Charting the history of land conservation across the US

Conservation is popular across the United States and dates back to the early 1890s when the country's first nonprofit private land trust was established.

Back then, the visionary landscape architect Charles Eliot published an article entitled "Waverly Oaks" to defend his stand on virgin trees in Belmont, Massachusetts, New England.

In the process of making a plea for the preservation of the oaks, Eliot outlined a strategy for conservation. Concerned by the lack of "open spaces in urban areas" for people to enjoy, he proposed a plan to safeguard "special bits of scenery".