A land trust is organized around a community or region, and protects environmentally, historically, or culturally valuable places. Keweenaw Land Trust (it's pronounced kee-wa-naw) is part of a national land trust movement that includes over a thousand land trusts across the United States and Canada that together protect more than 9.5 million acres of land.

Often known as "conservancies," land trusts hold land and land attributes like financial trusts hold money and equities. Land trusts protect land permanently by working with willing private property owners to guide land usage and future development. Land trusts have a variety of land conservation approaches, including land acquisitions to create preserves or natural areas, and the establishment of land protection agreements known as conservation easements. By conserving these lands, the Keweenaw Land Trust provides the public with opportunities for recreation and education about sustainable land management, enhancement of plant communities and wildlife habitat, and the value of land conservation. This assures that future generations will be able to enjoy these lands.

The Keweenaw Land Trust is not a club- it's a non-profit charitable organization with 501(c)(3) designation from the federal government. The Trust relies on grants, fundraising events, contributions from the public and a membership program to carry out land conservation, education, and stewardship programs for the benefit of everyone.

Keweenaw Land Trust primarily serves the counties of Keweenaw, Houghton, and Baraga in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but also works with landowners in Iron, Ontonagon and Gogebic counties.