In the late 1990’s, staff and board at Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Nebraska identified the need for a trust to conserve land in the Lower Platte River Valley. This vision came to life when John Ellsworth founded NLT in 2001. The board was created to include agencies with a stake in land conservation in Nebraska.

Nebraska Land Trust is donated its first easement in Douglas County, the “Werner” easement. This 577-acre easement was comprised of cropland, grasslands and one mile of Platte River frontage.

A 1,038 acre easement in Lincoln County surpassed 10,000 acres of land conservation for NLT. This easement adjoins two other NLT easements, as well as a state Wildlife Management Area, creating nearly 4,000 acres of contiguous protection.

NLT became accredited for the first time by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. To achieve accreditation, land trusts must demonstrate that they are operating at the highest standards. NLT’s accreditation was renewed in 2018 and again in 2023.

We created the Pine Ridge Advisory Committee due to a demonstrated need for conservation of privately owned landscapes in the region. The committee is comprised of locals who help determine conservaiton priorities in the area.

Nebraska Land Trust surpasses 25,000 acres of land conservation with the easment on Our Heritage Ranch in the Pine Ridge.

The Partnership of Rangeland Trusts (PORT) is an alliance of land trusts dedicated to conserving America’s working farms and ranches. Together, PORT members have conserved over 3 million acres in 11 states. PORT conserved acres account for 1 in every 6 acres conserved nationwide.