Legacy Land Conservancy

Mission: To safeguard southern Michigan’s land and water to support diverse, resilient, and thriving communities-forever.

Founded in 1971 as Michigan’s first local land trust, Legacy is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works with individuals, landowners, organizations, and government entities to support its mission.

Built on a five-decades-long foundation of strong land protection, dedicated staff, board, supporters, donors, volunteers, and partners, Legacy is striving to mitigate the effects of climate change and embracing a commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, as we protect, preserve, and steward land for all people. We are passionate about safeguarding water quality and biodiversity, providing meaningful outdoor experiences, and mitigating the effects of climate change through expert and equitable use of land protection tools such as conservation easements and public nature preserves.

We focus on mitigating the effects of climate change, positively impacting water quality, and protecting farmland through successful land protection projects in our three counties and extending outreach in priority areas.

Committed to supporting diverse, climate resilient ecosystems and providing welcoming places for our preserve visitors, we spend a majority of the year focused on boosting stewardship efforts throughout our nature preserves. With the help of community volunteers, we remove a large amount of invasive species, clear and prepare planting areas, and plant a significant number of trees on our preserves.

Working with our partners and with the community, Legacy is committed to ensuring that future generations enjoy the clean water, fresh food, and peaceful recreational opportunities that have characterized Washtenaw and Jackson counties for generations.