Westmoreland Land Trust

What Westmoreland Land Trust does

Westmoreland Land Trust (WLT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization incorporated in Pennsylvania on January 7, 2008, and headquartered at 106 Saint Xavier Road in Latrobe, PA. The organization was formed by resolution of the Westmoreland County Commissioners in December 2007 to address open space preservation in Westmoreland County, and it operates as a nationally accredited land trust. WLT conserves land through donations, purchases, conservation easements, and partnerships with landowners, municipalities, county agencies, and foundations. It manages 719 acres across seven Westmoreland County communities, with flagship properties including the 350-acre St. Xavier Nature Preserve in Unity Township, the 96-acre Meadowlark Nature and Art Park in Hempfield Township, the 58-acre Otto and Magdalene Ackermann Nature Preserve in North Huntingdon Township, and the 17-acre Twin Lakes Meadow in Greensburg.

WLT's product surface is bifurcated between land conservation and environmental education. The conservation arm generates permanent stewardship assets through fee-title purchases and easements, while the education arm operates the Westmoreland Nature Explorers program, free STEM workshops funded through Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, the SEED nature journaling curriculum pilot with Jeannette City School District, and Westmoreland Nature Backpacks distributed through the Westmoreland Library Network. Underlying technology is minimal: the organization uses GIS-based analysis for land conservation prioritization and does not maintain proprietary systems. The trust is professionally staffed by four personnel (Executive Director, Operations Manager, Coordinator of Educational Programming, and an AmeriCorps Service Member) supplemented by a volunteer base. Revenue is generated from individual donations, land gifts, foundation grants (Richard King Mellon Foundation, Colcom Foundation, Allegheny Foundation, Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation), government grants (PA DCNR), and business contributions through the EITC program; the organization does not sell products or services.

Name

Westmoreland Land Trust

Legal name

Westmoreland Land Trust

Website

https://westmoreland-landtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Westmoreland Land Trust is a Pennsylvania 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that conserves 719 acres across Westmoreland County and delivers nature education programs to schools, libraries, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Recreation, Ecotourism & Access Rights (Hunting, Fishing, Camping) (AFAMAMAD)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Environmental education programs
• Nature preserve stewardship
• Nonprofit land trust
• Community conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue stream from individual donors making cash donations. Donations support conservation of special places in Westmoreland County and care of conserved lands. Organization is 501(c)(3) nonprofit (ID #77-0710733).
2. Land Donations: Accepts gifts of land as one of the finest legacies for future generations. Donors can claim tax benefits for land donations.
3. PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC): Designated Educational Improvement Organization under PA EITC program. Businesses may apply to reduce PA tax burden by supporting nature-based educational workshops. Tax credits equal 75% of contribution up to $750,000, increased to 90% for two-year commitment.
4. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including Richard King Mellon Foundation, Colcom Foundation, Allegheny Foundation, and Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation for land acquisitions and conservation projects.
5. Government Grants: Funding from Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Recreation and Conservation for land purchases and conservation work.
6. Planned Giving and Bequests: Accepts gifts of securities, planned giving arrangements, and bequests. Those receiving required minimum distributions from IRAs may make tax-free donations directly from IRA accounts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Westmoreland Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that permanently conserves land and provides environmental education in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It acquires and stewards nature preserves open to the public for passive recreation and delivers nature-based education programs to schools, libraries, families, and community groups. The organization is funded through donations, foundation and government grants, land gifts, planned giving, and Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) contributions from businesses.

Product overview

Westmoreland Land Trust operates as a single unified conservation organization offering land preservation and nature education services. The core offerings include management of multiple nature preserves (St. Xavier Nature Preserve at 350 acres, Otto and Magdalene Ackermann Nature Preserve at 58 acres, Meadowlark Nature and Art Park at 96 acres, and Twin Lakes Meadow at 17 acres, plus additional conserved properties totaling 719 acres), nature education programs through the Westmoreland Nature Explorers initiative, free STEM workshops for public schools, the SEED nature journaling curriculum pilot program, volunteer opportunities for stewardship, donation and land gift services, PA Education Incentive Tax Credit program facilitation for businesses, and recreational programs including Westmoreland Rambles driving tours. The organization also maintains Bellbrook, a historic Civil War-era guesthouse serving as operations headquarters. All programs support the mission of conserving and stewarding lands and waters of Westmoreland County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• St. Xavier Nature Preserve A 350-acre nature preserve in Unity Township near Latrobe, PA, featuring meadows, woodlands, wetlands, and the historic Bellbrook guesthouse. Open to the public for passive recreation, hiking, and nature observation.
• Otto and Magdalene Ackermann Nature Preserve A 58-acre nature preserve in North Huntingdon Township featuring high-quality deciduous forest, a former stone quarry, scenic wooded slopes, and a forested floodplain of a tributary to Brush Creek. Open year-round for wildlife viewing, birding, wildflowers, and scenic beauty.
• Meadowlark Nature and Art Park A 96-acre nature and art park in Hempfield Township, three miles north of Greensburg, featuring meadows for pollinator and upland meadow bird habitat, walking trails, and planned outdoor sculpture installations. The Schwarz farmhouse serves as a base for programming.
• Twin Lakes Meadow A 17-acre native meadow in Greensburg, PA, established as a pilot to enrich pollinator and wildlife habitat. Features mowed walking paths, wildflower displays from spring to fall, and is certified as a Monarch Waystation.
• Westmoreland Nature Explorers Program Nature education programs combining experience-based learning with enjoyment of nature for young people, families, and adults. Includes in-school STEM workshops, nature-based workshops for libraries, after-school programs, scout groups, summer camps, and family-friendly programs.
• STEM Nature Workshops Free STEM nature workshops for Westmoreland County public schools under Pennsylvania's EITC program: Earthworm Wonders, Microgreen Gardeners, Feathered Friends, and Bees, Bugs & Butterflies, featuring hands-on learning.
• Westmoreland Nature Backpack Educational backpack available for checkout through the Westmoreland Library Network containing high-quality nature exploration tools, materials, and guides to help families explore parks and nature in their own backyards.
• SEED Program Students Explore, Engage, and Discover: a fourth-grade nature journaling curriculum pilot integrating Science, English, and Art instruction, piloted with 63 fourth-grade students at Jeannette City School District using Meadowlark Nature and Art Park for field trips.
• Westmoreland Rambles Annual scenic driving tour program featuring self-guided routes through Westmoreland County historical locations, published as downloadable PDFs with varying routes, durations, and mileages.
• Donation Services Charitable giving services accepting cash donations, gifts of land, bequests, gifts of securities, and planned giving options. WLT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (ID #77-0710733) and donations are tax-deductible.
• PA Education Incentive Tax Credit (EITC) Program WLT is a designated Educational Improvement Organization under Pennsylvania's EITC program, enabling businesses to receive tax credits equal to 75% of contribution (up to $750,000; increased to 90% for two-year commitments) by supporting WLT's nature-based educational workshops for public schools.
• Peter and Victoria Skena Nature Reserve A 22-acre conserved nature reserve in Murrysville, PA, part of WLT's portfolio of 719 conserved acres across seven Westmoreland County communities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conserved 719 acres of land across 7 Westmoreland County communities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.

• Sisters of Mercy of the AmericascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Collaborated since 2018 to develop vision for St. Xavier land. On August 26, 2022, Sisters conveyed St. Xavier property to WLT and made significant contribution for ongoing maintenance. Working relationship began with Sisters' 1993 'Principles Governing Stewardship of St. Xavier's'.
• Westmoreland County Bureau of Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for property management, including managing Ackermann Preserve and Cabin Hill property under agreement. Partnered on Twin Lakes Meadow (land acquired 2017), Cedar Creek Gorge expansion (2016), and numerous other acquisitions.
• Municipality of MurrysvillemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn October 2015, partnership to enlarge Murrysville's Duff Park and connect to Pleasant Valley Park secured conservation of 96.5 acres with ownership transferred to municipality.
• Western Pennsylvania ConservancysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on conservation of 4 acres in Ligonier Township along Route 30, combining expertise and resources for land preservation.
• Loyalhanna Watershed AssociationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on conservation of land in Ligonier Township and collaborated on Re-imagining Our Westmoreland workshop in 2016.
• Seton Hill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaming up with Seton Hill University students for Growing Together: An Earth Day Celebration event at St. Xavier Nature Preserve with interactive activities for children and families.
• Turtle Creek Watershed AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting Earth Day Watershed Walk at Ackermann Nature Preserve, combining expertise for environmental education and watershed awareness.
• Westmoreland County Parks and Recreation DepartmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for maintenance and management of Twin Lakes Meadow, with the meadow's land acquired in 2017 by Westmoreland County working in partnership with WLT.
• Westmoreland Pollinator PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership resulting in Twin Lakes Meadow becoming one of Westmoreland County's 250+ certified Monarch Waystations in 2023.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brandywine Conservancy: Pennsylvania-based land trust stewarding preserved landscapes, operating public preserves, and running environmental education programming — directly comparable in mission, structure, and program mix.
• Natural Lands: Regional land trust operating across Pennsylvania and New Jersey with preserved nature preserves, public access, conservation easements, and education programs. Directly comparable to WLT's combination of fee-owned preserves and donor-supported conservation.
• Western Pennsylvania Conservancy: Large regional land trust operating across western Pennsylvania. WLT has explicitly partnered with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy on conservation in Ligonier Township, making them a directly comparable peer in geography, mission, and operating model — though at much larger scale.
• Allegheny Land Trust: County-level land trust serving Allegheny County, PA. Closest geographic peer to WLT in terms of operating model: small staff, county-scoped land conservation, public preserves, educational programming, and accredited status.
• Lancaster Conservancy: Pennsylvania land trust operating in Lancaster County with a comparable mix of nature preserves, public access, education programs, and accredited land trust status — a strong model peer for county-scoped conservation.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (Pennsylvania): Global land conservation organization with significant Pennsylvania operations. Comparable in core land-conservation activity but operates at vastly larger scale with national/international donor base and broader program mix.
• Hawk Mountain Sanctuary: Established Pennsylvania conservation organization with fee-owned preserves, public access for passive recreation, and education programming — comparable in mission and county-level Pennsylvania presence, though with a more focused raptor-conservation mandate.

Regional players

• Friends of the Riverfront: Pennsylvania nonprofit stewarding riverfront/trail corridors with public access and programming — comparable as a regional conservation nonprofit but with a different land-base focus (trail corridors vs. natural preserves).

Emerging players

• Pittsburgh Botanic Garden: Western Pennsylvania nature-based organization operating public gardens and education programming. Comparable in operating model (public access to natural landscape, education programs) but with a horticulture rather than land-conservation focus.
• Loyalhanna Watershed Association: Regional watershed/conservation organization in Westmoreland County that WLT has explicitly partnered with. Comparable mission (conservation, watershed education) but narrower geographic and programmatic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WestmorelandLandTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westmoreland-land-trust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Westmoreland Land Trust