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California land trust 40 Acre Conservation League recently acquired 650 acres of a former logging forest in the northern part of the state. Its goal is not only to conserve the land, but also provide equitable outdoor opportunities for communities of color.
40 Acre Conservation League is California's first Black-led land conservancy. Co-founder Jade Stevens is determined to use the land to demonstrate that safeguarding the ecosystem can help the state reach its goal of conserving 30 percent of its lands and waters by 2030, while also promoting wellness and confronting historical injustices. Historically, Black Americans have not had equal access to open spaces, and have often been deprived of the opportunity to steward large open spaces because of discriminatory land policies.
Despite these historical injustices, there is strong interest in land conservation among Black Americans—according to the 2024 Conservation in the West Poll, 85 percent of Black voters support the national goal of protecting 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030, 5 points higher than the average among all voters.
“This is an area where a lot of community building will take place,” Stevens said. “We’re hoping that everyone finds at least one thing that makes them feel welcome on this property.”
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How we get back to this truth of appreciating nature, being connected to the outdoors, is our story to tell.”
