Jefferson Land Trust

What Jefferson Land Trust does

Jefferson Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization founded in 1989 in Port Townsend, Washington, serving Jefferson County on the Olympic Peninsula. Its core function is the permanent protection of farmland, forests, wildlife habitat, and culturally significant sites through conservation easements, land ownership, and facilitation of transactions with willing private landowners. As of recent disclosures the organization has helped protect more than 16,000 acres across properties including Quimper Wildlife Corridor, Snow and Salmon Creeks, the Chimacum Creek Watershed (over 1,077 acres), Illahee Preserve, Chimacum Commons, Tamanowas Rock Sanctuary, Duckabush Oxbow, Dabob Bay/Tarboo Valley, and the newly acquired Chimacum Ridge Community Forest.

The Trust's product surface spans four categories: (1) land protection services delivered one-on-one with landowners; (2) a portfolio of publicly accessible preserves offering trails and education; (3) structured community programs including Youth Corps (paid high-school internships since 2017), school-based salmon and forest education reaching nearly 800 students in 2025, the "Nature in Your Neighborhood" online naturalist curriculum, and the Fairbank Award for youth environmental action; and (4) ancillary initiatives such as the Olympic Wildland Burial Grounds conservation burial subsidiary. It does not sell commercial products or services.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack comprising individual donations and charitable contributions, government grants (Washington State Department of Commerce, Jefferson County Conservation Futures Fund, federal sources), foundation grants, business partnerships (Save the Land Business Partners including Finnriver Farm and Cidery, Resort at Port Ludlow, Port Townsend Food Co-op), and special-event fundraising anchored by the annual LandFest gala. In 2025 the Trust secured more than $2.3M in grants and recorded its most successful LandFest event to date. The Trust has been continuously accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission since 2009. Its geographic operating scope is restricted to Jefferson County, though collaborative studies (e.g., the 2020 Land Resilience Study with North Olympic Land Trust) extend planning analysis across the Olympic Peninsula.

Name

Jefferson Land Trust

Legal name

Jefferson Land Trust

Website

https://saveland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jefferson Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization in Jefferson County, Washington, that permanently protects farmland, forests, wildlife habitat, and sacred sites through conservation easements, land ownership, and community programs serving landowners, tribes, students, and donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Historic Preservation & Landmarks Conservation (BPAGAHAE)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easements
• Farmland preservation
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Watershed restoration

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Townsend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations from community members, supporters, and conservation buyers who purchase and donate land or fund conservation projects. The organization conducts fundraising campaigns including the 'Look to the Land' campaign.
2. Grant Funding: Government grants from state and county sources including Washington State Department of Commerce, Jefferson County Conservation Futures Fund, and federal programs. Also grants from foundations. In 2025, volunteers helped submit grants that secured more than $2.3 million in funding.
3. Business Partnerships and Sponsorships: Local business partners (Save the Land Business Partners) donate a portion of profits. Event sponsors for LandFest and other programs. Sponsors include Resort at Port Ludlow, Finnriver Farm and Cidery, Port Townsend Food Co-op, and others.
4. Special Events: Annual fundraising events including LandFest gala, which in 2025 was the most successful fundraising event in the Land Trust's history. Events feature donations, paddle raises, and sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Jefferson Land Trust helps private landowners and partners permanently protect wetlands, floodplains, farmlands, wildlife corridors, working forests, and sacred tribal sites in Jefferson County, Washington. It accomplishes this through conservation easements, fee ownership of land, and facilitation with tribal, government, and nonprofit partners. The Trust also stewards its existing portfolio of protected properties, delivers youth and community education programs, coordinates volunteer stewardship work parties, and operates the Conservation Burial Initiative through its subsidiary Olympic Wildland Burial Grounds LLC.

Product overview

Jefferson Land Trust is an accredited nonprofit land trust organization offering land conservation services including land protection through ownership and conservation easements, education programs (Youth Corps, school programs, Nature in Your Neighborhood online learning), community volunteer programs, and a conservation burial initiative through its subsidiary Olympic Wildland Burial Grounds. The organization maintains a portfolio of protected properties across Jefferson County including farms, forests, wildlife preserves, and watershed areas. Their core offering is helping landowners permanently protect land for habitat, community health, climate resilience, and economic benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Conservation Services
• Conservation Burial Initiative (Olympic Wildland Burial Grounds)
• Youth Corps Program
• Youth Education Programs
• Nature in Your Neighborhood
• LandFest Annual Fundraising Gala

Quantifiable outcome

• 16,000+ acres permanently protected
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Partnerships

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

• Olympic Housing TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to develop affordable farmworker housing on approximately 4 acres of Chimacum Commons property. Olympic Housing Trust leads planning and predevelopment; Land Trust retains conservation easement protecting agricultural soils and ecological values. Received Washington State Department of Commerce grant in 2025.
• Jamestown S'Klallam TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary tribal partner for conservation and cultural preservation. Collaborated on Tamanowas Rock Sanctuary protection, cedar bark harvesting for Indigenous weaving traditions, and cultural resource identification training. Joint efforts include conservation of sacred sites and traditional territory in Chimacum Valley.
• Port Gamble S'Klallam TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in tribal conservation efforts including cedar bark harvesting at Chimacum Ridge for cultural teaching and practice. Collaborative work on protecting Indigenous lands and traditions.
• North Olympic Salmon CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded the Chumsortium Collaborative, a coalition leading salmon protection and restoration work in east Jefferson County. Joint restoration projects at Chimacum Creek, Snow Creek Estuary, and other properties. Worked together on summer chum salmon recovery.
• Jefferson County Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on restoration work along Chimacum Creek banks to improve salmon habitat and water quality. Collaborated on Snow Creek Estuary Preserve restoration. Joint efforts on habitat recovery and watershed stewardship.
• North Olympic Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Land Resilience Study (2020) to identify climate-resilient conservation areas across the Olympic Peninsula. Joint conservation planning across Clallam and Jefferson counties. Collaboration on economic benefits study of conserved lands.
• Washington Department of Fish and WildlifemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent property owner at Illahee Preserve. Collaboration on protecting wildlife habitat and salmon spawning grounds. Joint conservation of wildlife corridors.
• Washington State ParksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in protecting Tamanowas Rock Sanctuary. Collaboration on permanent protection of the sacred site along with Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and Jefferson County Conservation Futures Fund.
• Quimper Geological SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with local geologists Dr. Jeff Tepper and Ken Clark on informational kiosk at Chimacum Corner Farmstand about local geology and 'Birthplace of the Cascade Mountains.'
• NatureBridgeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Executive Director Jennifer Kidder previously served as Olympic Campus Director at NatureBridge in Port Angeles. Connection through conservation and environmental education community.
• Finnriver Farm and CideryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSave the Land Business Partner donating portion of profits. Located at protected Chimacum Dairy property. Provides cider for LandFest events. Part of local food and farm ecosystem the Land Trust supports.
• Resort at Port LudlowminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSave the Land Business Partner donating portion of profits to the Land Trust. Local hospitality business supporting conservation efforts.
• Port Townsend Food Co-opminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSave the Land Business Partner donating portion of profits. Member-owned cooperative supporting local farms and conservation.
• Land Trust AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting land trusts. Provided funding for Land Resilience Study. Accreditation through Land Trust Accreditation Commission which is part of the Alliance.
• Trust for Public LandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on economic benefits study of conserved lands, trails, and parks on the North Olympic Peninsula. Collaborated on conservation projects.
• Wild Olympic SalmoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed decades-long community restoration effort on Chimacum Creek after summer chum were wiped out. Later merged with North Olympic Salmon Coalition to continue salmon recovery work.
• Jefferson LandWorks CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that can provide support for agricultural lease management on protected properties like Chimacum Commons.
• Olympic Wildland Burial Grounds LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit subsidiary LLC governed by a volunteer board, incubated by Jefferson Land Trust to develop conservation burial ground and memorial forest. Over 300 community members have expressed interest.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Trust for Public Land:
• Land Trust Alliance: National umbrella and accreditation body for land trusts; JLT is accredited under its Standards and Practices. Not a direct peer but the sector's primary membership, advocacy, and capacity-building organization.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation organization whose Conserving Nature's Stage dataset was used in JLT's Land Resilience Study. Comparable in ecological-resilience prioritization and climate-resilient conservation approach.
• American Farmland Trust: National farmland conservation nonprofit; JLT board member Edward Thompson, Jr. was a co-founder and former California director. Comparable in mission around working-lands protection but operates at national policy and advocacy scale.

Direct peers

• Great Peninsula Conservancy: Washington land trust serving Kitsap, Mason, and Jefferson-adjacent counties with a similar small-staff, easement- and fee-based land protection model and educational programming.
• San Juan Preservation Trust: Accredited Washington-state land trust operating in San Juan County with a similar small-staff, volunteer-driven, conservation-easement and fee-title model. Comparable scale and mission in an island/maritime setting.
• Skagit Land Trust: Accredited Washington-state land trust focused on farmland, salmon habitat, and forest protection in the Skagit watershed. Closely comparable in program mix (farms, fish, forests) to JLT's "Farms, Fish, and Forests Forever" framing.
• Whidbey Camano Land Trust: Accredited Washington-state land trust with comparable acreage (~10,000+ acres), small staff, and a focus on farmland preservation, forest stewardship, and public preserve access.
• North Olympic Land Trust: Adjacent Washington-state land trust that co-led the 2020 Land Resilience Study with Jefferson Land Trust. Operates in Clallam County with the same conservation easement, stewardship, and community-driven model, making it the closest comparable peer.
• Whatcom Land Trust: Accredited Washington-state land trust working in Whatcom County on similar farmland, salmon, and forest priorities with comparable volunteer and stewardship programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Jefferson Land Trust