Athens Land Trust

Athens Land Trust (ALT) Mission statement: “ALT conserves, empowers and sustains communities through responsible and visionary land use.”  ALT was founded in 1994 to address the unsustainable and inequitable development patterns in Athens that were increasing housing costs, displacing long-term residents, and degrading air and water quality. Believing that these problems required an integrated solution, ALT's founders created one of the few organizations in the country that is both a community and conservation land trust. In our 26-year history, we have been cited as a national model among land trusts for our holistic approach to improving communities through the development of permanently affordable housing, support of community agriculture, and protection of natural resources.  We believe land justice is an important part of social justice.

ALT’s Conservation Strategic pillars include:

1. Improving & maintaining land which leads to improved air, soil and water quality & prevents poor land use patterns in Georgia communities.
2. Protecting & transitioning farmland for low resourced & new farmers who have not had access to or have been systematically discriminated against on access to farmland and resources.
3. Creating opportunities for people to experience open space, & increase awareness of land management & outdoors related knowledge.
4. Advocating state & local level conservation policies that improve stewardship & funding of easements, farmland protection & public green space.