Our Purpose
Bear River Land Conservancy was established by local visionaries to ensure that valuable private lands with public benefits will continue to provide those benefits into the future. Our conservation focus includes:
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Preservation of open space, especially in the form of working farms and ranches. We are incredibly grateful to the producers that provide us with food every day!
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Working lands that provide habitat for migratory birds, Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer, Bonneville cutthroat trout, and native plants.
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Lands near rivers and streams that provide clean water, flood protection, and critical riparian habitat.
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Private lands and trails that allow public access for recreation, including hunting, fishing, and hiking.
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Our Story
Bear River Land Conservancy was founded in 2011 by a small group of volunteers and visionaries dedicated to preserving a 455 acre property known as the Bear River Bottoms. It lies along the Bear River in Cache Valley near Trenton, and protects critical migratory bird habitat and wetlands. It was originally placed under a land preservation agreement by the Bridgerland Audubon Society in 2009. Two years later, in 2011, Bear River Land Conservancy was created to take over stewardship of the property.
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The early years of our organization were spent developing as a nonprofit, building partnerships, and protecting our Mendon Meadow Preserve property and our Bear Lake Preserve conservation easement. In the early 2020's, we were able to begin operating at scale, due in large part to the efforts of our professional, full-time staff. Over the past few years, we have been working with Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust and other partners to develop and implement the Bear River Watershed Initiative.
The Bear River Watershed Initiative is comprised of NGO's, agencies, businesses, foundations, and private funders who have come together to increase the pace and scale of land conservation in the Bear River Watershed. Over the past four years, our initiative has successfully protected over 10,000 acres of working lands, wildlife habitat, and open space in the Bear River Watershed.
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Through our successful partnerships, we now have multiple projects in progress and as an organization we will be seeking Land Trust Alliance Accreditation in 2025/2026.
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Our Future
BRLC works with a wide range of landowners who share an interest protecting their lands for future generations. Private lands, including farms and ranches provide public benefits such as scenic open spaces, food production, and wildlife habitat. As we continue to grow and develop as an organization we are always on the lookout for new partners and friends.
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If you are a landowner interested in working with us, please read this page and then reach out to us.​​​
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How You Can Help
We rely heavily on you, our community of friends and neighbors, for donations of both time and money. Our volunteers help us with restoration work on our properties. Our donors help us keep the lights on and retain our staff so they can bring in the state and federal money we need to complete our projects.
We promise that your support will have a lasting impact because the land we protect will be protected forever.
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Click here to get involved in land conservation in northern Utah.