At the Land Conservancy, we are built on the spirit of collaboration. We get things done for the purposes of maintaining and preserving land throughout and beyond northern Ohio.
In 2006, Western Reserve Land Conservancy was created by the largest ever merger of land trusts in the United States. Eight northern Ohio land trusts joined forces to form a private, nonprofit conservation organization for a region stretching from Sandusky Bay to the Pennsylvania border and from Lake Erie to Wayne County.
Four years later, the Land Conservancy grew again by merging with Grand River Partners. At the start of 2013, two more conservation groups joined us: the Waite Hill Land Conservancy and the Little Beaver Creek Land Foundation. Today, Western Reserve Land Conservancy is the result of the merger of 13 organizations. Our 29-county footprint now extends south to Columbiana, Jefferson and Carroll.
The Land Conservancy formed the Thriving Communities Institute (TCI), a program designed to revitalize Ohio’s urban centers. This program, originally led by Jim Rokakis and now Isaac Robb, to date has helped to establish 64 county land banks throughout Ohio. It has also secured millions of dollars to demolish more than 50,000 dilapidated and abandoned homes and re-green these sites.
The Land Conservancy, the largest land trust in Ohio and among the top in the nation, became a nationally accredited land trust through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission. We operate ethically, with sound finances, responsible governance, and provide lasting stewardship – ensuring that properties remain protected forever.
As of May 2026, the Land Conservancy has permanently conserved 989 properties and approximately 80,209 acres in northern Ohio, and has helped create 250 public parks and preserves totaling 21,312 acres. We have also been instrumental in creating the Cleveland Tree Coalition and Cleveland Tree Plan, resulting in the planting of over 18,000 trees in the region in support of an expanding tree canopy and healthy neighborhoods.
The following conservation achievements have also been reached as of spring 2026:
Interested in learning more about our history? Contact the Land Conservancy today.