Mission | Vision | History

Our Mission

“We conserve the lands and waters of California’s heartland.”

Our Vision

“We envision a future in which:

  • Our regional economy thrives on sustainable agriculture.

  • Connected conserved lands contribute to thriving habitats and improved quality of life.

  • Sequoia Riverlands Trust is a mission-focused leader in meeting the economic and conservation needs of the region.

About Our Mission and Vision

Sequoia Riverlands Trust (SRT) is a regional nonprofit land trust dedicated to strengthening California's heartland and the natural and agricultural legacy of the southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley. The wealth, productivity, and beauty of this land inspire our work to conserve it for the prosperity and enjoyment of future generations.

To conserve the lands and waters of California's heartland, SRT engages landowners, farmers, conservationists, business partners, and governmental agencies to collaborate on land conservation throughout our region.

For over 20 years, Sequoia Riverlands Trust has collaborated with landowners, agencies, and other nonprofit conservation organizations to protect more than 43,300 acres of natural lands across nine southern San Joaquin Valley Counties, including within Carrizo Plain National Monument. SRT's nature preserves protect almost 15,000 acres of native landscapes, woodland communities and wildlife habitat. SRT also holds conservation easements on more than 28,000 acres of protected open space land, many on working farms and ranches.

Our Story

Sequoia Riverlands Trust is a regional nonprofit land trust dedicated to strengthening California's heartland and the natural and agricultural legacy of the southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley.

Merging the three land trusts strengthened the organization by combining expertise and talented individuals from throughout the county. SRT has expanded over the years and now works in seven counties throughout the San Joaquin Valley and the southern Sierra Nevada. Our focus remains on the watersheds of the Kings, Kaweah, Tule and Kern Rivers, as well as in the Tulare Lake Basin. We are actively working and conserving land in Fresno, Tulare, Kings, and Kern Counties, as well as in the Carrizo Plain of western Kern County and eastern San Luis Obispo counties. Our work also extends to Los Angeles and Inyo Counties.

  • WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND LEADERSHIP OF THE FOLLOWING VISIONARY INDIVIDUALS FROM EACH OF THE ORIGINAL CHAPTERS, FOR THEY BEGAN TULARE COUNTY'S LAND TRUST AND CONSERVATION MOVEMENT:

    Tule Oaks Chapter

    Gary Adest, Barbara Brydolf, Billie Chandler, Robert Krase, Carol Manning, Terry Manning, Elli Norris, Joan Stewart, Gay Ver Steeg, Elizabeth Wilcox

    Kaweah Chapter

    Gordon Bergthold, Howard Blielie, Carole Combs, Susan Darsey, Garry Kenwood, Rick Kimble, Caroline Loeb, George Loeb, Annette MacGregor, Kathleen McCleary, Stan Pavlou, Jean Replogle, Trudy Schuckert, James Seligman, Elizabeth Scott-Graham, Bill Tidwell, Bill Tweed, Jim Wells, Mary Becker Wells, Elizabeth Wilcox

    Four Creeks Chapter

    Greg Collins, Dan Dooley, Dick Dooley (1925-2019)Do Dooley, Carole Frate, Alan George (1924-2019)Rob Hansen, Bill Hobbs, Jim Kautz, Nancy Jenner, Greg Kirkpatrick, Irene Lindsay, Mike Lozito, Brian Newton, Susan Silva-Treadwell, John Slaven, Scott Spear, Ginger Strong, Jose Velesco, Ernie Vierra, Richard Webb, Jeanne Wheaton

Sequoia Riverlands Trust's Story

For nearly three decades, dedicated citizens from our local community have committed their time, skills, energy and financial resources to conserve the scenic beauty and quality of life in our Central California Sierra foothill, river and San Joaquin Valley floor landscapes. SRT's beginnings can be traced back to three organizations in the Visalia, Three Rivers, and Springville areas. The three worked separately, but had similar visions for conservation based on respect for people, the economy, agricultural resources, wildlife habitat, and the enjoyment of nature.

Our precursor organization, the Sierra Los Tulares Land Trust, was established in November 2000 following a consensus decision to merge those three groups: the Four Creeks, Kaweah and Tule Oaks land trusts.

Financial Data

SRT believes in being transparent in what we do and how we spend the donations, grants and other funds given to us. We have a responsibility to our community and donors to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization.

We make our IRS Form 990 available for review, in person or on our website.

Please understand that due to the nature of our operations, we will periodically receive significant donations or grants that allow us to preserve land. We are required to show this as a revenue/expense in the year that it happens. This can lead to significant year to year changes in our revenue and expenses. For more information, please contact us.

Here is SRT's most recent downloadable 990: