Forterra

What Forterra does

Forterra is a federally approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust headquartered in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1989 (originally as Cascade Land Conservancy, rebranded to Forterra in 2016). The organization permanently secures and stewards forests, wetlands, farmland, and coastal areas across Washington state, with a cumulative footprint of 275,000 acres protected, 150+ stewarded properties, 100+ community projects, and 115,000+ volunteer hours logged. Core programmatic offerings include the Evergreen Restoration Program (holistic forest restoration with site preparation, planting, mulching, and long-term monitoring), Forterra Nature Discovery™ (free nature experience events on conserved properties), Community Restoration Grants (funding for external stewardship groups), Corporate Partnership Programs (sponsor tiers, workplace giving, corporate work parties), the Forterra Fridays monthly volunteer series, the AMPERSAND intimate supporter gatherings, and an individual-facing Carbon Calculator that prices offset contributions at $15.65 per ton of CO2. The organization also pursues formal partnerships with nine tribal governments and coordinates with federal, state, county, and municipal agencies on land transactions and stewardship.

Forterra's revenue model is donation-based across individual, corporate, and institutional channels: recurring monthly giving (Forterra Stewards), seven corporate sponsorship tiers from $2,500 (Supporter) to $20,000 (Champion), workplace giving via EarthShare Washington, the 1% for the Planet approved environmental partner program, major gifts and grants, and pay-as-you-go carbon offset contributions. Customer segments include individual donors (persona), corporate partners (business unit), community organizations receiving grants, tribal governments (geography), and BIPOC and overburdened communities served through environmental justice programming. Distribution is direct and regional, anchored by three offices (Seattle HQ, Roslyn / Kittitas County, Moses Lake / Eastern Washington) and a multi-channel marketing footprint (newsletter to 10,000+ subscribers, Rooted podcast, social media, events, blog/editorial, PR). The organization holds Land Trust Accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, the seal of which it describes as a mark of distinction in conservation permanence. Note: source material references a separate $238M / $1B-unicorn event associated with a D.C.-region "Forterra" entity; this appears to be a different organization and is not characteristic of the Washington land trust described here.

Name

Forterra

Legal name

Forterra NW

Website

https://forterra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forterra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that permanently secures and restores forests, wetlands, and farmland across Washington state through the Evergreen Restoration Program, community grants, corporate partnerships, and formal tribal collaborations, serving individual donors, tribal nations, community organizations, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Reforestation & Afforestation Services (Planting, Site Prep, Regeneration) (IMAMAAAE), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Ecological restoration
• Carbon offset programs
• Habitat stewardship
• Conservation land trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting land conservation mission. Monthly giving program (Forterra Steward) enables recurring contributions.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnership packages at multiple levels (Supporter $2,500 to Champion $20,000) providing visibility, event access, and community engagement opportunities for corporate partners.
3. Evergreen Restoration Program: Carbon offset program where donors fund tree planting, site preparation, invasive removal crews, and community restoration grants.
4. Major Gifts and Grants: Recent $238M funding raising from news report indicates significant grant and major gift fundraising activity.
5. Workplace Giving: Payroll deduction programs through EarthShare Washington and corporate workplace giving campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Forterra is a federally approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that permanently secures and stewards forests, wetlands, and coastal areas in Washington state. It operates land acquisition, ecological restoration, community engagement, and corporate partnership programs — including the Evergreen Restoration Program, Forterra Nature Discovery events, Community Restoration Grants, and a Carbon Calculator tool — to address climate, biodiversity, and equitable access to nature.

Product overview

Forterra is a federally approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization operating as a single unified entity offering multiple interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the Evergreen Restoration Program (ecological restoration and tree planting), Forterra Nature Discovery™ (nature experience events), Community Restoration Grants, Corporate Partnership Programs, Carbon Calculator tool, Forterra Fridays (volunteer events), and AMPERSAND Events. These programs work together to advance Forterra's mission of innovating and scaling land-based solutions to address the climate crisis and support equitable, green and prosperous communities in Washington state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Evergreen Restoration Program
• Forterra Nature Discovery
• Community Restoration Grants
• Corporate Partnership Programs
• Carbon Calculator
• Forterra Fridays
• Spring Fundraiser
• AMPERSAND Events

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,258 tons of CO2 sequestered over 100 years by trees planted in 2024 ERP
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• McKinstrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Strategic corporate partnership since 2018 focused on community service and environmental sustainability. McKinstry employees have completed nearly 700 hours of community service at Crystal Springs Park in Tukwila, helping transform and revitalize the natural area and urban forest. Partnership supports climate and sustainability initiatives in local communities.
• Delta AirlinesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Forterra Nature Discovery program series, providing visibility through logo placement on event marketing materials and program recognition.
• Conner HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Evergreen Restoration Program supporting habitat restoration efforts.
• Yakama NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal government partner for land conservation and stewardship. Joint events include Nature Through the Eyes of the Yakama nature discovery program. Collaborative work on land access, restoration, and tribal aspirations.
• Tulalip TribescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal tribal partnership with acknowledgements and actions documented through resolutions.
• Suquamish TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner for conservation and land stewardship initiatives.
• Stillaguamish TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner for land conservation and environmental stewardship.
• Squaxin TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTribal partner for conservation initiatives.
• Clear Mountain MonasteryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-year collaboration for Forest Meditation events at monastery location. Forterra helped find 90-acre property in North Bend for the monastery.
• EarthShare WashingtoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember of EarthShare Washington workplace giving program, enabling employee payroll deductions for charitable giving.
• 1% for the PlanetmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerApproved Environmental Partner meeting strict programmatic criteria for real, measurable environmental outcomes.
• Bird Alliance (formerly Portland Audubon)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Morse Wildlife Preserve stewardship, restoration, and study.
• The Morse ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization providing weekly stewardship and restoration at Morse Wildlife Preserve.
• Wilderness Awareness SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Forterra Nature Discovery event facilitation.
• Firecraft NWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaturalist guide partner for multiple Nature Discovery events.
• Trust for Public LandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational land conservation organization partner.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor conservation organization partner.
• Conservation NorthwestmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation organization partner.
• Washington Conservation ActionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState conservation advocacy partner.
• US Forest ServicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner for forest management and conservation.
• Washington State Department of Natural ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for land management and conservation.
• King CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner for land conservation and environmental programs.
• City of SeattlemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for urban conservation and Green Seattle Partnership.
• Green Cities Research AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership focused on urban forest and green infrastructure research.
• Land Trust AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational land trust membership and accreditation body.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit land conservation organization that acquires and stewards land for public use, parks, and conservation. Directly comparable to Forterra in mission, accredited land trust model, and multi-state conservation deal-making — and is a named Forterra partner.
• Conservation Northwest: Pacific Northwest-focused conservation nonprofit working on land, wildlife, and forest stewardship in Washington and surrounding regions. A named major partner of Forterra, with overlapping Pacific Northwest forest and habitat priorities.
• Washington Conservation Action: State-level Washington conservation advocacy and land protection organization. Directly comparable to Forterra's state-level conservation and policy engagement footprint and a named partner.
• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit that combines land conservation with innovative conservation finance, working forest acquisitions, and corporate partnerships. Closely parallels Forterra's mix of land deals, corporate engagement, and innovative finance leadership.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on protecting agricultural land, farmland easements, and working lands. Directly comparable to Forterra's land protection and stewardship work, especially for farm and floodplain properties such as the 193 acres recently protected in Snohomish County.
• Ducks Unlimited: Large nonprofit land trust focused on wetlands, habitat, and waterfowl conservation across North America. Comparable in accredited land trust operations, large-acreage stewardship, and reliance on conservation grants and donor funding.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The largest global environmental nonprofit, with land acquisition, stewardship, and restoration at scale across all U.S. states and globally. Overlaps directly with Forterra's Evergreen Restoration and land protection work and is a named major conservation partner of Forterra.
• US Forest Service: Federal agency managing national forests and federal land conservation, including wildfire mitigation and forest restoration. A named major federal partner of Forterra, overlapping heavily on forest restoration and stewardship in the Pacific Northwest.
• Washington State Department of Natural Resources: State agency managing state trust lands, forests, and conservation programs across Washington. A named major state agency partner of Forterra, with overlapping forest, habitat, and stewardship priorities in the same operating geography.

Regional players

• Greenbelt Alliance: Regional Bay Area land conservation and urban-edge open-space nonprofit. Operates a comparable urban/rural land trust model with policy and donor engagement, though focused on California rather than Washington.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClWgXwhFohARIL5eVZU1WOw
• Xx.com/forterranw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forterra

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Forterra