Gathering Waters is Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts, and it exists to strengthen Wisconsin’s land trust organizations. A land trust is a non-profit organization with a primary mission of protecting land. The work behind the organization is, as Mike Carlson, Executive Director at Gathering Waters, likes to call it “the three W’s: water, wildlife and Wisconsin’s way of life. That’s really what drives us.” With nearly 50 member land trusts throughout Wisconsin, each land trust has a unique service area, mission, and vision, based on its size and scope. Land trusts are essential for supporting healthy, vibrant communities and by protecting the land in your community, it creates more opportunities for outdoor adventure close to home. Both residents and wildlife have cleaner air and water because of these protected spaces.