Wildlands Conservation

What Wildlands Conservation does

Wildlands Conservation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust headquartered in Tampa, Florida, founded in 2003 as PEER, Inc. and rebranded in 2007. The organization delivers an integrated conservation services platform centered on Florida and the Southeast U.S., with satellite offices in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Its core service lines are Land Protection (conservation easement holding and monitoring), Conservation and Mitigation Banking (permitting, restoration, and easement oversight for wetland, stream, and species banks), Land Management (prescribed burning, exotic species treatment, native restoration plantings, timber harvest, herbicide application across tens of thousands of acres), and Threatened and Endangered Species Surveys (Florida scrub-jay, gopher tortoise, Florida sand skink, blue-tailed mole skink, southeastern American kestrel, crested caracara). A distinct revenue-generating capability is the FWC-approved Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent Training program, which offers tiered courses (GT1000–GT4000) priced $500–$3,000 and approved for up to 42 CEUs by The Wildlife Society, plus an FWC-mandated $684 mitigation contribution. Complementary programs include the Protect the Gopher Tortoise specialty license plate ($25/yr of each renewal donated to Wildlands) and research arms — a USFWS-funded Skink Research Program and an FWC-funded Tegu Removal Program using camera and live trapping with spatial capture-recapture analysis. The team comprises 1–10 staff, including Executive Director David Sumpter (M.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Biology), Senior Ecologist/Research Director Neal Halstead (Ph.D. Integrative Biology), and a roster of ecologists, a restoration ecologist, and a land manager with collectively 50+ years of gopher tortoise conservation experience. Primary customers are state and county government agencies in Florida, federal agencies (USFWS, FWC, NRCS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), conservation and mitigation banks, private landowners seeking perpetual easements, and environmental professionals seeking FWC gopher tortoise agent certification. The 2024 $25M USDA award materially expands project funding capacity, though with a small staff the bulk likely passes through to subcontractors and landowners.

Name

Wildlands Conservation

Legal name

Wildlands Conservation, Inc.

Website

https://wildlandsconservation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wildlands Conservation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust headquartered in Tampa, FL, delivering conservation easement holding, mitigation banking, land management, threatened and endangered species surveys, and FWC-approved gopher tortoise agent training across Florida and the Southeast U.S. It serves government agencies, conservation banks, private landowners, and environmental professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Wildlife habitat management
• Threatened species surveys
• Conservation easement services
• Professional environmental training

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Wildlands Conservation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Individual donations support conservation projects in Florida and the internship program. All contributions are tax deductible.
2. Professional Training Courses: The organization offers FWC-approved Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent Training courses with pricing ranging from $500 to $3,000 for various course combinations. Additional $684 FWC mitigation contribution required for permit application.
3. Gopher Tortoise License Plate Program: Protect the Gopher Tortoise specialty license plates available at $33/year renewal, with $25 of that amount donated to Wildlands Conservation for gopher tortoise conservation efforts.
4. Conservation Banking and Land Services: Wildlands holds conservation easements for conservation and mitigation banks, provides land management services for wetlands and uplands, and assists with conservation planning for landowners and agencies throughout the Southeast.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wildlands Conservation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that provides conservation and land management services, including holding conservation easements, conducting land management activities (prescribed burning, exotic species treatment, native restoration), threatened and endangered species surveys, and conservation/mitigation banking services. The organization also delivers Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-approved Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent training courses for environmental professionals and runs a Protect the Gopher Tortoise specialty license plate program.

Product overview

Wildlands Conservation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust offering a comprehensive suite of conservation services rather than a software product. The core offerings include Land Protection (conservation easements and monitoring), Conservation and Mitigation Banking, Land Management (prescribed burning, exotic species removal, restoration), Threatened and Endangered Species Surveys, and Gopher Tortoise Conservation Services. The organization also provides specialized Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent Training with FWC-approved courses, operates a Protect the Gopher Tortoise License Plate program, conducts Research through its Skink Research Program and Tegu Removal Program, and runs a Conservation Biology Internship Program for training future professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Protection Conservation easement services and land preservation assistance for landowners, including easement monitoring and reporting to ensure perpetual commitments are upheld.
• Conservation and Mitigation Banking Partnership services identifying appropriate lands for conservation and mitigation banks, preparing permit applications, and implementing conservation strategies through restoration, land management, easements, and research.
• Land Management Ecological land management including prescribed burning, exotic species treatment, timber harvest, vegetation monitoring, herbicide application, native vegetation plantings, and restoration activities across Florida, Virginia, and Tennessee.
• Threatened and Endangered Species Surveys Listed species surveys for plants and animals including Florida scrub-jay, southeastern American kestrel, gopher tortoise, Florida sand skink, blue-tailed mole skink, crested caracara, and other protected species.
• Gopher Tortoise Conservation Services Comprehensive gopher tortoise services including permitting, surveying, mapping, capture and relocation via mechanical excavation, bucket trapping, live trapping, and hand shovel excavation, plus recipient site permitting and monitoring.
• Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent Training FWC-approved training courses meeting Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent permit requirements, covering ecology, permitting, survey techniques, capture methods, burrow excavation, marking, release, and recipient site management; approved for up to 42 CEUs by The Wildlife Society.
• Protect the Gopher Tortoise License Plate Florida specialty license plate program to raise awareness and funding for gopher tortoise habitat conservation, habitat management, education, and research; $33/year renewal with $25 donated to Wildlands Conservation.
• Skink Research Program Research program funded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish presence, distribution, and population size of Florida sand skinks and blue-tailed mole skinks on conservation lands of the Lake Wales Ridge, Winter Haven Ridge, and Mt. Dora Ridge.
• Tegu Removal Program Invasive species removal program for Argentine black and white tegus in Hillsborough County, including population assessment, spatial extent determination, and cost-effective eradication strategy development using camera and live trapping with spatial capture-recapture analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 acres of longleaf pine flatwoods and groundcover restored by individual staff member
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides funding for Wildlands' research projects, including surveys on Florida sand skinks and blue-tailed mole skinks on conservation lands in central Florida.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFWC provides project funding for tegu removal in Hillsborough County. Wildlands offers FWC-approved Authorized Gopher Tortoise Agent Training courses that meet permit requirements. Staff provide input on the Gopher Tortoise Technical Assistance Group.
• Conservation FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation Florida provided a letter of support for the Protect the Gopher Tortoise license plate initiative.
• Gopher Tortoise CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWildlands staff serve on the Gopher Tortoise Council Executive Committee. The Council provides support for gopher tortoise conservation efforts and license plate initiatives.
• University of South FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrong academic partnerships with USF for research collaboration. Executive Director Dave Sumpter and Research Director Neal Halstead have academic affiliations. Wildlands provides internship opportunities for USF students.
• University of TampaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for student internships and educational collaboration.
• Florida Southern CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for student internships and educational collaboration.
• Natural Resources Conservation ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRCS partnership for conservation and land management initiatives.
• Palm Beach ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partnership for wildlife education and awareness.
• Center for Biological DiversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partnership for species protection and advocacy.
• Florida Museum of Natural HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for natural history research and specimen collaboration.
• Tampa Bay ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal conservation partnership for Tampa Bay area land protection efforts.
• EcoSphere Restoration InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ecological restoration initiatives.
• Adam Strang Bass PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhotography partnership for conservation imagery used on the Wildlands website. Adam Strang Bass provides wildlife photography services as a visual asset for marketing and outreach.
• Matt Patterson (Conservation Illustrator)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation illustrator Matt Patterson created the artwork for the Protect the Gopher Tortoise License Plate design.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Center for Biological Diversity: Center for Biological Diversity is a species-focused nonprofit that litigates and advocates for Endangered Species Act protections, including for the gopher tortoise. It is an adjacent peer in the species conservation ecosystem and is documented as a Wildlands partner.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is the largest global conservation nonprofit, operating a Florida chapter that holds conservation easements, conducts prescribed fire and restoration, and partners with landowners in the same geography as Wildlands. It is a broad incumbent providing the closest analog for scale, mission, and easement holdings.
• National Wildlife Federation: National Wildlife Federation is a national conservation nonprofit with affiliate chapters and education programs. It is comparable as a broad incumbent in wildlife conservation education and advocacy, though much larger and more diversified than Wildlands.
• Defenders of Wildlife: Defenders of Wildlife is a national nonprofit focused on imperiled species and habitat policy, including listed species like the gopher tortoise. Comparable as a broader incumbent in wildlife and species conservation, with overlapping federal advocacy and species work.
• Ducks Unlimited: Ducks Unlimited is a large habitat-focused nonprofit delivering conservation easements, land management, and species conservation across the Southeast, making it a comparable broad incumbent in terms of land trust operations and habitat work.

Direct peers

• Trust for Public Land: Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit land trust that acquires and holds conservation easements and works with private landowners on land protection — directly overlapping Wildlands' core land protection service line and easement stewardship model.
• The Conservation Fund: The Conservation Fund is a national nonprofit that acquires and manages conservation lands, works with public agencies, and supports mitigation banking. It directly parallels Wildlands' land protection, mitigation banking, and public-private partnership model.
• Conservation Florida: Conservation Florida is a Florida-focused land trust that holds conservation easements and runs grassroots advocacy, including providing a letter of support for Wildlands' gopher tortoise license plate. It is the closest direct peer in mission and Florida geography.
• Archbold Biological Station: Archbold Biological Station is a Florida-based ecological research and land management organization conducting prescribed fire, exotic species control, and listed species research on the Lake Wales Ridge. It is directly comparable to Wildlands' research and land management operations.

Regional players

• Florida Wildlife Federation: Florida Wildlife Federation is a statewide conservation nonprofit advocating for species and habitat protection in Florida. It overlaps with Wildlands on conservation policy, education, and species protection, but is advocacy-led rather than field-implementation-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WildlandsConservation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wildlands-conservation-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/wildlandsconservation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wildlands Conservation