National trust


A national trust is an organisation dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of a particular geographic region. Although the focus may vary by region, the principal goals are to ensure the preservation of historically significant items and conserve areas of natural beauty. They generally operate as private non-profit organisations.
The first such trust organisation, The Trustees of Reservations, originated in 1890 as a regional group serving the state of Massachusetts, USA. The first on a national level, the National Trust, was founded in England in 1895 and operates as a charitable organisation serving England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Others were later founded around the world.
In 2007 the International National Trusts Organisation was established at a gathering in New Delhi, India, with a mandate to support collaboration and best practices among national trusts and similar associations, with member organisations from over 50 countries.

List

A partial list of national trusts and similar organisations: