The McKenzie River Trust is a nonprofit land trust. MRT was formed in 1989 for the protection of critical habitat and scenic lands in the McKenzie basin.  The Trust expanded its service area in 2000 to include the Siuslaw, Long Tom, Coast and Middle Forks of the Willamette, and Umpqua watersheds. Over its 18-year history, the Trust has worked with landowners and diverse partnerships to protect, forever, over 2,250 acres of special lands in Lane and Douglas Counties.

 The McKenzie River Trust acquires land through donation, purchase and conservation easements to provide the greatest assurance that sensitive lands are protected in perpetuity. Over the last three and a half years the Trust has successfully raised over $3.4 million to purchase 1,040 acres in the McKenzie basin. These lands are protected and managed by the Trust primarily for wildlife habitat, water quality protection, and scenic values.  Lands with conservation easements in Lane and Douglas Counties total almost 800 acres. Projects on conservation easements are tailored to each landowner’s needs, rewarding stewardship of natural resources with both protection and financial incentives. 

The McKenzie River Trust is:

• Strategic land conservation projects, with broad community support;
• Responsive to the needs of our communities;
• Professional relations with landowners and partners;
• Non-advocacy, only working with willing landowners;
• Creative with our partnerships and projects;
• Effective in protecting special lands.

McKenzie River Trust prides itself on being a community-based land trust, the only one working with willing landowners at a grassroots level in Lane and Douglas counties. The Trust develops strong partnerships with landowners, public resource agencies, watershed councils, businesses, municipalities, local utilities, and funders for the purpose of collectively working to protect, enhance, and manage special land.

Land conservation can only work with the support of the local community. The McKenzie River Trust strives to respond to the unique needs of each area it serves.