LandTrust Blog

LandTrust exists to open access to millions of acres of private working lands for unique outdoor experiences. The trust that must exist between landowner and recreator is crucial, that is why it’s in our name. As the third party platform, we trust not only that our landowners will be honest and our recreators respectful, but that they will also be well-educated. Which is why we are proud to partner with Kalkomey, a platform that develops courses, education materials, and systems that make outdoor recreation safe and easily accessible.

Our landowners have been busy at work on their farms and ranches the last few months. With fall  harvest, gearing up for winter and prepping for calving in the spring - the action never stops! However, many of our landowners use January/February to take a deep breath, reflect on the previous year and plan for their upcoming goal operations. This year, we've seen many of our current landowners seeking ways to improve the quality of their listing by including game cameras, researching blinds, and investing in small cabins or other lodging arrangements. Additionally, they are considering expanding their recreation access by adding more activities to their listing. 

“We knew we had an exceptional piece of property for hunting and we thought we could generate a little income from it, but LandTrust by far exceeded our expectations!”

"There's an old adage - buy land, they're not making more of it."

A while back, our LandTrust CEO and Founder, Nic De Castro, sat down with Jacob Hendrix, the host at Roadcast, to discuss the future of land ownership. Roadcast is a youtube channel that shares interesting stories of inspirational and design-minded people. Their motto is to uncover design inspiration wherever the road leads...

About the author: John Hansen is a Nebraska Landowner bringing his ideas and perspective to the forefront of our mission; to partner with landowners who value adaptive management and are seeking alternative sources of revenue. With an education in Animal and Range Sciences from Montana State University, several years managing small to medium sized ranches, and 26 years with Ted Turner managing some of the largest land holdings in the U.S., John brings a depth of knowledge and experience to LandTrust and its landowner partners. His strong background in agriculture and natural resource management provides a unique opportunity to share what he has learned through this extensive experience base with landowners to help them achieve a more profitable Land Business.

Colton Kramer made a promise to his girlfriend this year that he would take her deer hunting for the first time and that it would be a great experience. But when his plans to take her to a friend’s ranch suddenly fell through, he turned to LandTrust.

"Sometimes the animals aren't where you need them to be, so you need more options."

LandTrust sportsman, CJ Randazzo, recently traveled from Stillwater, MN to Bozeman, MT for an elk hunt. 

About the author: John Hansen is a Nebraska Landowner bringing his ideas and perspective to the forefront of our mission; to partner with landowners who value adaptive management and are seeking alternative sources of revenue. With an education in Animal and Range Sciences from Montana State University, several years managing small to medium sized ranches, and 26 years with Ted Turner managing some of the largest land holdings in the U.S., John brings a depth of knowledge and experience to LandTrust and its landowner partners. His strong background in agriculture and natural resource management provides a unique opportunity to share what he has learned through this extensive experience base with landowners to help them achieve a more profitable Land Business.

About the author: John Hansen is a Nebraska Landowner bringing his ideas and perspective to the forefront of our mission; to partner with landowners who value adaptive management and are seeking alternative sources of revenue. With an education in Animal and Range Sciences from Montana State University, several years managing small to medium sized ranches, and 26 years with Ted Turner managing some of the largest land holdings in the U.S., John brings a depth of knowledge and experience to LandTrust and its landowner partners. His strong background in agriculture and natural resource management provides a unique opportunity to share what he has learned through this extensive experience base with landowners to help them achieve a more profitable Land Business.

In my previous LandTrust Blog, Land Ownership - View It as a Business, I encouraged landowners to view their land as a business and to begin to analyze their asset for the various attributes, products, and values that can be monetized to contribute to the land revenue. If you have worked on that process, you have probably come up with the standard consumptive/extractive type products such as: livestock production, crop production, timber production, and mineral extraction (mining, oil, coal, etc.). You may have also listed “experience based” products such as: hunting, fishing, bird watching, nature/ecology tours, camping, hiking, agricultural experience visits, agricultural educational tours, and rural wedding packages. The “additive/ecosystem services” products you have identified may be: carbon sequestration, water retention, soil retention, wildlife habitat improvements, or pollinator habitat enhancements.

Through LandTrust, birders are now able to access some of the most biodiverse lands in the country. For example, Nebraska is part of the Central Flyway that provides habitat for 10’s of millions of migratory birds every year. The shallow wetlands of the western Sandhills present a playground for an abundance of avian wildlife, with bird populations exploding across the remote country fields. LandTrust’s recreation access network includes many new listings in this diverse Nebraska region, opening access to over 160,000 acres of private land that are humming with bird calls.