85 Million Acres Now Protected by Private Landowners

Private landowners are saving wild places at a scale that rivals government conservation efforts, with 85 million acres now protected across the United States and Australia.

In Australia, 24 million acres of privately conserved land now stand as one of the world's largest conservation areas. Much of this comes from everyday Australians leaving land to conservation groups in their wills, a trend that nearly doubled last year with 4,600 bequests reported.

Bush Heritage Australia manages 3 million of these acres. CEO Rachel Lowry says these gifts protect ecosystems that fall outside traditional national parks, including habitats threatened by land clearing, mining, and invasive species.

The effort has earned government recognition too. Bush Heritage's Pilungah Reserve in Queensland recently received state protections equivalent to a federal National Park, showing how seriously officials take this work.

Across the Pacific, American Prairie in Montana has spent two decades assembling what may become America's largest wild prairie. The organization has combined land purchases, leases, and donations to protect over 600,000 acres of grasslands, hills, woods, and wetlands.

Their work connects two major protected areas: the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and Upper Missouri Breaks National Monument. Last year alone, more than 6,600 people stayed overnight at their campgrounds, with thousands more visiting their discovery center in Lewistown.

American Prairie aims to protect 2.3 million acres total. They've already cleared over 100 miles of old fencing and purchased key parcels that now give the public access to previously blocked areas.

The Ripple Effect

Private conservation now protects 61 million acres in the United States alone. That's more land than all US national parks combined, representing 3% of America's privately owned land.

The Land Trust Alliance, which connects these conservation efforts nationwide, wants to double that acreage by 2030. Their goal reflects growing recognition that protecting nature doesn't have to wait for government action.

In Australia, organizations like the North East Tasmania Land Trust are following Bush Heritage's model. State governments are watching closely and adapting their own conservation strategies based on what's working in the private sector.

These landowners understand that some of the world's most fragile ecosystems exist on private property. By protecting them now, they're ensuring wildlife and wild places survive long after they're gone.

One gift at a time, private citizens are proving that leaving the world better than you found it isn't just a saying.