Protect Land and Water

Aerial view of the Holmes River in British Columbia, Canada, surrounded by dense forests. — Holmes River Aerial view of the Holmes River, British Columbia, Canada. © Shane Kalyn

We’re facing dual threats with the climate crisis and extreme loss of biodiversity, and we need clean water and healthy lands.

In the next decade, we're working to protect ourselves and our planet by conserving 650 million hectares of healthy land, 30 million hectares of freshwater, and 4 billion hectares of oceans. Through protected areas, sustainable fishing, forest management, and working with Indigenous peoples, we're taking action to shape a better future for people and the planet.

Video

Carbon Markets Explained

Carbon markets pay people to not cut down trees, which continue to pull carbon from atmosphere for years to come. They're an important part of our fight against climate change. (2:45)

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Video

What is Biodiversity?

What if all the variety on the planet disappeared? It could happen. Extinctions are happening faster than ever. We must prioritize biodiversity to protect the health of our environment, food supply, and economies. (3:05)

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How We Protect Land & Water

Kermode Bear in the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia. — **We Protect Forests** We protect treasured landscapes, such as the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, so wildlife like the region’s iconic spirit bear can thrive. © James Picardi

in The Nature Conservancy's Great Western Checkerboards Project, Montana. — **We Think Big** We invest in large-scale land conservation, such as protecting half a million acres in Montana & restoring habitat along the Gulf of Mexico. © Steven Gnam/TNC

Tortugas National Park Coral Restoration — **We Protect Oceans** We restore coral reefs and other ocean habitats from Mexico to Australia to help fish populations recover & protect coastal communities from storms. © Carlton Ward Jr.

in the surf and sand define the coastlines of Seychelles's inner islands. — **We Secure Funding** We helped create a way for the island nation of Seychelles to reduce its debt by protecting one-third of its territorial waters—an area larger than Germany—by 2020. © Jason Houston

Mohamed is able to fish in the high seas because of a cooler he received for being a part of the OceanWORKS program. This allows him to catch larger fish. — **We Partner With Locals** We partner with indigenous peoples and local communities to protect nature in ways that reinforce cultural connections to land and water. © Mwangi Kirubi

Volunteer Al McKegg collects eelgrass shoots in South Bay, Eastern Shore, Virginia. — **We Build Economies** We promote ecotourism and sustainable fishing to preserve the $1.5 trillion that the ocean adds to the global economy each year. © Alex Novak

Mangrove at sunset A lone mangrove tree silhouetted against the pastel colors of an evening sky interru the horizon on the inner reef near the village of Utwe on Kosrae island, Micronesia. © Nick Hall

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Press Release

Partnering to Preserve Belize Maya Forest

Today, more than a dozen organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, are protecting 236,000 acres of land that represents an irreplaceable linchpin in the conservation

Read about this big win

Protecting Land and Water

Three people standing atop Burnt Mountain in Vermont.

Feature

Natural Highways and Neighborhoods: Conserving a Network of Climate-Resilient Lands

This remarkable new mapping tool provides a roadmap for conserving places where plants and animals can thrive in a changing climate.

A calm lake at sunrise or sunset with cypress trees dripping in hanging moss silhouetted against an orange and pink sky, the lake mirrors the sky.

Project Overview

Sustainable Rivers Program

The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are finding new ways to strike a sustainable balance in how people use and protect the many benefits that rivers provide.

dock on lakeshore blooming with wildflowers at sunset

Feature

Thaidene Nene Reality

Indigenous leadership coupled with transformational support from The Nature Conservancy led to the protection of 6.5 million acre Thaidene Nëné, which translates to “Land of the Ancestors” in the Dene language. The park is in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

By Adam Bloom

Conservation Update

Conservation Up Close

The Nature Conservancy is known for large land acquisitions and global-scale conservation initiatives, but these successes wouldn’t be possible without donor support, small details, and hard work behind the scenes.