

• The Trust for Public Land: A national nonprofit land-conservation organization that completes easements and acquisitions nationwide, comparable to BMLT in core function and a documented BMLT co-partner on the Bennett Ranch conservation easement.
• The Nature Conservancy: A global conservation organization operating across Oregon and Washington with parallel land-protection, restoration, and policy advocacy functions, comparable to BMLT at scale but with vastly greater resources and broader portfolio.
• American Farmland Trust: A national nonprofit focused on preserving agricultural land and promoting sound farming practices, comparable to BMLT's working-lands protection scope and policy-advocacy function at the federal level.
• The Conservation Fund: A national nonprofit that combines conservation finance with project implementation across working lands, comparable to BMLT's combination of easement acquisition, fee-simple purchase, and partnership-based financing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/blue_mountain_land_trust
• Xx.com/bluemtlandtrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlueMountainLandTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blue-mountain-land-trust

Compliance2 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 Blue Mountain Land Trust