Art into Acres

Art into Acres is an artist-founded nonprofit that brings the arts community together around one of the most important things we can do: permanently protect the living world. Founded in 2017 by Haley Mellin, the model is beautifully direct — an artwork, often one to two meters in size, is donated by an artist and sold to fund the creation of new Permanent Protected Areas of wilderness. Arts funding typically covers roughly half the philanthropic cost of the new protected area, with partner foundations contributing matching funds, and non-profit, in-kind and government support amplifying the total impact, in an average of a 1:14 ratio. The collaboration has supported millions of acres of new permanent protected areas.

The lands protected are large, intact, and ecologically significant. They become new National Parks, Indigenous Protected Areas, and wildlife migration corridors that support species reproduction, movement and adaptation. Every project is locally requested, community- or Indigenous-led, and carried out alongside trusted conservation nonprofits and legal partners. Administrative costs are largely donated each year by a single generous donor, so all proceeds from artwork sales go entirely to conservation on the ground.

Sites are selected through a careful two-year process for biodiversity, carbon depth, ecosystem connectivity, and community need. Conservation targets are typically 125,000 acres or larger — a scale at which nature can genuinely reproduce and thrive. Each protected area is established through recognized legal frameworks — National Park designation, Indigenous land title, or regional conservation status — creating protections meant to last. When land reaches protection, nothing visibly changes. A line is drawn on a map, and a formal, binding agreement of preservation is made. The work is quiet, and permanent.

Donors to Art into Acres become part of a community working toward something that will outlast all of us. A single artwork can directly contribute to the protection of thousands of acres of intact wilderness — and through matching partnerships, every dollar raised through the arts carries meaningfully further. We would love to have you involved. If this is of interest to you, please write info@artintoacres.org. Emails are returned daily.

"Land conservation, as an artistic practice, is invisible.
When done well, there is no trace of your presence: life continues to unfold as it has for millennia." - Haley Mellin

Completed Support

Richardson National Park, Australia: 131,900 hectares, 325,932 acres
Maya Corridor Land Trust, Belize: 12,082 hectares, 29,856 acres
Bajo Paraguá Municipal Protected Area, Bolivia: 983,006 hectares, 2,429,061 acres
Lagos de San Pedro, Bolivia: 202,702 hectares, 500,889 acres
Arroyo Guarichona, Bolivia: 199,435 hectares, 492,815 acres
Yande Yarɨ, Bolivia: 562,491 hectares, 1,389,945 acres
Bajo Paraguá-Concepción Municipal Conservation Area, Bolivia: 154,368 hectares, 381,452 acres
Guanay (Puente Amazonica) Municipal Conservation Areas, Bolivia: 42,650 hectares, 105,392 acres
Fuente de Vida Municipal Protected Area, Bolivia: 7,715 hectares, 19,065 acres
Teoponte (Dowara Kanda Tech Uyapï) Municipal Conservation Area, Bolivia: 24,754 hectares, 61,168 acres
Giant Trees, Brazil: 560,000 hectares, 1,383,790 acres
Cuchilla de San Juan Regional Protected Area expansion, Colombia: 18,613 hectares, 45,994 acres
Alto Calima (Serranía de la Cerbatana), Colombia: 18,204 hectares, 44,982 acres
Atuncela (expansion) - Valle de Cauca, Colombia: 1,320 hectares, 3,263 acres
Siete Sabias-Esperanza de Vida, Colombia: 30,398 hectares, 75,116 acres
Quilanga Municipal Conservation Area, Ecuador: 10,632 hectares, 26,273 acres
Espíndola Municipal Protected Area, Ecuador: 16,538 hectares, 40,866 acres
Bolívar, Ecuador: 42,888 hectares, 105,979 acres
San José de Payamino: Ecuador, 54,318 hectares, 134,223 acres
Aguarico Water Protection Area, Ecuador: 103,000 hectares, 254,519 acres
Machángara Tomebamba Wildlife Refuge, Ecuador: 24,958 hectares, 61,673 acres
Pueblo Kichwa Rukullacta, Ecuador: 41,889 hectares, 103,510 acres
Bosque Alimentario y de la Interculturalidad, Ecuador: 180,035 hectares, 444,876 acres
Cinco Cerros, Ecuador: 20,942 hectares, 51,749 acres
Loja Municipal Municipal Conservation Area and Expansion, Ecuador: 74,050 hectares, 182,982 acres
Sucúa Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, Ecuador: 17,741 hectares, 43,840 acres
Esmeraldas Provincial Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, Ecuador: 213,758 hectares, 528,207 acres
Tarímiat Pujutaí Nuṉka (Territory of Well Being), Ecuador: 1,237,395 hectares, 3,057,671 acres
Quito Municipal Conservation and Sustainable Use Areas, Ecuador: 120,722 hectares, 298,310 acres
Rio Negro Sopladora National Park, Ecuador: 30,616 hectares, 75,654 acres
Yanuncay-Zhucay Municipal Conservation Area, Ecuador: 26,965 hectares, 66,633 acres 
Tsarap Chu, India: 158,500 hectares, 391,662 acres
Yavari Tapiche Indigenous Reserve, Peru: 1,092,651 hectares, 2,700,000 acres
San Pedro de Chonta: Peru: 51,889 hectares, 128,220 acres
Chuyapi Urusayhua Regional Conservation Area, Peru: 80,191 hectares, 198,156 acres
Huayhuash National Landscape Reserve, Peru: 67,590 hectares, 167,018 acres
Diablo Mountain, Oregon, United States: 48,074 hectares, 118,794 acres
Pueblo Mountains and Trout Creek Wilderness, Oregon, United States: 124,238 hectares, 307,000 acres
Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument Expansion, California, United States: 5,542 hectares, 13,696 acres
Burma Rim, Oregon, United States: 36,582 hectares, 90,397 acres
Saamaka Community Conserved Area, Suriname: 720,000 hectares, 1,779,150 acres

In-Process Support

Argentina: Mutquin Municipal reserve: 5,836 hectares, 14,421 acres
Brazil: Indigenous Protected Areas: 1,000,000 hectares, 2,471,053 acres
Brazil: OECM's Amazonia: 12,000,000 hectares, 29,652,645 acres
Brazil: Afluente do Complexo do Seringal Jurupari: 141,565 hectares, 349,815 acres
Bolivia: Suapi Municipal Protected Area: 2,782 hectares, 6,875 acres
Bolivia: Ilampu Municipal Protected Area: 1,715 hectares, 4,238 acres
Bolivia: Ingavi Municipal Protected Area: 120,065 hectares, 296,687 acres
Bolivia: Porongo Municipal Conservation Area: 4,000 hectares, 10,000 acres
Bolivia: San Rafael Municipal Protected Area Expansion: 264,323 hectares, 653,156 acres
Bolivia: Sama Biological Reserve Expansion: 36,426 hectares, 90,010 acres
Bolivia: Tahuamanu-Orthon Departmental Natural Heritage Area: 280,129 hectares, 692,212 acres
Bolivia: Mandiyurenda Municipal Protected Area: 83,972 hectares, 207,500 acres
Bolivia: Azurduy: 15,700 hectares, 38,796 acres
Bolivia: El Villar: 20,422 hectares, 50,464 acres
Canada: Northern Yukon Indigenous Protected Area: 850,000 hectares, 2,100,395 acres
Canada: Seal River Indigenous Protected Area: 4,249,199 hectares, 10,500,000 acres
Chile: Guafo Island National Park: 22,000 hectares. 55,000 acres
Chile: Cape Froward National Park: 505,857 hectares, 1,250,000 acres
Colombia: Indigenous Land Titling (ACT) (second grant): 364,256 hectares, 900,096 acres
Colombia: Manacacias National Park: 68,180 hectares, 168,476 acres
Colombia: Serranía De San Lucas National Integrated Management District: 405,908 hectares, 1,003,021 acres
Colombia: Cerro del Duende Regional Protected Area: 91,000 hectares, 224,866 acres
Colombia: Collectively-titled Indigenous lands - Resguardos: 928,763 hectares, 2,295,000 acres
Colombia: San Juan Delta Marine Regional Integrated Management Area: 160,000 hectares, 397,840 acres
Ecuador: Runahurco APH: 72,061 hectares, 178,067 acres
Ecuador: Quijos: 33,336 hectares, 82,375 acres
Ecuador: San Lorenzo: 54,539 hectares, 134,769 acres
Ecuador: San Lorenzo: 83,832 hectares, 207,153 acres
Ecuador: Sevilla de Oro Municipal Reserve: 20,000 hectares, 49,420 acres
Guatemala: Cerro Amay National Protected Area: 12,949 hectares, 32,000 acres
Honduras: Uchapa-Pimienta Protected Area: 16,061.85 hectares, 39,689.89 acres
India: Pin Valley National Conservation Area: 7,575 hectares, 18,718 acres
Nicaragua: Awaltara Indigenous Conservation Area: 150,543 hectares, 372,000 acres
Peru: Camisea: 1,011 hectares, 2,498 acres
Peru: Aguas Calientes Regional Conservation Area: 101,931 hectares, 251,876 acres
Peru: Osomayo - Milpo Regional Conservation Area: 73,711 hectares, 182,144 acres
Peru: Medio Putumayo Regional Conservation Area: 399,738 hectares, 987,774 acres
Peru: Cutervo Regional Conservation Area: 19,357 hectares, 47,832 acres
Peru: Selva Verde – Santo Domingo Regional Conservation Area: 80,000 hectares, 197,684 acres
Peru: Tapiche y Blanco Regional Conservation Area: 265,841 hectares, 656,909 acres
Peru: Rontoccocha Regional Conservation Area: 17,000 hectares, 42,008 acres 
Peru: Ausangate Private Conservation Area: 12,000 hectares, 29,653 acres 
Peru: Ere Campuya Regional Protected Area: 700,896 hectares, 1,731,952 acres
Peru: Lomas y Tillandsiales de Tacna Regional Conservation Area: 161,000 hectares, 397,840 acres
Peru: Champará - Coyllorcocha n/a Champará: 20,844 hectares, 51,507 acres
Suriname: Samaaka Indigenous Conservation Area Expansion: 125,984 hectares, 320,000 acres

Artist, Collector, Advisor, Curatorial, School, Gallery and Museum Partners

2018

Calvin Marcus, Ed Ruscha donated by Agnes Gund, Ahmet Civelek, Chloe Wise, Loie Hollowell, Keltie Ferris, Camille Henrot, Rashid Johnson, George Condo, David Adamo, Anicka Yi, Max Hooper Schneider, The Haas Brothers, Anish Kapoor, Idris Khan, Olivier Mosset, Rashid Johnson, Ben Thorp Brown, David Altmejd, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Cindy Sherman, Elizabeth Jaeger, The Bruce High Quality Foundation, Zaria Forman, Rosemary Laing, Nathlie Provosty, Alain Richard, Shirazeh Houshiary, Darren Bader, Alex Hubbard, Joe Andoe, Isabella Kirkland, Tiffany Bozic

2019 

Wyatt Kahn, Louis Eisner, Jacob Kassay, Robert Longo, Mungo Thomson, Cheyney Thompson, Sterling Ruby, The Haas Brothers, Korakrit Arunanondchai, G.T. Pellizzi, Leelee Kimmel, Jonas Wood, Mika Rottenberg with Naomi Beckwith, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Henry Art Gallery, Kunstmuseum Bonn, MOCA Los Angeles

2020 

Ann Craven, Emily Mae Smith, Jenny Holzer, Alison Valentine, Andrew Kachel, Davide Balula, Don Carr, Charles Moffett, Hauser & Wirth, Guggenheim New York, German Environmental Authority, Kunstmuseum Bonn, MOCA Los Angeles, Alex Berggruen, Casey Kaplan, Château Shatto, David Zwirner, De Young Museum, ICA Miami, MOCA Toronto, MoMA PS1, San Jose Museum of Art, ArtForum, Barder.art, California College of Art, K21 Collection by Kanon, Sutton Communications

2021 

Jackson Pollock donated by Scharpff-Striebich Collection, Dana Schutz, Lauren Quin, Shawn Demarest, Rashid Johnson, N. Dash, Donald Moffett, Elaine T. Ault, Erin M. Riley, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, The Heller Group, Hauser & Wirth, Charles Moffett, ARTA, Diane Rosenstein, Fraenkel Gallery, Grimm Gallery, Hannah Hoffman, Hauser & Wirth, Heroes Gallery, James Cohan, Jessica Silverman, Kate MacGarry, Marianne Boesky, Parker Gallery, PPOW Gallery, galerie frank elbaz, Zlot Buell Advisory

2022 

Carol Bove, Madeline Hollander, Gary Simmons, N. Dash, Jonah Jacobs, Kai Patricio, Kara J. Shaw, Maddie Rose Hills, Dr. Nelson Bingham, Nicholas Cinque, Robin Williams, Zaria Forman, Charles Moffett, Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, Sutton, ARTA, Heroes Gallery, James Cohan, Jessica Silverman, Temple Shipley Advisory, San Jose Museum of Art, Climate Action Now, Marianne Boesky Gallery, The Drawing Center, San Francisco Fine Arts Museums

2023 

rosenclaire, Angel Otero, Angela Rose Voulgarelis, Josh Kline, Nicole Wittenberg, Julien Creuzet, Conor O'Neil, Frieze Los Angeles, Frieze New York, Hauser & Wirth, Charles Moffett, Marianne Boesky Gallery, Glenstone, Sutton, ARTA, Kadist, Christie's, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lily Johnson White, SFMOMA, Berkeley Art Museum, Cantor Art Museum, Micki Meng, 1053 Gallery, Mark and Maritza Birman, The Menil Collection,  McCormick Foundation

2024 

Noah Davis donated by Faith Davis, Lily Johnson White, Julian Charrière, Jane Rosen, Hauser & Wirth, Beeple, Michelle Blade, Sam Bornstein, Tiffany Bozic, Sean Donnola, Julia Jo, Alteronce Gumby, C'naan Hamburger, Keiran Brennan Hinton, Esteban Ramón Pérez, Lily Stockman, Julia Felsenthal, Mika Rottenberg, Lyra Drake, Frieze London, Charles Moffett, Beyeler Foundation, Museum Frieder Burda, Museum of Old and New Art, Legion of Honor Museum, ARTA, Sutton, Gallery Climate Coalition, Marianne Boesky Gallery

2025 

Wesley and Judith Marx, Timur Si-Qin, Julian Charrière, Catherine Goodman, Haley Mellin, Adam Swig, Bob Fisher, Chris Bedford, Doug Winter, Allison Gass, Chloe King, Frish Brandt, Drew Bennett, Christian Topham, Dave Wilson, Jennifer Pritzker, Michelle Yi, Charles Moffett, Melissa Wang, Kurt Otis, Kimberly Lin, Hauser & Wirth, Alexandra Mollof Fine Art, ARTA, Sutton, The Menil Collection, Heather Marx Art Advisory, Micki Meng, Elitsa Ristova, Nina Molloy, Lily Johnson White, Francesca Mollett, David Kramer, Isabelle Paagman, Caroline Chiu and Paul Aiello

2026

Lily Johnson White, Julian Charrière, Alexandra Mollof Fine Art, Hauser & Wirth, Catherine Goodman, Jenny Kendler, People's Pixels, James Breyer, Daniela Armijos, Refik Anadol, the Yawanawa, Deaf Beef, Maria Paula Fernandez, Simon Denny, Beyeler Museum AG, Josh Wood Productions, The Children's Trust, Craigslist, Sammy Owen, School of Life for Life, Maria Seferian, Teiger Foundation, Rebekah Neumann, Alexa Firmenich

Foundation Partners

Partnerships with private foundations for matching funds are core to our capacity to engage the cultural community in conservation. All artwork donations are restricted to matching funds agreements. The non-profit fiscal operating costs are paid for by annual support from The Children's Trust. As a part of the initiative's commitment to sustainability in the cultural sector, Art into Acres was the starting fiscal sponsor of Art + Climate Action, Artists Commit, Barder.art, Gallery Climate Coalition, and Partners In Arts Climate Targets.

Strategic Climate Funds

Strategic Climate Funds support began with a novel partnership with Galleries Commit and have continued on this website's Strategic Climate Funds page or by conserving land at Conserve, which is a beta project of Art into Acres. For information on Strategic Climate Funds as an approach instead of carbon offsets, please read here.