The Conservation Fund: Complex Issues Call for Smart Conservation

Since 1985, The Conservation Fund has protected about 28 acres an hour—nearly 700 acres a day. That is about one Central Park worth of land protected each day! Your support helps make this possible and allows us to address the most pressing environmental challenges of our time: climate change and sea level rise, loss of habitat for wildlife, access to food systems, conversion of working forests, farms and ranches, and more. As a national nonprofit working with communities across America, we find innovative and tailored solutions that make environmental and economic sense for each community.

We live in a big country—from the large forests of New York and the great plains of Wyoming, to the city streets of Atlanta, Georgia—and we know that every community and landscape is different. This means one solution will not solve every conservation issue that we face as a country. This is where The Conservation Fund excels, because with our talented conservation staff and programs, we make a big impact on the environment and we support local communities no matter the location.

For example, our pioneering Working Forest Fund program plays a critical role in addressing the loss of America’s last big, intact, privately-held forests. By acquiring ecologically significant forestland, we’re also supporting the communities that depend on them as a natural resource. And while we buy time to prevent forests from being developed and divided, we also help create forest management plans that include sustainable timber harvesting, keeping logging families and towns working. This safeguards important watersheds from being destroyed as well as key wildlife habitat for species like the gopher tortoise, Louisiana black bear, and Coho salmon. Once forestland is returned to private or public ownership, each property remains a working forest. Nearly 45 million acres of forests across the U.S. are at risk of being lost to development, but through the Working Forest Fund, more than 600,000 acres have been protected in 17 states!

Beyond the forests, we have our Parks with Purpose program, which focuses on adding green space into our cities. We work hand-in-hand with local organizations in cities across America, including Atlanta, Georgia; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Richmond, California. Alongside community partners, we build smarter, greener and more equitable cities. Whether ensuring fresh produce makes its way into underserved neighborhoods, cleaning polluted creeks, or building new parks, these projects create lasting results that support healthy, vibrant cities and more equitable and livable neighborhoods.

Climate change and rising sea levels are another serious challenge for our country, particularly for our coastal communities and ecosystems. For instance, thousands of acres of marshland along the iconic Chesapeake Bay has been lost due to rising water levels in recent years. Losing the Bay’s rich tidal marshes and freshwater ponds means losing critical habitat for migratory birds. Since 2011, The Conservation Fund has been working to protect this unique and beautiful ecosystem. We have added nearly 8,000 acres to Maryland’s existing Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, while also helping restore 40 acres of high-priority land by planting 10,000 trees. There is still a lot of work to do, but with smart conservation, we are helping protect these wild, coastal lands in the face of climate change.

These are just a few examples of ways in which The Conservation Fund is making a difference in the lives of all Americans and the landscapes we love. Not only are we practicing effective conservation, but we are the most efficient environmental charity in the country. The Fund devotes 96% of every dollar directly to conservation programs and just 1% to fundraising.

To join our conservation efforts, pledge to The Conservation Fund today!

Support The Conservation Fund through your employee giving program:

As a donor, you can support The Conservation Fund by donating to them through your employer’s workplace giving program (CFC#10630 if you're a military or federal employee participating in the Combined Federal Campaign). Payroll pledges made through employer-sponsored charitable giving programs represent a cost effective and near effortless way to support your favorite charities.

As The Conservation Fund's workplace giving partner, America’s Charities can help your company design and implement a program centered on supporting their work - through workplace giving campaigns, employee fundraising, cause-focused signature programs, volunteerism, donation drives, matching gifts, Dollars-for-Doers, In-Kind Giving and other employee engagement and philanthropic initiatives. Click here to request a demo and learn how we can help you do this.