What EcoForesters does

EcoForesters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional forestry organization founded in 2015 and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with a secondary office in Sylva, NC and a New England branch. The organization employs approximately 20 staff and provides forestry consultation, forest conservation and restoration, GIS/LiDAR-based mapping and analysis, sustainable timber management, forest carbon evaluation, and small-landowner services across 19 Western North Carolina counties plus Vermont, Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and Indiana. Service delivery is built on a proprietary "Positive Impact Forestry" methodology combining crown-thinning, patch harvesting, invasive species control, vine control, crop tree release, and timber stand improvement techniques tailored to Southern Appalachian forest conditions.

The company's customer base spans private forestland landowners (120+ served, 126,000+ acres under stewardship plans), conservation organizations (The Nature Conservancy, Foothills Conservancy, Blue Ridge Conservancy, Conserving Carolina), a flagship tribal engagement with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians covering approximately 50,000 acres of reserve forests, educational institutions (Culver Academy, Camp High Rocks, NC Arboretum), and government agencies (US Forest Service, NC Forest Service, USDA NRCS). Revenue is generated through four streams: tiered annual membership donations ($35-$1,000), fee-for-service forestry consulting, tax-deductible donations and Hurricane Helene relief contributions, and grant funding from federal programs (NRCS EQIP, Landscape Scale Restoration, Emergency Forest Restoration Program), foundations (Community Foundation of WNC, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation), and corporate FOREST fund partners including UPM, Duke Energy, Sierra Nevada Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, and Evergreen Packaging.

EcoForesters goes to market through direct on-site landowner engagement, conservation-organization referrals, USDA/NRCS cost-share program partnerships across 12 WNC counties, community-based coalitions (Sandy Mush Forest Restoration Coalition, Bull Creek Valley community resilience initiative), and a multi-channel education platform combining a website, quarterly newsletter, social media, workshops, and landowner tours. Technology infrastructure includes LiDAR and high-resolution multi-band imagery analysis for pre-field forest structure modeling and professional GIS mapping. The organization holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025), is a 1% for the Planet member, and is PDF Certified (2026).

Name

EcoForesters

Legal name

EcoForesters

Website

https://ecoforesters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EcoForesters is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 in Asheville, NC that provides forestry consultation, ecological restoration, GIS mapping, sustainable timber management, and forest carbon verification to private landowners, conservation organizations, tribal entities, and government agencies across the Appalachian region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry Services / Forest Conservation

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Carbon Projects & Ecosystem Services (Carbon Credits, Biodiversity) (IMAMAAAJ), Forestry & Ecosystem Carbon Removal (Afforestation/Reforestation, Improved Forest Management) (EUABAFAH), Biodiversity Conservation & Habitat Banking (AFAMAMAC), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Silviculture & Reforestation Services (Nurseries, Planting, Tending) (IMAMAJAC)

Keywords

• Forest stewardship services
• Forest conservation restoration
• Forestry consulting
• Sustainable timber management
• Forest carbon services

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Program: Annual membership donations at tiered levels ($35-$1000) providing newsletters, stickers, guided hikes, donor events, and sponsor recognition. Serves as primary individual donor base.
2. Forestry Services: Fee-for-service forestry consulting including forest assessment, inventory and appraisal, stewardship planning, timber management, invasive species control, and mapping services for private landowners and organizations.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting Hurricane Helene relief efforts, FOREST fund, and general mission. 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN 47-3365113.
4. Grant Funding: Funding from government programs (Emergency Forest Restoration Program, NRCS EQIP, Landscape Scale Restoration), foundations (Community Foundation of Western North Carolina), and corporate partnerships through FOREST fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EcoForesters provides professional forestry consultation, forest conservation and restoration, sustainable timber management, GIS mapping and analysis, and forest carbon evaluation for private landowners and conservation organizations across Western North Carolina, Vermont, and other Appalachian regions. The organization also delivers community-based restoration programs (Sandy Mush), invasive species control, education and training, and tiered individual membership to support conservation of Appalachian forests.

Product overview

EcoForesters is a non-profit professional forestry organization offering a comprehensive suite of forest stewardship services focused on conserving and restoring Appalachian forests. The core offerings include Forestry Consultation Services (forest assessments, inventory, stewardship planning, timber management, carbon evaluation), Forest Conservation and Restoration (invasive species control, wildlife habitat improvement), Mapping and Analysis (GIS, LiDAR, remote sensing), and Education and Training programs. Additional offerings include the Sandy Mush Forest Restoration Project (a pilot community program), a tiered Membership Program, Sustainable Timber Management using positive impact techniques, and Small Landowner Services for properties under 10 acres. The organization operates primarily in Western North Carolina and Vermont, serving private landowners, conservation organizations, and government agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forestry Consultation Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 126,000+ acres under stewardship plans for 120 private landowners
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 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

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• NC ArboretumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration on comprehensive reforestation and forest restoration plan for 434-acre site within Pisgah National Forest using drone footage and NDVI satellite imagery
• National Land RealtyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Real estate partner connecting landowners with conservation goals to EcoForesters services
• Blue Ridge ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner providing coordination on land protection and forest stewardship initiatives in the Blue Ridge region
• Dogwood Alliance / Carbon CanopycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate forest stewardship partnership through Carbon Canopy program engaging corporations in forest carbon management
• Conserving CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional land trust partner collaborating on conservation and stewardship projects in Western NC
• Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) Natural Resources DepartmentflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped forest management plan and forest development plan for approximately 50,000 acre tribal reserve forests; liaison with USDA NRCS providing outreach and conservation planning to tribal members
• Forest Stewards GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore founding partner of Sandy Mush Forest Restoration Coalition; collaboration on professional forestry standards and practices
• Foothills ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional land trust partner for whom EcoForesters conducted carbon sequestration evaluation on conservation lands
• Hemlock Restoration InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on hemlock conservation and woolly adelgid resistance efforts in Western NC forests
• MountainTruecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental advocacy organization partner for public lands monitoring and ecological restoration
• The Nature Conservancy - Southern Blue RidgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor conservation organization partner for ecological restoration and forest management on protected lands
• Rainforest AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to strengthen sustainable forest management with small landowners in the Southeast US region
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on National Forest management advisory councils and public lands stewardship; participation in post-Helene forest recovery efforts
• NC Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner providing technical guidance, prescribed burn cost-share programs, and landowner assistance
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner for conservation planning, EQIP program access, and cost-share funding for landowners
• Southern Appalachian Highlands ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore partner in Sandy Mush Forest Restoration Coalition; land protection and stewardship collaboration
• NC Wildlife Resources CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for wildlife habitat improvement and conservation planning
• Warren Wilson CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for student education and natural resource professional development
• NC State ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity extension partner for forestry education and landowner resources

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Conserving Carolina: Regional land trust serving the NC Foothills and South Mountains. Direct peer and named partner with overlapping WNC geography, landowner engagement programs, and trail/conservation stewardship activities.
• Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina: Regional land trust operating across WNC that engages EcoForesters for professional forestry services. Comparable WNC focus on conservation easements and stewardship, but operates primarily as a land-holding entity rather than direct service provider.
• Blue Ridge Conservancy: Regional land trust in northwestern North Carolina providing land protection and stewardship services. Named partner of EcoForesters with overlapping WNC service area and conservation-stewardship mandate.
• Appalachian Forest Landowners Association: Member organization serving family forest landowners in the Appalachian region. Comparable audience of small/medium forest landowners needing stewardship services, though focused on advocacy and member benefits rather than field delivery.
• Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: Regional land trust focused on protecting the Southern Appalachian highlands. Direct peer — core partner with EcoForesters in the Sandy Mush Forest Restoration Coalition and on stewardship of conserved lands.
• Forest Stewards Guild: National nonprofit of foresters, landowners, and forestry professionals promoting ecologically responsible forestry. Direct peer — collaborates with EcoForesters via the Sandy Mush coalition and shares the ecological forestry mission across multiple U.S. regions.

Regional players

• New England Forestry Foundation: Regional nonprofit focused on exemplary forest management and conservation in the New England region. EcoForesters already operates a branch in Vermont, suggesting geographic comparability as EcoForesters expands north.

Broad incumbents

• American Forests: National conservation organization focused on forest restoration, urban forestry, and policy advocacy. Broader incumbent working across all U.S. forest types with a much larger program footprint than EcoForesters' Appalachian focus.
• The Nature Conservancy - Southern Blue Ridge: Major global conservation organization with an active Southern Blue Ridge program that partners with EcoForesters. Comparable mission in Appalachian forest protection and restoration, but operates at vastly larger scale across geographies.

Emerging players

• Heartwood: Regional nonprofit advocating for ecological forest management across the Central Hardwood and Appalachian region. Comparable mission of promoting sustainable, ecological forestry; smaller scale than EcoForesters but shared regional focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn233y9HOBWdoyKWNz-kzuw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ecoforesters
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecoforesters/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecoforesters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 EcoForesters