What Utah Open Lands does

Utah Open Lands is a Utah-based 501(c)(3) accredited land trust founded in 1990, headquartered at 1488 Main Street in Salt Lake City. The organization preserves open spaces and natural lands through conservation easements, fee-simple land acquisition, trail easements, and ongoing land stewardship. Its core service portfolio includes conservation easement negotiation, perpetual land stewardship, and educational programs such as the Leave It Loved campaign and Adventure Aware Guide. The organization manages a portfolio of named preserves including Castleton Tower Preserve (221 acres, preserved in 2002), Hi-Ute Ranch (344 acres donated in late 2024), Skycrest Ranch Preserve, Lundin Farms, and the Heartland of the Heber Valley. It also plays an active role in protecting the Bonneville Shoreline Trail corridor, including a 26-acre acquisition at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon in 2019 and a 10-acre acquisition in progress.

Utah Open Lands operates a collaborative model working with private landowners, government entities (Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Summit County, Wasatch County, Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District, Office of Outdoor Recreation), and partner nonprofits (Trails Utah, 3 Springs Land and Livestock). Revenue is generated through donations, sustaining memberships, planned giving (qualified charitable distributions, donor-advised funds, stock and estate gifts), government and foundation grants, and event fundraising (Portraits of Preservation gala). The organization is governed by a board with an executive director and a small staff team (three named individuals: Executive Director Wendy Fisher, Conservation Director Emily Ingram, Land Protection Manager Maryssa Fenwick). It maintains an active social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and uses email newsletters and earned media for outreach. The business model is inherently regional — operations are confined to Utah, and the geographic footprint compounds over time because conservation easements are permanent legal instruments.

Name

Utah Open Lands

Legal name

Utah Open Lands

Website

https://utahopenlands.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Utah Open Lands is a Utah-based accredited land trust that preserves open spaces through conservation easements, land stewardship, and trail protection, serving private landowners, government partners, and community supporters across the state.

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 industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

Keywords

• Land conservation
• Conservation easements
• Land stewardship
• Open space preservation
• Trail protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

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: Primary revenue stream from individual donors, supporters, and members contributing to land conservation efforts
2. Sustaining Memberships: Recurring membership program providing ongoing support
3. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Qualified charitable distributions, donor-advised fund contributions, stock donations, and other planned giving mechanisms
4. Grant Funding: Government and foundation grants for specific conservation projects
5. Event Fundraising: Gala events such as Portraits of Preservation

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Utah Open Lands is a nonprofit land trust that secures and manages conservation easements, preserves, and trail access on Utah open spaces. It works with private landowners to permanently protect land from development, delivers ongoing land stewardship, and operates named preserves such as Castleton Tower, Hi-Ute Ranch, Skycrest Ranch, and Lundin Farms. Funding comes from donations, memberships, grants, and planned giving.

Product overview

Utah Open Lands is a land conservation nonprofit offering a portfolio of preservation services centered on conservation easements, land stewardship, and preserve management. The organization protects land through various mechanisms including conservation easements, fee-simple land acquisition, and trail easements. Key preserves include Castleton Tower Preserve (221 acres featuring a famous climbing formation), Hi-Ute Ranch (with regenerative grazing partnership), Skycrest Ranch Preserve, and Lundin Farms. The Leave it Loved Campaign provides educational resources including the Adventure Aware Guide for outdoor stewardship. The organization also maintains an interactive Map of Preserves and accepts donations through multiple programs including General Fund, membership, and planned giving options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easement Services Legal agreements that allow landowners to permanently limit development on their property while retaining ownership, protecting land in perpetuity.
• Land Stewardship Ongoing management and monitoring of protected lands to maintain conservation values and ecological health.
• Castleton Tower Preserve 221-acre preserve featuring a 400-foot red rock spire, popular climbing destination with sensitive sagebrush shrublands and desert wildlife habitat.
• Hi-Ute Ranch Historic ranch property protected through conservation easement, featuring collaborative regenerative grazing program with 3 Springs Land and Livestock for soil health, wildlife habitat improvement, and fire mitigation.
• Skycrest Ranch Preserve Preservation opportunity in Heber Valley area, protecting open ranchland from development.
• Lundin Farms Agricultural land preservation project in Wasatch County, funded in part by $2 million from the Wasatch County open space bond fund.
• Heartland of the Heber Valley Conservation initiative protecting the heartland area of Heber Valley from development.
• Bonneville Shoreline Trail Protection Trail easement and open space protection efforts along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail corridor, including a 10-acre acquisition facilitated by Utah Open Lands with Office of Outdoor Recreation grant funding.
• Mid-Mountain Connector Trail Trail construction project crossing Hi-Ute Ranch property, with construction scheduled to begin July 1 and partially funded by a $35,000 grant from Utah Open Lands.
• Donation and Fundraising Programs Multiple donation options including General Fund, Sustaining Membership, Qualified Charitable Distribution, Donor-Advised Fund, Stock Donations, and planned giving programs supporting Utah Open Lands' conservation work.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• 3 Springs Land and LivestockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Collaborative partnership for regenerative grazing at Hi Ute Ranch. 3 Springs Land and Livestock was selected through an RFP process to implement regenerative agricultural practices including managed cattle grazing for wildlife habitat improvement, soil health enhancement, and invasive species management. The partnership aims to demonstrate that regenerative grazing contributes meaningfully to land restoration.
• Salt Lake CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing $320,000 toward BST property acquisition and participating in development discussions for contiguous land
• Trails UtahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on Bonneville Shoreline Trail protection and regional trail connectivity efforts
• Salt Lake CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBST collaboration partner for regional trail establishment
• Snyderville Basin Special Recreation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHas secured trail contractor and collaborates on trail projects including Mid-Mountain Connector Trail at Hi Ute Ranch
• Summit CountysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Hi Ute Ranch conservation easement along with landowning family

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that acquires and conserves land for public use, often working with private landowners on conservation easements. Operates in Utah with overlapping mission and easement transaction model.
• Montana Land Reliance: Montana-focused land trust specializing in conservation easements on ranches and working lands. Highly comparable in terms of private landowner focus, rural easement pipeline, and Western U.S. geographic context.
• The Nature Conservancy (Utah): Global conservation nonprofit actively working in Utah on land protection and stewardship. Shares the easement and fee-simple acquisition model with Utah Open Lands.
• Colorado Open Lands: Statewide private land trust focused on conservation easements and ranchland preservation in Colorado. Near-perfect functional analog in an adjacent Western state, with a similar mix of private landowner easement deals and donor-funded operations.
• Open Space Institute: Regional conservation organization that protects land in the northeastern U.S. and beyond through acquisition and easements. Comparable conservation-finance and stewardship operating model.
• Vermont Land Trust: One of the largest and oldest state-level land trusts in the U.S., focused on conservation easements and working farmland. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and revenue model.

Regional players

• Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: Utah-focused conservation advocacy organization focused on wilderness protection. Operates in the same geography with overlapping land preservation goals, though its primary instrument is federal policy advocacy rather than easements.
• Grand Canyon Trust: Regional land trust and conservation organization active across the Colorado Plateau. Shares stewardship, easement, and land-protection work in adjacent geographies to Utah Open Lands' portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit that partners with public and private entities to acquire and protect land, including working forests and ranches. Broader geographic footprint but directly comparable in conservation real-estate transactions.

Others

• Land Trust Alliance: National membership organization that supports accredited land trusts including Utah Open Lands. Provides accreditation, policy advocacy, and capacity-building services — the trade body rather than a direct operating peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP_wqUYlwbVftQnx36Ov_bw
• Facebookfacebook.com/UtahOpenLands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/utah-open-lands
• Instagraminstagram.com/utahopenlands
• Xx.com/utahopenlands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Utah Open Lands