Catalysts for Change

Private trusts such as the United Kingdom’s National Trust have been effective tools for local preservation, though they are also capable of accomplishing work on a global scale. Being relatively small, non-governmental organizations, trusts are able to avoid some of the pitfalls of larger bureaucracies while working in concert with cultural ministries and government site managers to advance the goals of conservation. This article briefly outlines situations in which trusts have facilitated public divestiture, furthered advocacy efforts and resolved challenging management circumstances.