Arizona Land and Water Trust

What Arizona Land and Water Trust does

Arizona Land and Water Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, founded in 1978 (originally as Arizona Open Land Trust) to protect Southern Arizona's vanishing landscapes, working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and water resources. The organization's core methodology is the use of voluntary conservation easements and fee acquisition, working directly with private landowners and serving as a bridge between them and public agencies. It was instrumental in establishing Arizona's conservation easement enabling legislation in 1985 and has held continuous Land Trust Alliance accreditation since 2013 (renewed in 2019). As of the latest data, the Trust has directly and permanently protected 73,250 acres and assisted partners in protecting an additional 181,000 acres across southeastern Arizona.

The Trust's customer base spans three primary groups: voluntary private landowners (ranchers and farmers such as the Woods, Sands, Tomlinson, and Pyeatt families), federal and county government partners (Department of Defense REPI, Bureau of Land Management, USDA NRCS, Pima County, Arizona Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), and a diversified set of donors and foundations. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct field relationships with landowners and collaborative transactions with agencies. Notable programs and projects include the Sopori Creek and Farm acquisition (1,310 acres with rare grandfathered water rights in Amado), the $21 million Sands Ranch acquisition (5,040 acres in Pima County), the Vera Earl Ranch conservation easement (5,000 acres in Sonoita), and the multi-phase Rain Valley Ranch effort (5,500+ acres in Cochise County completed in 2026. The Trust was designated a partner within the Fort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape, one of only seven such designations nationwide.

The Trust's revenue is sourced entirely from donations, charitable contributions, foundation grants, and government program funding (Land and Water Conservation Fund, USDA NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, LWCF, NAWCA, and others). In 2025 the organization launched its $20 million Enduring Landscapes endowment campaign, the largest capital initiative in its history, while continuing to operate educational and community engagement programs such as the Desert Rivers Handbook publication and weekly Virtual Happy Hours. Leadership transitioned in 2025 with Cameron Becker succeeding Liz Petterson as Executive Director, supported by a small programmatic staff and a board led by President Rob Marshall.

Name

Arizona Land and Water Trust

Legal name

Arizona Land and Water Trust

Website

https://alwt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Arizona Land and Water Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1978 that protects Southern Arizona's working farms, ranches, wildlife habitat, and water resources through voluntary conservation easements with private landowners in partnership with federal and county agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land and Water Conservation Services

NAICS

Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works) (53311)

SIC

Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Conservation & Protected Land Brokerage (Easements, Land Trust Sales) (BPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easement management
• Watershed protection programs
• Ranch and farmland preservation
• Habitat and wildlife conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The Trust accepts charitable contributions and works with donors to support land and water conservation efforts. Donations can be made online, through planned giving, or as part of the Enduring Landscapes Campaign.
2. Campaign Fundraising: The Trust launched the Enduring Landscapes Campaign targeting $20,000,000 to establish a permanent endowment supporting core land and water protection initiatives.
3. Foundation Grants: The Trust receives grants from foundations such as the Caterpillar Foundation for environmental conservation projects including aquifer replenishment.
4. Government Programs: Funding from government programs including Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Department of Defense REPI program, and USDA NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Arizona Land and Water Trust is a 501c(3) nonprofit land trust that protects Southern Arizona's vanishing western landscapes, farms, ranches, wildlife habitat, and water resources by working directly with private landowners to establish conservation easements and acquiring land outright. The Trust also serves as a bridge between willing landowners and public entities (Department of Defense, BLM, USDA NRCS, Pima County) to develop landscape-level conservation plans and leverage federal, state, and local funding programs.

Product overview

Arizona Land and Water Trust is a 501c(3) nonprofit conservation organization, not a technology company. The Trust offers land and water conservation services including conservation easements, partnership programs, and educational resources. Its primary offerings consist of conservation programs protecting farms, ranches, wildlife habitat, and water resources in Southern Arizona. The Desert Rivers Handbook serves as an educational publication on Arizona water rights. The Virtual Happy Hours program provides community education through online presentations. The Enduring Landscapes Campaign is a fundraising initiative for endowment building. Sopori Creek and Farm represents a major conservation project with agricultural apprenticeship programming planned. There is no unified software platform or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Protected 73,250 acres directly and assisted in protecting 181,000 more through partners
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Department of Defense (DOD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program and Military Installation Funds (MIF) to prevent development encroachment around Fort Huachuca while maintaining working landscapes and military readiness.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership to expand protected areas within Ironwood Forest National Monument and protect wilderness areas. BLM acquires properties with Trust facilitation.
• Pima CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty utilizes voter-approved Conservation Bond Program funds to acquire lands, with Trust providing expertise and facilitating transactions. Implements Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.
• Arizona Game and Fish DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on wildlife habitat protection and public hunting access, including species of Greatest Conservation Need identification.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural Conservation Easement Program funding for farmland protection and conservation easements on agricultural lands.
• Pheasants Forever/Quail ForeversecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partnership for grassland habitat management and sustainable rangeland stewardship with public access provisions.
• Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian CommunitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to expand protected areas within Ironwood Forest National Monument through property acquisition.
• U.S. Army Fort HuachucacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape Partnership working to promote agriculture and compatible land uses while protecting military testing and training needs. One of only seven designated Sentinel Landscapes.
• The Nature ConservancysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on conservation planning and habitat protection priorities for eastern Pima County.
• U.S. Forest ServicesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner in Fort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape Partnership working to protect wildlife habitat and ensure military readiness.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner in Sentinel Landscape Partnership for wildlife habitat protection.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Grand Canyon Trust: Regional conservation nonprofit working across the Colorado Plateau on land, water, and climate issues. Comparable Western U.S. conservation and water-rights focus but geographically distinct from the Trust's Southern Arizona footprint.
• Rio Grande Water Fund: Regional watershed restoration initiative in New Mexico combining forest restoration with water security outcomes. Comparable watershed/water-protection mission but operates in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Trust for Public Land: National land trust that works with private landowners, communities, and government agencies to protect working lands, habitat, and water. Comparable voluntary easement and fee-acquisition model, especially in the Western U.S.
• Sonoran Institute: Regional nonprofit focused on land and water stewardship in the Sonoran Desert region, with deep partnerships in Southern Arizona. Highly comparable regional conservation mandate and partnership model.
• The Nature Conservancy (Arizona): National nonprofit that acquires and stewards conservation lands and water resources, including a significant Arizona chapter program that partners with the Trust. Directly comparable mission and easement-based model.
• Sky Island Alliance: Southern Arizona-based conservation nonprofit focused on protecting and connecting wildlands and waters in the Sky Island region. Comparable local landowner engagement and habitat/water protection mandate.

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation organization with state affiliates working on wildlife habitat and water. Operates in Arizona on overlapping issues (habitat, grazing, water) but with a much broader programmatic portfolio.
• Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife advocacy and conservation organization working on habitat protection and endangered species in the Southwest. Overlaps with the Trust on habitat and wildlife corridor goals but does not focus primarily on easements.
• Conservation Lands Foundation: National nonprofit focused on conserving public lands managed by BLM and federal partners. Comparable federal-partnership orientation and Southwest footprint, but focused on public-land designation rather than private easements.

Emerging players

• Northern Jaguar Project: Southwest-focused conservation nonprofit protecting jaguar habitat and connected landscapes in northern Mexico and southern Arizona. Comparable regional habitat-corridor and private-landowner partnership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AzLWTrust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Arizona Land and Water Trust