The Trust for Land Restoration

What The Trust for Land Restoration does

The Trust for Land Restoration (TLR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust incorporated in 2000 and headquartered in Ridgway, Colorado. The organization specializes in facilitating acquisition, environmental remediation, and conservation of abandoned or contaminated mine sites across Southwest Colorado, with an operating footprint spanning Ouray, San Miguel, San Juan, and Gunnison counties. Its core services include land acquisition and conservation easement drafting (including the first and second conservation easements in Colorado covering mining-tainted properties), Brownfields and environmental assessments, coordination of cleanup through the EPA Brownfields Program and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and preservation of historic mining structures such as the Idarado Houses, Corkscrew Turntable, and Ironton Townsite. Delivery is partnership-driven — TLR acts as a convening entity rather than a field contractor, brokering between mining companies (e.g., Idarado/Newmont, Tronox), federal agencies (US Forest Service, EPA), state and county governments, and citizen groups such as the Red Mountain Task Force.

The underlying "technology" is a documented environmental due diligence process: written project selection criteria, professional environmental assessments, federal/state regulatory review, full disclosure protocols, and risk-to-benefit analysis. This methodology is applied to each transaction, with TLR ultimately transferring cleaned and conserved properties to public or nonprofit stewardship (USFS, Ouray County, Town of Marble, Aspen Valley Land Trust). Major active projects include the Silver Mountain Mine acquisition (104 acres, ~$560,000-$580,000 total project cost), ongoing stabilization of the Idarado Houses ($170,000+ raised), and management of the Marble Wetlands Preserve (54 acres).

TLR's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams consist of individual donations, foundation grants (Telluride Foundation, Toan-O'Brien Foundation), state grants (Colorado State Historical Fund $50,000-$200,000 awarded/pending, Great Outdoors Colorado $200,000 applied), federal grants (US EPA Brownfields $200,000 in 2004), and natural resource damage settlements (Idarado NRD Fund $215,000 in 2025). Pricing is not applicable — TLR does not sell goods or services. The operating philosophy is to stay small, minimize overhead, and rely on a working Board of Directors, a Program Coordinator, and a network of volunteer advisors with backgrounds in environmental consulting, law, conservation biology, geology, and chemistry.

Name

The Trust for Land Restoration

Legal name

The Trust for Land Restoration

Website

https://restorationtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Trust for Land Restoration is a Ridgway, Colorado-based 501(c)(3) land trust that acquires, remediates, and conserves abandoned mine sites across Southwest Colorado by brokering partnerships between mining companies, state and federal agencies, counties, and citizen groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Remediation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reclamation (Cleanup for Reuse, Risk-Based Closure) (EUAIALAI), Reclamation, Remediation & Rehabilitation (Soils, Revegetation, Landform, Acid Rock Drainage) (IMAKAOAL), Mine Land & Brownfield Reclamation Planting (AFAMACAM)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Environmental remediation
• Brownfields assessment
• Mining site cleanup
• Conservation easement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ridgway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: TLR relies on donations from individuals and organizations to fund land acquisition, environmental cleanup, and historic preservation projects. They maximize donor dollars by staying small and minimizing overhead.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: TLR receives funding from government agencies including Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Great Outdoors Colorado, State Historical Fund, and private foundations such as Toan-O'Brien Foundation for specific conservation and remediation projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Trust for Land Restoration is a nonprofit land trust that acquires, restores, and conserves environmentally significant lands in Colorado's San Juan Mountains that have been degraded by historic mining operations. It specializes in navigating federal and state regulatory and environmental liability requirements, conducting Brownfields assessments, drafting conservation easements on mining-tainted properties, and coordinating the transfer of cleaned lands to public ownership.

Product overview

The Trust for Land Restoration is a non-profit land trust offering a portfolio of conservation and remediation services rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include land acquisition and conservation services for mining-distressed lands, mining site remediation coordination through Brownfields assessments, historic preservation of mining structures, and conservation easement development. Major active projects include the Silver Mountain Mine Acquisition (104 acres), Idarado Houses stabilization, and Marble Wetlands Preserve. The organization also provides environmental assessments for watersheds including Canyon Creek and Peru Creek, and conducts annual monitoring of preserved historic sites. All services are delivered through partnerships with government agencies, land trusts, and community organizations rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Conservation & Acquisition Services Statewide land-trust services facilitating acquisition, restoration, and conservation of environmentally significant lands degraded by mining or other human activities, with expertise in navigating regulatory requirements for contaminated properties.
• Mining Site Remediation & Brownfields Assessment Facilitates cleanup and remediation of abandoned mine sites through environmental assessments, regulatory coordination, and liability management, in partnership with the EPA Brownfields Program and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
• Historic Preservation Services Preservation and stabilization of historic mining structures and sites including the Idarado Houses, Ironton Townsite, Corkscrew Turntable, and various mining claims in the Red Mountain Mining District.
• Conservation Easements on Mining-Tainted Properties Writing and accepting conservation easements on mining-tainted and environmentally significant properties to permanently protect them from inappropriate development, including the first two such easements in Colorado.
• Silver Mountain Mine Acquisition Project Flagship project acquiring 104 acres of mining claims in the Red Mountain Mining District, planned for donation to Ouray County after environmental due diligence and placement of a conservation easement with Colorado West Land Trust.
• Idarado Houses Project Multi-year stabilization and preservation of four historic mining houses near Red Mountain Pass, including foundation repairs, roof work, drainage improvements, and interpretive signage, in partnership with Ouray County Historical Society.
• Marble Wetlands Preserve 54-acre wetlands preserve near Marble, Colorado featuring smelter site remediation, wildlife habitat protection, and a conservation easement with Aspen Valley Land Trust, managed under agreement with the Town of Marble.
• Canyon Creek Watershed Brownfields Assessment Environmental assessment of 232 privately held mining claims in the 26-square-mile Canyon Creek drainage basin to prioritize properties for public acquisition as part of the Red Mountain Project.
• Peru Creek Basin Restoration Completed project involving acquisition and cleanup of 150 acres of mining claims in Summit County, with 20 dangerous mine openings closed and sites targeted for federal cleanup through partnership with the Summit County Open Space Department.
• Annual Historic Site Monitoring Annual monitoring of more than a dozen historic sites in the Red Mountain Mining District to document conditions and advocate for their protection and preservation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Acquired and donated over 120 acres of mining claims to US Forest Service
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trust for Public LandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000TLR worked with Trust for Public Land on the Red Mountain Project, facilitating acquisition of mining claims for transfer to US Forest Service. Trust for Public Land received $14.2 million in Land and Water Conservation Funds for acquisitions.
• Ouray CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner for property acquisitions and transfers. Ouray County has accepted donations of mining claims and historic sites including Corkscrew Turntable and Idarado Houses.
• Ouray County Historical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLR partners with OCHS for historic preservation projects including management of Idarado Houses and Ironton Townsite. OCHS monitors and maintains historic claims on behalf of the county.
• Aspen Valley Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAVLT holds conservation easement on Marble Wetlands Preserve and is the planned eventual owner of the property. Partnership enabled the preservation of 55 acres of wetlands near Marble.
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of donated mining claims totaling over 120 acres in Red Mountain Mining District. TLR negotiates land trades with USFS for properties under Idarado Houses.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and EnvironmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCDPHE provides environmental assessments (Targeted Brownfields Assessments), regulatory guidance, and funding for remediation projects including Silver Mountain Mine acquisition.
• Crystal Valley Environmental Protection AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVEPA launched efforts to conserve the Marble wetlands property and brought in TLR when other organizations declined due to liability concerns from smelter contamination.
• Town of MarblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLR has management agreement with Town of Marble for Marble Wetlands Preserve, with planned full ownership transfer. Town serves as fiscal agent for cleanup and will oversee day-to-day needs.
• Colorado West Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLR will place Silver Mountain Mine property into conservation easement with Colorado West Land Trust before donating to Ouray County.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit that acquires and manages conservation land, including former industrial and mining sites, working with government partners. Closely comparable mission of taking on environmentally complicated land transactions other groups avoid.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit land conservation organization that has been an active partner with TLR on the Red Mountain Project. Trust for Public Land secured $14.2M in Land and Water Conservation Funds for related acquisitions, making it the closest direct peer in mission and operating model.
• Colorado West Land Trust: Regional land trust partner that will hold the conservation easement on the Silver Mountain Mine property before transfer to Ouray County. Directly comparable in size, geography, and mission.
• Aspen Valley Land Trust: Regional Colorado land trust that holds the conservation easement on TLR's Marble Wetlands Preserve and is the planned eventual owner. Directly comparable as a regional Colorado land trust focused on conservation easements and fee acquisition.
• Black Canyon Regional Land Trust: Regional Colorado land trust on whose founding board TLR Executive Director Patrick Willits served (1999-2001). Operates in adjacent Western Slope counties with comparable conservation easement and fee acquisition activities.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation nonprofit; TLR's Executive Director previously served as Southwest Colorado Program Manager (1990-1998). Operates at vastly larger scale and broader geographic scope, but pursues adjacent land conservation and stewardship objectives.

Emerging players

• Crystal Valley Environmental Protection Association: Local Colorado environmental advocacy nonprofit that brought TLR into the Marble Wetlands Preserve project after larger organizations declined the contaminated property. Small-scale local peer focused on environmental protection adjacent to TLR's service area.
• Ouray County Historical Society: Partner organization that co-manages historic mining properties with TLR, including Idarado Houses and Ironton Townsite. Comparable as a small heritage nonprofit adjacent to TLR's preservation activities.
• San Juan County Historical Society: Partner that monitors and maintains historic mining claims on behalf of Ouray County and co-stewards the Ironton Townsite. Comparable as a regional heritage/preservation nonprofit overlapping with TLR's historic preservation work.

Others

• Greenfield Multistate Environmental Trust: Environmental trust that previously held the Tronox mining claims sold to TLR (which then donated 14 claims to US Forest Service). Comparable as a state-level environmental/fiduciary vehicle for managing legacy contamination, though operating at different scale and structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-trust-for-land-restoration-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 The Trust for Land Restoration