Los Padres ForestWatch
Los Padres ForestWatch is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit founded in 2004 that exclusively protects Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument through legal advocacy, GIS-based mapping, policy action, and community education serving individual donors, volunteers, youth, and tribal partners across California's Central Coast.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Los Padres ForestWatch does
Los Padres ForestWatch is a 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit public benefit corporation founded in 2004 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, that operates as the only organization exclusively dedicated to protecting Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument. Across roughly 2 million acres of California's Central Coast, the organization delivers a three-pillar program of legal advocacy, policy/legislative action, and community education, with documented outcomes including 700,259 acres of strengthened protections, 139,619 acres shielded from fossil fuel drilling, the 2017 defeat of a Carrizo Plain downsizing attempt, and a 2025 reduction of a 90,000-acre logging proposal to 15,257 acres. Its technology stack centers on GIS-based mapping (ArcGIS StoryMaps, OpenTrails, a proprietary Interactive BLM Oil and Gas Leasing Map) used to document oil/gas lease sales, wildlife corridors, roadless areas, and trail status, and the team combines specialized expertise in conservation law (Executive Director Jeff Kuyper, JD), policy (Carla Mena, MPP), GIS/field operations, and youth engagement.
Revenue is generated through a community-led, grassroots donation model: annual memberships from $50, the Condor Circle major-donor program at $1,000+/year, planned-giving bequests, IRA/stock/Donor Advised Fund contributions, employer matching gifts, and corporate giving through the 1% for the Planet partnership. Secondary revenue streams include a small e-commerce store selling guides, maps, apparel, and wine; the annual Online Silent Auction; and ticketed events such as the Forest Academy learning series ($40–$50 per session), The Wilderness Table culinary fundraisers, and Pouring for Public Lands wine events at Bien Nacido Vineyards. Customer segments span individual donors and supporters (primary), youth and families, conservation advocates, Indigenous tribes (Chumash, Salinan, Esselen, Yokuts, Ohlone, Tataviam, Tongva), volunteers/citizen scientists (1,800+), and 100+ partner nonprofits. Distribution is entirely direct-to-supporter via the forestwatch.org website, email (The Forest Sentinel newsletter, serviced by Constant Contact), and in-person events; no resellers or intermediaries are used.
Los Padres ForestWatch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Los Padres ForestWatch
- Legal name
- Los Padres ForestWatch
- Website
- https://forestwatch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Los Padres ForestWatch is a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit founded in 2004 that exclusively protects Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument through legal advocacy, GIS-based mapping, policy action, and community education serving individual donors, volunteers, youth, and tribal partners across California's Central Coast.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Los Padres ForestWatch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Conservation Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)
- SIC
- Forestry (800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)
Keywords
Where Los Padres ForestWatch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Los Padres ForestWatch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Memberships and Individual Donations: Primary revenue stream. Memberships start at $50 annually, with donors at $1,000+ joining the Condor Circle major donor group. Individual donations constitute the core of ForestWatch's grassroots funding model. Additional giving vehicles include IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, stock donations, Donor Advised Fund contributions, and matching gifts through employer programs.
- Events and Fundraising: Annual Online Silent Auction (September–October) featuring experiences, outdoor gear, wine, hotel stays, restaurant packages, and adventures. The Wilderness Table culinary fundraising dinners and Pouring for Public Lands wine events at Bien Nacido Vineyards (10%+ proceeds donated). These ticketed events serve dual purposes of fundraising and community engagement.
- E-Commerce Store: The ForestWatch Store sells nature guides, trail maps, t-shirts, hats, magnets, stickers, and wine (e.g., 2021 Condor Red Wine). All purchases support conservation efforts. Revenue from merchandise sales complements the donation-based model.
- Planned Giving / Legacy Donations: Charitable bequests included in supporters' wills — a legacy giving program designed to create lasting contributions to the organization's long-term financial sustainability.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Membership – $50/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Condor Circle Major Donor – $1,000+/year |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Forest Academy Event Tickets – $40–$50 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels12 records
Los Padres ForestWatch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Los Padres ForestWatch is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects wildlife, wilderness, water, and sustainable public access across Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument along California's Central Coast. It delivers this through a combination of conservation advocacy, environmental education programming, community engagement, volunteer field stewardship, GIS-based land-use analysis, and legal action against harmful development projects.
Product overview
Los Padres ForestWatch is a nonprofit conservation organization offering educational programs, community engagement initiatives, and merchandise to protect public lands. The core offerings include the Forest Academy Series (educational field experiences), the Outdoor Connections Program (youth and community engagement), Volunteer Field Stewardship (hands-on conservation work), and the ForestWatch Store (merchandise supporting the mission). These programs work together to advance conservation advocacy, education, and on-the-ground protection of Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Forest Academy: A four-part interactive learning series led by ForestWatch and local experts that unfolds annually, with each year exploring a different theme of Los Padres National Forest.
- The Forest Sentinel
- Outdoor Connections
- Room to Roam
- Condor Circle
- Legacy Giving
Products and services
- ForestWatch Store Online e-commerce store selling nature guides, trail maps, apparel (t-shirts, hats), accessories (magnets, stickers), and wine to individual consumers; all purchases support the organization's conservation mission.
- Forest Academy Series An annual four-session learning series led by ForestWatch staff and local experts, exploring a different conservation theme each year through field workshops such as native plants, animal tracking, geology, and wilderness history. Ticketed for members ($40) and non-members ($50, includes membership).
- Outdoor Connections Program Community engagement initiative that removes barriers to outdoor access and connects diverse youth, families, and underserved communities in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties with the natural wonders of Los Padres National Forest, fostering the next generation of conservationists.
- Volunteer Field Stewardship Organized volunteer program offering hands-on stewardship opportunities for individuals, including trail cleanups, microtrash and lead removal, invasive plant eradication, stream surveys, derelict fencing removal, illegal grow site cleanup, and wildlife habitat restoration across Los Padres National Forest.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced a 90,000-acre Forest Service logging proposal to 15,257 acres through advocacy and participation in agency planning processes (2025)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Los Padres ForestWatch
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Los Padres ForestWatch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Los Padres ForestWatch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- 1% for the PlanetcoreForestWatch is an approved nonprofit partner of 1% for the Planet, through which business members donate 1% of sales to ForestWatch. LPFW is recommended to 1% for the Planet's business and individual members as a regional conservation partner on California's Central Coast.
- Center for Biological DiversitycoreForestWatch partnered with the Center for Biological Diversity as co-plaintiff in legal action to stop oil drilling expansion in Los Padres National Forest. The Center joined ForestWatch as a co-author of a 92-page appeal and subsequent lawsuit filed in federal court in 2007 to halt the 52,000-acre oil drilling plan.
- Defenders of WildlifecoreForestWatch partnered with Defenders of Wildlife as co-plaintiff in legal challenges to stop expansion of oil drilling across Los Padres National Forest, working jointly on advocacy and litigation.
- California Chaparral InstitutecoreForestWatch and the California Chaparral Institute jointly challenged a U.S. Forest Service fuel break project in federal court, successfully canceling plans for a 6-mile-long, 300-foot-wide chaparral removal corridor along the Gaviota Crest in 2017.
- The Nature ConservancycoreForestWatch hosts Forest Academy workshops at The Nature Conservancy's Santa Clara River Preserve, expanding educational programming and providing volunteer access to diverse conservation lands.
- Nearly 200 Local Organizations and Businesses (Coalition)coreForestWatch built and leads a broad coalition of nearly 200 local businesses, museums, elected officials, community leaders, scientists, chambers of commerce, archaeological societies, trail groups, and Native American tribes united to defend Carrizo Plain National Monument from downsizing in 2017. This coalition delivered 3,000+ letters to the Interior Department.
- More Than 100 Nonprofit OrganizationscoreForestWatch works in partnership with more than 100 local, regional, and national nonprofit organizations with a shared goal of protecting Los Padres National Forest, safeguarding wildlife and watersheds, and inspiring the next generation of conservation stewards. Partners include local land trusts, environmental organizations, wildlife groups, and recreation advocates.
- Humane Society of the United StatesminorForestWatch teamed up with the Humane Society of the United States to defeat a scientifically-unsound proposal to open the first-ever black bear hunting season in San Luis Obispo County, collaborating on advocacy and expert testimony.
- Ten Conservation Groups (Sespe Coalition)coreForestWatch led a coalition of ten local and national conservation groups to demand a full environmental study of oil exploration plans in Carrizo Plain, ultimately causing the oil company to withdraw its seismic exploration plans from the valley floor.
- Wild & Scenic Environmental Film FestivalminorForestWatch hosts tour stops for the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival, screening environmental films as part of its community education and engagement programming.
- Chumash HeritagecoreForestWatch collaborates with the Barbareño Chumash Heritage Foundation on cultural preservation, indigenous land protection, and ancestral lands education. Chumash culturalist Patrick Tumamait co-leads native plant walks with ForestWatch.
- Bien Nacido VineyardsminorBien Nacido Estate in Santa Maria hosts Pouring for Public Lands events (July 24–26, 2026), donating 10% of all proceeds plus an additional 5% with select wine bottle purchases to ForestWatch. The event features live music and ForestWatch team interaction.
- Island PackersminorIsland Packers is a corporate partner and auction donor for ForestWatch's annual Online Silent Auction, providing Channel Islands excursion prizes (Santa Cruz Island trips, whale watching adventures).
- Chumash (Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians)coreThe Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is listed as a corporate partner and event supporter of ForestWatch, collaborating on tribal advocacy and indigenous-led conservation efforts.
- Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor EthicsminorForestWatch is a 'Proud Partner' of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, aligning its outdoor education and stewardship programming with established outdoor ethics standards.
- Stop the Trucks CommitteeminorForestWatch organized a town hall meeting in Ojai in 2007 that spawned the formation of the Stop the Trucks Committee — a community coalition ForestWatch led to prevent industrial gravel trucks from using Highway 33 through Los Padres National Forest.
Scale indicators18 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Los Padres ForestWatch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Earthjustice: Largest nonprofit environmental law organization in the U.S., running precedent-setting public lands and species litigation. Operates the same legal-advocacy engine ForestWatch uses, though at much greater scale and across multiple jurisdictions.
- Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife conservation organization that partnered with ForestWatch as co-plaintiff in oil drilling litigation. Comparable model combining legal advocacy, policy work, and field-based species protection, with overlapping ESA and public lands agenda.
- California Chaparral Institute: California-focused conservation nonprofit that co-litigated with ForestWatch to cancel the Gaviota Crest fuel break project. Highly comparable niche ecological advocacy mission and litigation-driven operating model on California public lands.
- The Wilderness Society: National nonprofit focused on protecting wilderness and roadless lands — directly overlapping ForestWatch's roadless area, national forest, and wilderness designation work. Uses a similar combination of policy advocacy, coalition-building, and grassroots mobilization.
- California Wilderness Coalition: Statewide California-focused wilderness and public lands advocacy organization with overlapping mission to protect wild places. Directly comparable regional advocacy model, though broader geographic scope than ForestWatch's Central Coast focus.
- Center for Biological Diversity: National conservation advocacy organization that has been a co-plaintiff with ForestWatch on legal action to halt oil drilling in Los Padres. Uses similar legal-and-advocacy model and shares core mission of species and habitat protection through litigation and federal agency engagement.
Broad incumbents
- Sierra Club: One of the largest and oldest U.S. environmental organizations, with overlapping public lands, wilderness, and species protection agenda. Operates at much greater scale and breadth; ForestWatch competes for the same donor base on California national forest issues.
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Major national environmental advocacy organization combining legal action, policy advocacy, and science. Overlaps with ForestWatch on public lands, ESA, and fossil fuel development issues, but operates across many domains beyond California forests.
Regional players
- Ventura Land Trust: Regional land conservation organization operating across Ventura County with overlapping interest in Los Padres National Forest-adjacent lands. Uses a different operating model (land acquisition vs. advocacy/legal action) but serves overlapping Central Coast constituency.
Others
- Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival: Touring environmental film festival that ForestWatch hosts as a community engagement and fundraising partner. Adjacent enabling organization that helps ForestWatch reach new supporters through event programming rather than direct mission overlap.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Los Padres ForestWatch social profiles
Digital presenceLos Padres ForestWatch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Los Padres ForestWatch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Los Padres ForestWatch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Los Padres ForestWatch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Los Padres ForestWatch
What does Los Padres ForestWatch do?
Los Padres ForestWatch is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects wildlife, wilderness, water, and sustainable public access across Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument along California's Central Coast. It delivers this through a combination of conservation advocacy, environmental education programming, community engagement, volunteer field stewardship, GIS-based land-use analysis, and legal action against harmful development projects.
Is Los Padres ForestWatch a public or private company?
Los Padres ForestWatch is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Los Padres ForestWatch founded?
Los Padres ForestWatch was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Los Padres ForestWatch based?
Los Padres ForestWatch is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
How does Los Padres ForestWatch make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Memberships and Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are events and Fundraising, E-Commerce Store and planned Giving / Legacy Donations.
Who are Los Padres ForestWatch's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, California Chaparral Institute, The Wilderness Society, California Wilderness Coalition and Center for Biological Diversity. Broad incumbents are Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Ventura Land Trust is listed as a regional player. Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival is listed as an others.
Does Los Padres ForestWatch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Los Padres ForestWatch.
What industry is Los Padres ForestWatch in?
Los Padres ForestWatch's product category is Conservation Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAMAF, Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests). Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 800.