San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust

What San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust does

The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1995 and headquartered in Lake Arrowhead, California. It acquires, restores, and permanently protects forest open space in the San Bernardino Mountains, with a portfolio of more than 15,000 acres preserved to date and a pipeline of roughly 40,000 additional acres identified as at risk of development. Its service area spans Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear Valley, and the surrounding mountain communities, and its stakeholders include individual donors, member households, tribal partners, and federal land management agencies.

SBMLT's core activities are fee-title land acquisition, conservation easements, ecological restoration, and federal grant stewardship, exemplified by the 2011 Arrowhead Ridge acquisition (80 acres) and the in-progress Arrowhead Ridge II project. The trust is pursuing a $10 million "Save Moon Camp" capital campaign with a July 31, 2026 deadline to protect a key Big Bear Valley parcel, and it secured a $1.5 million USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program grant in late 2025 to support the Arrowhead Ridge II acquisition. Its most significant historical transactions include the 2007 transfer of the 1,145-acre Yucaipa Ridge and 156-acre Grass Valley Creek parcels to the U.S. Forest Service for federal administration.

Revenue is generated through a tiered individual membership program (ranging from $35 to $2,500+), a flagstone donor wall program ($1,000-$5,000), planned giving, unrestricted donations, and competitive federal and state grants. The organization partners with more than 50 entities, including the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, USDA Forest Service, Trust for Public Land, and Friends of Big Bear Valley, to co-fund and co-steward conservation outcomes. Leadership includes President Bill Engs and Vice President Polly Sauer; the organization operates with a staff of 11-50.

Name

San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust

Legal name

San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust

Website

https://sbmlt.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 and based in Lake Arrowhead, California, that acquires, restores, and permanently protects forest open space in the San Bernardino Mountains through fee-title purchases, conservation easements, and federal grant-funded projects, serving mountain communities, donors, and tribal partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Forest preservation
• Conservation easements
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Environmental stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Big Bear Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Individual donations from members and supporters, including one-time and recurring gifts. Membership program with multiple tiers from $35 to $2,500+ annually.
2. Government Grants: Funding from county, state, and federal agencies including USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program and CAL FIRE for land acquisition and conservation easements.
3. Planned Giving: Bequests, life income gifts, charitable gift annuities, and other estate planning vehicles for long-term fundraising.
4. Flagstone Donor Wall: Commemorative flagstone plaques sold to donors for recognition at Arrowhead Ridge preserve, ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust acquires private forest inholdings within the San Bernardino National Forest and transfers them into permanent public conservation ownership. The organization funds acquisitions and restoration through individual donations, tiered memberships, government grants (including USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program), and planned giving, while operating land restoration projects such as Arrowhead Ridge and Pebble Plain Ecological Reserve.

Product overview

San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust operates as a private land conservancy offering land acquisition and conservation services for forest preservation in the San Bernardino National Forest. The organization provides a platform of interconnected conservation programs including membership tiers (Forest Supporter through Gold Summit Patron), restoration projects like Arrowhead Ridge, and commemorative programs such as the Flagstone Donor Wall. Core offerings center on acquiring private land inholdings, protecting wildlife habitat, and restoring damaged ecosystems through projects like the Pebble Plain Ecological Reserve. Additional services include the Forest View newsletter publication and planned giving programs for legacy donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Conservation Services Acquisition of private forest inholdings within the San Bernardino National Forest, transferring them to permanent public conservation ownership. Targets individual supporters, government agencies, and partner nonprofits who fund the work through donations, grants, and memberships.
• Membership Programs Annual subscription-based membership program for individual supporters, with six tiers ranging from $35 (Forest Supporter) to $2,500+ (Gold Summit Patron) per year. Members receive the e-newsletter, event invitations, and volunteer opportunities.
• Flagstone Donor Wall Commemorative flagstone plaque program at Arrowhead Ridge preserve. Small plaques (up to 15 letters) cost $1,000, medium (up to 25 letters) cost $2,500, and large (up to 35 letters) cost $5,000, with per-letter surcharges and custom orders available.
• Planned Giving Programs Estate planning and legacy giving service for individuals making major long-term contributions through bequests, life income gifts, charitable gift annuities, real estate gifts, and retirement plan designations.
• Conservation Easement Services Acquisition of conservation easements to permanently prevent development of private forest properties, with $1.5 million in USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy Program funding allocated for the 94-acre Arrowhead Ridge II parcel.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 acres of forest land preserved since 1995
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2025The Forest Legacy Program allocated $1.5 million to acquire a conservation easement on the adjacent 94-acre Arrowhead Ridge II parcel, administered by CAL FIRE, permanently preventing development.
• Friends of Big Bear ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership to protect bald eagle habitat at Moon Camp near Big Bear Lake. SBMLT and FOBBV are jointly raising $10 million to purchase 62 acres of land to prevent development and protect Jackie and Shadow, the internet-famous bald eagles.
• Big Bear Discovery CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner environmental organization working on conservation and education in the Big Bear Valley region.
• Trust for Public LandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor land trust partner that has worked with SBMLT on land acquisitions and donated Eagle Canyon (640 acres) and Yaeger Mesa (185 acres) in 2005.
• The Nature ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational land trust working on similar conservation efforts; SBMLT followed in their footsteps focusing on pebble plain habitat protection.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner for endangered species protection and habitat conservation efforts.
• San Bernardino National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government partner; SBMLT acquires private inholdings within the National Forest and transfers them for permanent protection to ensure public benefit.
• California Department of Fish and GameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for wildlife protection and ecological reserve management, particularly for pebble plain conservation.
• Big Bear Valley Education TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpearheading the overall effort to promote greater public awareness, protection, and scientific study of the rare pebble plain habitat in Big Bear Valley.
• Land Trust AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that SBMLT formally adopted professional standards from in 2004.
• Sierra Club (San Gorgonio Chapter, Big Bear Group, Mountains Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization chapters partnering on conservation efforts in the San Bernardino Mountains.
• Pacific Crest Trail AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization protecting land along the Pacific Crest Trail, including Lion Peak (640 acres) and Lookout Mountain (480 acres).

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National land trust that donated Eagle Canyon (640 acres) and Yaeger Mesa (185 acres) to SBMLT in 2005; operates similar conservation easement and acquisition model across the U.S. at a much larger scale.
• The Nature Conservancy: National conservation organization with a parallel mission of permanent land protection; SBMLT explicitly followed in its footsteps on pebble plain habitat conservation, indicating direct programmatic overlap.

Emerging players

• Pacific Crest Trail Association: Partner organization that protects land along the Pacific Crest Trail, including Lion Peak (640 acres) and Lookout Mountain (480 acres) — overlapping SBMLT on trail-corridor conservation in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Others

• Sierra Club (San Gorgonio Chapter): Environmental organization with which SBMLT partners on San Bernardino Mountains conservation; overlapping advocacy, member-base, and conservation-acquisition activities.
• Land Trust Alliance: National membership body for land trusts from which SBMLT adopted professional standards in 2004; sets industry practice, accreditation, and policy frameworks for the same operational category.

Direct peers

• The Wildland Conservancy: Southern California-based land trust with which SBMLT has collaborated on Bluff Lake; comparable regional scope, similar conservation easement and acquisition model in adjacent SoCal mountain ecosystems.
• Friends of Big Bear Valley: Co-campaign partner on the $10M Moon Camp initiative; a regional nonprofit with adjacent wildlife-habitat protection mission and direct co-fundraising overlap with SBMLT.
• Catalina Island Conservancy: California-based land trust managing 42,000+ acres of conserved land; comparable mid-sized regional land trust serving an ecologically sensitive island/mountain environment with similar permanent-protection charter.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SBMLT

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust