Land trusts are making great strides in helping landowners conserve their land. The Land Trust Alliance has conducted a census of the nation's land trusts to determine the extent of their conservation efforts and effectiveness.

Data were collected from January to September 2004 from the approximately 1,100 groups that completed the survey. All responses provided information on land conservation activities as of Dec. 31, 2003. The results of the census demonstrate the great progress made by the approximately 1,500 land trusts working to help landowners conserve land in this country.

The 2003 Census identifies two milestones for the private land conservation movement that was established in the United States at the end of the 19^th century: