Park Preservation

Parks are our classrooms, playgrounds, and places of escape and peace. They let us experience solitude, quiet, natural sights and sounds undisturbed by civilization, and beauty as simple as skies so dark you can see by starlight. The National Park System is ever-changing. There are new lands, water,  plants, and wildlife to protect, and new history to commemorate as time passes. You can help us ensure that our parks are treasured forever.

Our preservation and conservation projects work to acquire the missing pieces of our national parks, the privately owned land located within and adjacent to our national parks’ boundaries. See the lands and landmarks we’ve added to our National Park System near you and across the nation in the map below.

By making a donation to the National Park Trust, you ensure that our parks and public lands are treasured forever.

Your Dollars Supported:

Current Projects Include:

Recently Completed Projects Include:

Map of Our Park Preservation Projects

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Park Preservation Highlighted Projects:

Alaska

California

Colorado

Connecticut

  • Coltsville National Historical Park, CT

    In recognition of the importance of establishing Coltsville National Historical Park, National Park Trust was asked in early 2023 to assist in elevating and reframing the talks between the  National Park Service and the landowner, which proved critical to reaching an agreement.  

    Learn more about Coltsville National Historical Park, CT

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Indiana

  • Indiana Dunes National Park, IN (2013)

    In August 2013, the superintendent of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore asked if the Park Trust would acquire, hold title to, and then donate land to the park. The property, in Porter County, extended the parkland and boundary to connect with the park visitor center.

    Learn more about Indiana Dunes National Park, IN (2013)
  • Indiana Dunes National Park, IN (2020)

    In 2020, the National Park Service contacted the National Park Trust seeking help to acquire 9 parcels of land of 0.65 acres, with the possibility of 12 more, 35.27 acres in a second phase. This land will be incorporated into Indiana Dunes National Park and the Marquette Greenway Trail. The Park Trust is supplying funding and acquisition expertise for the project.

    Learn more about Indiana Dunes National Park, IN (2020)

Kansas

Kentucky

Maine

  • Appalachian National Scenic Trail – Bald Mountain, ME

    If you've seen the pristine waters and lush terrain at Maine’s Bald Mountain Pond, you’d understand why National Park Trust and our partners chose to acquire an adjacent 1,500-acre parcel of old-growth woodland to benefit the National Park Service’s Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

    Learn more about Appalachian National Scenic Trail – Bald Mountain, ME

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Montana

Nebraska

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

  • Cape Hatteras National Seashore, NC

    In early 2023, the National Park Service came to the Park Trust for assistance in promptly arranging an appraisal contract for two properties in Rodanthe, NC, located on the edge of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

    Learn more about Cape Hatteras National Seashore, NC

North Dakota

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

  • Gettysburg National Military Park, PA

    In 1997, the Park Trust contributed to the purchase of a scenic easement on the historic Rummel Farm. The purpose of the easement was to maintain the property as farmland, preventing any development or use other than agriculture. It also limited the number and total area of buildings, as well as permanently preserved the barn.

    Learn more about Gettysburg National Military Park, PA

Texas

Utah

Virgin Islands

Virginia

Washington

  • Olympic National Park, WA (1990)

    The Park Trust 6.22 acres on the north shore of Lake Quinault in Olympic NP and transferred it to the NPS.

    Learn more about Olympic National Park, WA (1990)
  • Olympic National Park, WA (2017)

    In December 2017, the Park Trust completed the acquisition of a parcel of land on Lake Quinault in Olympic National Park (WA) – just under 0.5 acres. Although small in size, it is big in ecological significance. The parcel was surrounded on three sides by Olympic National Park; it was the only parcel in that block that did not belong to the National Park Service. Its acquisition will keep it in its natural state by preventing further development.

    Learn more about Olympic National Park, WA (2017)
  • Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, WA

    In 1978, Ebey’s Landing in Washington state was established as Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. Fast forward 40 years to 2018, National Park Trust worked with Historic Whidbey, National Park Foundation, National Park Service, & numerous local partners to add land and property to this NHR.

    Learn more about Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, WA

West Virginia

  • Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, WV

    In 1992, National Park Trust loaned initial funding to the Civil War Trust (name change to National Battlefield Trust) to ensure the purchase of 56 acres of land between School House Ridge and Bolivar Heights and transfer to the National Park Service.

    Learn more about Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, WV

Wisconsin

  • St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, WI

    National Park Trust added 145 acres to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The complex project involved a land exchange in which the Park Trust worked with the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to identify and then purchase valuable timberland; then that land was traded for three parcels of land owned by the State of Wisconsin in the north-central part of Wisconsin. Those three parcels were then transferred from the Park Trust to the National Park Service within days of taking ownership.

    Learn more about St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, WI
For more information about Our park preservation work, email Phil selleck phil@parktrust.org.