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 Great Rivers Land Preservation Association, Inc. a.k.a. Great Rivers Land Trust was established in 1992 by private citizens who were concerned about land use in the St. Louis Metropolitan Region.
Great Rivers’ primary mission is preservation of scenic and ecologically valuable land along the Alton Lake Heritage Parkway, which consists of over 20,000 acres. GRLT wishes to protect 5,000 to 10,000 acres within the next 10 years. (This of course depends on funding from individuals, government sources and foundations.) GRLT’s land preservation efforts are accomplished through easements and/or land acquisitions. Great Rivers holds 33 easements. In Great Rivers’ primary corridor, nearly 1,800 acres of land, including forest, bluffs, parks, prairies, farmland, and wetlands, are protected in perpetuity for the benefit of current and future generations.
Great Rivers has been successful in land conservation efforts in Illinois. Over the past eight years, the land trust has gained valuable land protection experience. GRLT has also been active in improving the area’s communities through a variety of open space protection and enhancement projects.
 As a maturing organization, Great Rivers has recognized the need to expand its horizon in land protection. The Board of Directors evaluates the organization’s annual performance and makes specific goals for each successive operating year. Future goals include an effort to initiate the expansion of the organization into the State of Missouri.
The Trust created a comprehensive three-year expansion plan that will guide the Trust in organizational expansion into Missouri. The plan will be initiated through funding support from two environmental foundations.
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