The Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama

     The Land Trust is a non-profit organization that holds land in trust for the public to enjoy now and in the future.  Incorporated in November 1987 with the support and encouragement of the Huntsville City Council, The Land Trust was granted tax exempt status under Section 501C (3) of the Internal Revenue Code later that year.  Membership of the Land Trust has grown from the initial 10 members to over 1,500 members.  The Board of Directors is as varied as the general membership and reflects the diversity of interests and backgrounds of all residents of North Alabama. 

    The mission of The Land Trust is to preserve natural resources in the North Alabama region that retain exceptional educational, historical, recreational, or scenic value, and the plant and animal life therein.  The Land Trust’s over-arching objective is to be a source of information, education and guidance to the community, to ensure that the natural beauty and natural resources of the area are available for public use and that greenspace is preserved.

    Currently over 4,500 acres in North Alabama have been preserved through efforts of The Land Trust.  These lands include habitat for rare –and in some cases, endangered – species. The lands remain protected in the natural state and, in most cases, are open to the public for passive recreation such as hiking, canoeing, picnicking, nature study, and photography.  Some of the lands are used as outdoor ecology laboratories for local schools, scientists, and researchers, allowing students to personally experience the biological diversity of our environment. 

     The Land Trust was created as a result of potential development on the western slopes of Monte Sano Mountain.  In the late 1980’s, The City of Huntsville established an Ad Hoc Committee to look at the issue of slope development and open space. Their recommendation was to establish a land trust called The Huntsville Land Trust.  

    The Land Trust began with a dedicated group of volunteer board members, one Executive Director and funding from the City of Huntsville. Several donations of land were received in the first few years. The Trust for Public Land worked with the new land trust to negotiate the sale of 547 acres on Monte Sano that had been planned for development. After several years, The Huntsville Land Trust was unable to pay the mortgage on the property, so the City of Huntsville agreed to pay off the mortgage against future funding of the agency. During the next few years, land continued to be donated or purchased. The Huntsville Land Trust partnered on land acquisition grants with the City. The City of Huntsville purchased the land and The Land Trust provided volunteer manpower to help build trails.  

    By 1997, The Huntsville Land Trust held 950 acres of property and was showing a steady increase in membership support within the organization. With a consistent financial support from the City of Huntsville, the City of Madison and the annual Emerald Classic Golf Tournament, the Huntsville Land Trust began a new period of growth.  Between 1998 and 2002, The Land Trust increased its land holdings to over 3,000 acres.  The organization’s name was changed to The Land Trust of Huntsville & North Alabama in 1998, to reflect a broader mission to better serve the North Alabama area.     

    As the first land trust in Alabama, The Land Trust's accomplishments have been recognized in a number of ways.  In 1990, President Bush named The Land Trust as America’s 217^th “Point of Light”.  In 1989, the Bahai’ Community of Huntsville named the Land Trust a recipient of its Human Right/Environmental Award, and in 1990 the Land trust was selected by the National Environmental Awards Council as recipient of the Environmental Achievement Citation from Renew America (Washington, D.C.) for efforts in developing a healthy and sustainable environment.  The local affiliate of the American Broadcasting Company selected a Land Trust project as one of its ten top stories in 1989.  The Land Trust also has been featured in the Trust for Public Lands’ Southeast Trust Notes, Huntsville Chamber of Commerce magazines, and The Land Trust Alliance’s Exchange.

    In June, 2003 and 2004, The Land Trust was named one of the top three finalists in the non-profit category of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County's Small Business of the Year Awards.

    The Huntsville Times stated in a June, 2000 article, "The day is rapidly approaching when land preservation efforts in Huntsville & Madison County will do as much to ensure the Huntsville area's continuing prosperity as traditional enticements to economic investment."  In 2003, in support of our Greenprint for Growth, the Times wrote, "It's up to the community to save the day for nature by helping The Land Trust in its noble mission."

   Acres preserved and maintained by 2007 total over 4,500 and volunteers maintain over 31 miles of public trails.

    The Land Trust has become the conduit for establishing a mosaic of natural areas throughout the North Alabama area, allowing residents easy access to experience nature first-hand.  Thus, through The Land Trust's program of land preservation, the natural character of the community is preserved, its essential spirit is maintained, and the quality of life of its residents is permanently enhanced.