Sharon Land Trust

What Sharon Land Trust does

Sharon Land Trust, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization incorporated on October 14, 1982, and headquartered in Sharon, Connecticut (Litchfield County). It protects more than 4,700 acres across 90 parcels, comprising 2,662 acres directly owned and 2,123 acres held under conservation easements, and maintains 11 public preserves with over 27 miles of hiking trails open dawn-to-dusk. The organization is accredited by the Land Trust Alliance (renewed through 2025), a distinction held by fewer than 500 land trusts nationwide.

The organization's core offerings center on perpetual land conservation through fee-simple ownership and conservation easements, public access via preserves and trails, youth education (scholarships up to $2,000 for conservation/environmental studies, a Student Work Project, and a paid Assistant Land Steward internship), and volunteer-based stewardship (trailwork, invasive species control, property monitoring). It also publishes an annual Trail Guide, sells branded merchandise (caps, hoodies, tees priced $30–$79), and operates a $2,500 Tribute Bench program.

The revenue model is a diversified nonprofit stack: tiered memberships and donations (Red Cedar $100+, Sugar Maple $500+, Chinkapin Oak $1,000+), monthly recurring giving, planned giving (bequests, charitable trusts, IRA distributions), corporate sponsorships and employer matching, state and federal conservation grants (OSWA, Highlands Conservation), and tribute bench and merchandise sales. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on Instagram and Facebook organic social, email newsletters, the sharonlandtrust.org website, guided hikes, and in-person events to drive engagement and fundraising. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, led by Executive Director Carolyn Klocker, with four full-time staff members (Conservation, Stewardship, Land Steward roles).

Name

Sharon Land Trust

Legal name

Sharon Land Trust, Inc.

Website

https://sharonlandtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sharon Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, LTA-accredited land conservation organization in Sharon, Connecticut, protecting over 4,700 acres across 90 parcels, maintaining 11 public preserves with 27+ miles of trails, and serving hikers, residents, students, and landowners through conservation easements, education, and volunteer programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easements
• Hiking trail preservation
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Farmland preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Sharon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Primary revenue stream including one-time donations, monthly recurring donations, and membership contributions at various giving levels (Red Cedar $100+, Sugar Maple $500+, Chinkapin Oak $1000+).
2. Tribute Bench Program: Donors can purchase tribute benches at preserves for $2,500, with brass plaques for memorial recognition.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including apparel and accessories.
4. Planned Giving: Bequests, charitable trusts, retirement plan designations, and life insurance beneficiary gifts.
5. Conservation Easements: Landowners donate land or conservation easements, potentially receiving tax benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sharon Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that permanently preserves rural land in Sharon, Connecticut through direct ownership (2,662 acres) and conservation easements (2,123 acres), totaling 4,700+ acres across 90 parcels. It manages 11 public preserves with 27+ miles of hiking trails, supports conservation education through youth scholarships, work projects, and internships, and accepts land donations, financial contributions, and planned gifts to fund its conservation mission.

Product overview

Sharon Land Trust is a nonprofit land conservation organization founded in 1982, offering a portfolio of conservation services rather than a traditional product. The core offerings center on land preservation through ownership and conservation easements, management of 11 public preserves with over 27 miles of hiking trails, youth education programs (scholarships, student work projects, internships), volunteer engagement, and merchandise sales. The organization is accredited by the Land Trust Alliance. Financial support is facilitated through donations, memberships, planned giving, and corporate sponsorships. Merchandise items (apparel and accessories sold via the online shop) provide supplemental funding for conservation efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Preserves & Hiking Trails

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,700 acres protected in perpetuity
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Land Trust AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Land Trust Alliance is the national leader in policy, standards, education and training for land trusts. Sharon Land Trust is accredited by LTA, demonstrating successful implementation of Land Trust Standards and Practices. This accreditation is a mark of distinction ensuring the land trust can keep the promise of perpetuity.
• Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLCC serves Connecticut's land trusts by representing their interests to state government, connecting them to resources, and providing direct assistance to help achieve conservation goals and ensure long-term viability.
• Follow the Forest NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional initiative protecting and connecting forests and promoting safe passage of wildlife throughout the Northeast, from the Hudson Valley to Canada. Goal is to protect at least 50% of each core forest habitat (250+ acres) to sustain woodland species.
• Old Growth Forest NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization working to protect remaining ancient forests. Sharon Land Trust has enrolled three preserves (Sharon Mountain, Goodbody, Hamlin) pledging to protect them in perpetuity and allow natural growth.
• Home Grown National ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrassroots initiative to regenerate biodiversity by planting native plants and creating ecological networks. Sharon Land Trust committed to planting natives and controlling invasive species on properties.
• Housatonic Valley AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional conservation organization. Works with Sharon Land Trust and area schools to educate students about the importance of local forest environment.
• Audubon SharonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal chapter of national Audubon Society focused on bird conservation and nature education.
• CT Farmland TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide organization dedicated to protecting Connecticut farmland for future generations.
• Kent Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent land trust focused on preserving open space in Kent, CT.
• Cornwall Conservation TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent land trust focused on conservation in Cornwall, CT.
• Salisbury AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization supporting preservation efforts in Salisbury, CT.
• Litchfield Hills Greenprint CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaborative focused on conservation and sustainability in the Litchfield Hills area.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that works with communities to protect land for public use, including parks and conservation easements. Operates at a much larger scale and broader geography but shares Sharon Land Trust's focus on perpetual land protection and public access.
• The Nature Conservancy (Connecticut): Global conservation organization with significant Connecticut operations including forest, freshwater, and climate work. Operates at vastly greater scale and budget than Sharon Land Trust but pursues overlapping goals of land protection, habitat connectivity, and stewardship in the same region.

Direct peers

• Litchfield Hills Greenprint Collaborative: Regional collaborative focused on conservation and sustainability in the Litchfield Hills area. Listed as a partner of Sharon Land Trust and coordinates conservation planning and implementation across multiple local trusts in the same region.
• Salisbury Association: Community organization supporting preservation efforts in Salisbury, CT — an adjacent Litchfield County town. Engages in land conservation, watershed protection, and community education in direct parallel to Sharon Land Trust.
• Housatonic Valley Association: Regional environmental organization working on watershed protection, land conservation, and environmental education in western Connecticut. Listed as a core partner of Sharon Land Trust with overlapping geographic scope and conservation mission.
• Cornwall Conservation Trust: Adjacent Connecticut land trust focused on conservation in Cornwall, CT. Operates with a similar small-staff, volunteer-supported model protecting natural and agricultural land in the same Litchfield Hills region.
• Connecticut Farmland Trust: Statewide nonprofit dedicated to protecting Connecticut farmland for future generations. Listed as a strategic partner of Sharon Land Trust and pursues conservation easements and agricultural land acquisition under an overlapping mission.
• Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust: Land trust serving nearby towns in Litchfield County, CT (Kent, Cornwall, Warren, etc.) with an analogous mission of permanent land conservation, public preserves, and hiking trail stewardship. Directly comparable in scope, geography, and operating model to Sharon Land Trust.
• Kent Land Trust: Adjacent Connecticut land trust focused on preserving open space in Kent, CT. Listed as an active partner of Sharon Land Trust and operates with a comparable volunteer-driven, easement-and-acquisition model.

Emerging players

• Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC): Statewide association that represents Connecticut's land trusts to government, connects them to resources, and provides direct assistance. Functions as a network and capacity-builder rather than a direct land steward, but materially shapes the operating environment for trusts like Sharon.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SharonLandTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/sharonlandtrust
• Xx.com/sharonlandtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharon-land-trust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Sharon Land Trust