Wilderness Land Trust
“Complete and protect America’s wilderness areas by purchasing private inholdings.”
34 years on the ground, 75 cents of every dollar to the work.
The work
What they do
Acquires private lands within designated wilderness areas and transfers them to federal agencies. Eliminates development threats within wilderness boundaries.
Where the money went, FY2025
The work, and what it cost
Acquisition of private lands in designated
$1.1M, 75% of spendingAnd potential wilderness areas from willing sellers, and the transfer of those lands to public ownership so that all generations of Americans will enjoy an enduring source of wilderness.
Read it as they filed it
ACQUISITION OF PRIVATE LANDS IN DESIGNATED AND POTENTIAL WILDERNESS AREAS FROM WILLING SELLERS, AND THE TRANSFER OF THOSE LANDS TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP SO THAT ALL GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WILL ENJOY AN ENDURING SOURCE OF WILDERNESS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025, THE WILDERNESS LAND TRUST ACQUIRED 22 PARCELS IN CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, IDAHO, AND NEW MEXICO TOTALING 424 ACRES, AND TRANSFERRED 16 PARCELS IN COLORADO TOTALING 242 ACRES. CURRENTLY, THE TRUST HAS 33 ACTIVE PROJECTS IN ARIZONA, ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, IDAHO, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, UTAH, VIRGINIA, AND WASHINGTON STATE TOTALING 7,271 ACRES. DURING ITS 33-YEAR HISTORY, THE TRUST HAS PERMANENTLY PROTECTED 59,312 ACRES, ADDED 614 PARCELS TO 120 WILDERNESS AREAS AND HELPED COMPLETE 18 DESIGNATED WILDERNESS AREAS BY REMOVING THE LAST REMAINING PRIVATE INHOLDING.
IRS Form 990 Part III, fiscal year 2025, signed under penalty of perjury.
Follow the dollar
75 cents of every dollar goes to the work
Read it as a snapshot, not a scorecard. Splits move year to year with grants and campaigns, and healthy shops live all across this range.
$1,087,362 programs, $144,157 management, $210,613 fundraising. Form 990, FY2025.
The people
Who does the work
Honesty note: leadership comes from each year’s federal filing, so it can run a year behind. If it’s out of date, tell us. Work at the Wilderness Land Trust? Claim this page.
Those 16 volunteers are people who decided this ground was theirs to defend. If the Wilderness Land Trust is holding your place too, the matchmaker will find your way in.
Find your way inThe filings
14 years of filings
Total revenue by fiscal year, as filed. Point at or tap the line for any year.
| Year | Revenue |
|---|---|
| 2011 | $1,324,391 |
| 2012 | $1,921,780 |
| 2013 | $790,687 |
| 2014 | $825,977 |
| 2015 | $540,678 |
| 2016 | $963,867 |
| 2017 | $1,300,847 |
| 2018 | $1,932,127 |
| 2019 | $944,051 |
| 2020 | $1,032,652 |
| 2021 | $1,442,215 |
| 2022 | $1,012,957 |
| 2023 | $1,016,495 |
| 2025 | $2,306,832 |
From $1.3M in 2011 to $2.3M in FY25, across 14 public filings (none on record for 2024). FY25 is the highest year on file.
Their ground
The Wilderness Land Trust is not on our editors’ record for a threatened place yet. See every threatened place on one map, and who stands for each.
Ways in
How to help
Straight to their own donation page. Your dollar never passes through us.
Give on their site ↗Show upVolunteer with themFind their volunteer door on their own site.
Find it on their site ↗FollowWatch the mapEvery threatened place in the country, tracked, with who stands for each.
Threatened Lands MapStand with the Wilderness Land Trust
The mission is theirs. The backing is yours.