history of the trust for public land
TRANSCRIPT
History of The Trust for Public Land
Huey Johnson—western regional director of The Nature Conservancy
Greg Archbald—California attorney specializing in conservation
With help from Doug Ferguson, Marty Rosen, many others
Trust for Public Land founders
Project Lorax
The Trust for Public Land… born May 5, 1972
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
1970s
Golden Gate National Recreation Area—Wilkins Ranch
1970s
The first office
1970s
Getting started
1970s
“Weeds in a city lot convey the same lessons as the redwoods.”
Have you read Leopold?
To acquire and preserve open space land to serve human needs
To operate as the first self-sustaining conservation organization in the nation
To create a new profession To pioneer new techniques of land
preservation and funding
Founding goals
Early programs
Urban Land Program—city parks, playgrounds, and gardens
Public Land Program—acquiring land for public parks and conservation areas
Land Trust Program—training local land trusts
Urban Land Program
1970s
39th Ave. Community Garden—Oakland
1970s
Eastward ho!
1970s
Public Lands Program
1970s
Cape Romano—Florida
1970s
Land Trust Program
1970s
Marty Rosen, third Trust for Public Land president
The Trust for Public Land staff, 1979
Staff: 47 Operating budget: $1.8 million Cumulative number of projects
completed: 83 Cumulative acreage preserved: 29,700 Cumulative fair market value:
$42,000,000
The Trust for Public Land in 1980
Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site—Atlanta
1980s
Grace Marchant Garden—San Francisco
1980s
West Side Garden—New York
1980s
De Soto Project—Florida
1980s
Columbia River Gorge—Washington/Oregon
1980s
Hope Valley, Northern Sierra—California
1980s
Staff: 136 Cumulative number of projects
completed: 641 Cumulative acreage preserved: 472,865 Cumulative fair market value:
$495,000,000
The Trust for Public Land in 1990
Increase presence in urban areas Undertake a broad diversity of programs in
both landscapes and communities Protect “signature” lands Support local land trusts Actively market The Trust for Public Land
nationally Foster innovation and research Foster diversity and excellence in staff
Second Strategic Plan—1991
More state and local projects Beyond projects to programs The emergence of state offices Green Cities Initiative continues urban
emphasis The rise of conservation finance and other
services
The 1990s
Walden Woods—Massachusetts
1990s
The Concert for Walden Woods
1990s
Mountains to Sound Greenway—Washington
1990s
Expand into 30 cities Lead in raising $3 billion for parks Expand advisory councils Build public awareness of
conservation Increase fundraised revenue Celebrate diversity Invest in staff development
Third Strategic Plan—1997
The Chattahoochee River—Georgia
1990s
New York community gardens
1990s
Leadership transition, 1998
Staff: 241 Revenue: $43,300,000 Cumulative number of projects completed:
1,930 Cumulative acreage preserved: 1,204,596 Cumulative fair market value:
$1,922,000,000
The Trust for Public Land in 2000
Connecticut Lakes
2000s
Gaviota Coast—California
2000s
Decrease in available public funds Much-needed city projects require private
support Launch of The Trust for Public Land’s first
comprehensive campaign in 2012 Marketing focus on clarifying message and
supporting philanthropy
The 2000s: focus on philanthropy
PARKS FOR PEOPLECity and suburban parks, playgrounds, gardens, and natural areas
OUR LAND AND WATER Wilderness, watersheds, coasts, and rivers
What we do: our initiatives
CONSERVATION VISIONPlanning based on community priorities
CONSERVATION FINANCERaising funds, including through ballot and legislative measures
CONSERVATION TRANSACTIONS Acquiring park and conservation lands
PARK DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENTOversight of park design, construction, and stewardship planning
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION On park and conservation topics
How we do it: our services
120 million more Americans over the next 45 years–an increase of 40 percent
More than 2 million acres lost to development per year
More than 1/3 of children overweight or obese
“Land for People” never more important
“Land for People” never more important
Since The Trust for Public Land’s inception …
Projects: 5,300 Acres: 3.1 million Value: $7 billion Served: >10 million
people
Percival Baxter
Katahdin Lake—Maine
2000s
Santa Fe Railyard Park + Plaza
2000s
Olympic Sculpture Park—Seattle
2000s
Cahuenga Peak—Los Angeles
2000s
