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The Trust for Public Land 

Description

Since opening our Seattle office over 35 years ago, The Trust for Public Land has protected more than 83,000 acres in Washington state. We have a dedicated team of nine serving Washington. Through our history, we have proved that with good planning, it’s possible to balance growth and land conservation to create vibrant, healthy communities where we safeguard nature as one of our greatest assets.

Mission Statement
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, historic sites, rural lands, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. We were established in 1972 with an innovative mission to conserve land for public use. Today, our leadership is shaping a culture of conservation—across the country—and in local communities.
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The Trust for Public Land
901 Fifth Ave Ste 1520 
Seattle 
WA
98164 
(206) 274-2905 

Mike Deller 
Washington State Director 

Programs

The Trust for Public Land Programs

Puget Sound        
Since 1976, we’ve been preserving the shorelines of Puget Sound, helping to establish 50 new parks and natural areas, including the iconic Olympic Sculpture Park in downtown Seattle. We want to do more—we think it’s important that there are more opportunities to see, touch, and experience the Sound, especially in our rapidly growing cities. We are helping to protect the greater Puget Sound region from the sensitive shorelines to the scenic rivers and streams that filter in to the Sound.      

In 2007, The Trust for Public Land joined two other organizations in a long-term collaboration—The Alliance for Puget Sound Shorelines—to protect and restore the iconic inland sea. Within four years, the group's efforts helped to push forward legislation, strengthening protection of more than 1,500 shoreline miles; helped restore more than 50 miles of degraded waterfront; and acquired 10 new parks and natural areas.                               

North Central Washington                  
We are saving recreational lands, working ranches, and family-owned orchards to preserve rural ways of life that have endured for generations in North Central Washington. Our work in the Okanogan highlands and the Wenatchee Foothills is driven by our partnerships, bringing our national leadership, capacity, and technical expertise to a local level, while leveraging local knowledge, resources, and relationships.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

In 2010, we saved Kukutali Preserve, previously known as Kiket Island. For the first time in 80 years, Swinomish Tribal Community members can walk upon land that was lost to the Tribe. Located in Skagit Bay, this conservation effort protected 96 acres of high-quality habitat and more than two miles of Puget Sound shoreline. We purchased the land and conveyed it to the Swinomish Tribe and State Parks, creating Washington’s first and only State Park jointly operated by a Tribe and the State.                  

In Washington, we leverage your support very effectively; we are currently delivering $8 in land for every $1 donated. We have an updated three-year Strategic Plan in place with the goal of saving more special places in Washington—from shoreline parks, working farms and orchards, to scenic rivers, vital watersheds,hiking trails, and wildlife corridors. Your support will help us match public funding and continue to save the lands people love, right here in your own backyard.

Evaluation


For over 35 years, The Trust for Public Land has worked in Puget Sound, delivering conservation work, increasing sensitive shoreline and watershed habitat, and helping communities realize their conservation priorities. Their primary goal is to increase the amount of public shoreline and public access points.

Collaboration
In 2006 they formed the Alliance for Puget Sound Shorelines with The Nature Conservancy and People for Puget Sound. This partnership works to step up the pace of shoreline conservation, protection and restoration efforts. Staff members from all three organizations meet regularly to advance Alliance initiatives. They work with local land trusts, conservation groups, government agencies, tribal communities, park districts, and community and business leaders to accomplish their work.

Proven Success
The Trust for Public Land was highly involved in the development of the Olympic Sculpture Park. They helped purchase the last undeveloped piece of downtown Seattle, a 7.3-acre former oil tank farm zoned for development as hotels and condominiums and worked closely with the Seattle Art Museum to redevelop the site as a park that would showcase great art and outdoor conservation. In their 35 years in the Puget Sound, the Trust for Public Land has conserved 83,000 acres and completed 285 projects.

Best Practices
The Trust for Public Land works with the community to determine their conservation needs. They engage community members, political leaders and organizations in a conversation about conservation to combine local knowledge with scientific data to inventory, map and analyze ecological and community values. Through this they define a shared conservation strategy unique to the community.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
There are no recent grants awarded to this organization.

Financials

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