5 Ways Investing in Nature Pays Off

In Idaho, TNC is working with farmers to increase the use of regenerative agricultural practices. Scaling back on fertilizers and pesticides helps save money and boosts soil health over time. Reducing water use builds resilience in the face of drought and supports wildlife. In a state where agribusiness accounts for 20% of the gross state product each year, smart changes can add up to big savings that keep farms profitable in the long term.

Utah’s Great Salt Lake is a vital ecosystem that supports migratory birds, wildlife and a complex web of life adapted to its salty waters. Brine shrimp are one part of this system, helping sustain both global aquaculture and the species that depend on them. Protecting the lake’s water levels safeguards habitat, biodiversity and the communities connected to its health.

At TNC’s Matador Ranch in Montana, ranchers can access an affordable “grassbank” in exchange for conservation practices on their own lands. Together, these efforts reduce costs, rest pastures and improve long-term productivity, strengthening ranch operations while sustaining native grasslands and wildlife.

In Oregon and Washington, native Olympia oysters and other marine species are at the heart of a thriving mariculture industry that can produce food while restoring coastal ecosystems. TNC is helping identify where and how to expand this work across the Emerald Edge and supporting sustainable shellfish and seaweed projects that create jobs, strengthen local seafood supply and benefit Tribal nations and coastal communities.

Salmon sustain food systems, ways of life and the economy of the Pacific Northwest. TNC works with Native Nations, fishing communities and other partners to protect strongholds like Bristol Bay—home to a $2 billion fishery.

In the Columbia Basin, TNC is supporting a decades-long Tribally led effort to restore the Columbia River and its salmon runs, bolstering the region’s natural capital—food, water, flood risk reduction, recreation, habitat and other benefits—that provide $198 billion in value annually.

Preventing catastrophic wildfire through the restoration of dry forests in the West helps reduce severe wildfire risk for nearby communities and keep our wildland firefighters safer. Through ecological thinning and controlled and cultural burning, TNC and a variety of expert partners are restoring overgrown forests and reducing severe fire risk for the people who call them home.

There’s a reason we appreciate the cooling shade of a big tree on a hot day. Yet many communities don’t have enough trees to offer welcoming shade. In Phoenix, Arizona, TNC and committed community partners are increasing tree and shade canopy by planting the right tree, in the right place and with the right water source to reduce temperatures substantially.

Most of the water we drink starts its journey in forests—and the healthiest forests are the best water filters on Earth. Keeping these forests healthy and green protects their amazing power to filter water. Yet the worsening threat of catastrophic fire means ash and debris can harm our drinking water sources for days, months or even years. Bringing a natural fire cycle back to unhealthy forests restores balance and keeps drinking water safe.

TNC is working with local partners in western Montana to demonstrate how restoring nature can support rural jobs. If sawmills can receive a steady supply of reasonably priced logs generated by restoration projects, they can, in turn, offer stable employment. These jobs are a game changer in the rural West, where people have historically had to make the hard choice to leave their families for opportunities elsewhere when work becomes scarce.

At Red Canyon Ranch in Wyoming, TNC is leading cutting-edge research to discover how to get finicky native plants to sprout and thrive, as well as how to grow them at a large enough scale to make native seeds commercially viable for the region’s seed companies. They are also identifying which of these species perform well in the often-harsh environmental conditions on the ground after wildfire.

Planting a tree begins with a seed. Planting a forest, it turns out, is an economy all its own. Beyond water, soil and time, there are jobs for people who work behind the scenes to collect seeds, grow seedlings in nurseries and, after our worst wildfires, plant them wherever nature needs a helping hand.

On Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the Makah Tribe is building a new local economy rooted in sustainable forestry. In partnership with regional manufacturers, a Tribally owned sawmill turns timber from managed forests into materials for kit-assembled homes—supporting jobs, increasing affordable housing and strengthening long-term economic well-being.

First Nations in Clayoquot Sound are asserting stewardship of their forests, creating three new forest management areas that bring together conservation and local economic goals. Following decades of negotiation and with support from Nature United, TNC’s Canadian affiliate, the Ahousaht, Hesquiaht and Tla‑o‑qui‑aht First Nations are managing these lands according to their own governance systems to create sustainable livelihoods and protect resources for future generations.

The Truckee River watershed sustains communities and businesses across northern Nevada, providing clean water and supporting a $20 billion regional economy that includes Reno and Sparks. TNC is working with partners to restore forests, reduce wildfire risk and revitalize river habitats, helping protect drinking water, create local jobs and build long-term resilience.

Across the Sagebrush Sea, ranchers are keeping working lands intact by protecting the open spaces that sustain rural economies. TNC uses tools like conservation easements to support grazing operations, prevent development and generate income for communities—work that has already helped conserve more than 14,000 acres in Utah.

At Cle Elum Ridge in Washington, TNC has joined Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and other local partners to build a new forest trail system that connects three nearby towns with surrounding public lands. The trails draw visitors from across the region, supporting local economies while connecting more people to the outdoors.

For generations, Fishers Peak has defined the skyline of Trinidad, Colorado—but until recently, it remained out of reach. In 2017, the city of Trinidad joined forces with TNC and Trust for Public Land to acquire the ranch surrounding the peak, with a vision to grow a vibrant outdoor recreation economy while expanding public access. Now, as Fishers Peak State Park, this landscape highlights the dramatic transition from mountains to plains in southeastern Colorado.

Inspired by transformation in Trinidad, Colorado, the city of Raton, New Mexico, saw a similar opportunity—to build a more sustainable economy through outdoor recreation. In partnership with Raton, TNC acquired the 2,200-acre Bartlett Mesa Ranch, bordering Sugarite Canyon State Park, along with the adjacent Buck Ridge Ranch. These lands advance a shared vision: protecting important landscapes while expanding public access. Together, they create a connected corridor of recreation and unlock new opportunities for both community and conservation.