Georgia Alabama Land Trust

What Georgia Alabama Land Trust does

Georgia-Alabama Land Trust (GALT) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) land conservation organization founded in 1993 and headquartered in Piedmont, Alabama. It is the largest regional land trust in the Southeast, holding conservation easements and direct ownership interests across 1,360 properties totaling more than 518,000 acres in Georgia, Alabama, and adjacent states. GALT's protected land base includes 256,000 acres of forestland, 100,000 acres of agricultural land, 69,000 acres of wetlands, and 41,000 acres of grasslands, stewarded by a small professional staff of attorneys, biologists, foresters, and conservation planners.

The organization operates four interlocking program lines. The core line is conservation easements (donated or purchased) restricting development in perpetuity on privately owned land. The second is federal-program participation, including USDA/NRCS Agricultural Land Easements, Wetland Reserve Easements, and the Fort Stewart Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program. The third is carbon sequestration through the 185-acre Anneewakee Forest Preserve in metro Atlanta, which generates ICROA-endorsed credits verified by City Forest Credits and sold to corporate buyers (Nordson, REI). The fourth is fee-based ecological forestry consulting covering wildlife habitat improvement, timber and hunt-lease management, reforestation, and prescribed fire facilitation in select Georgia and Alabama counties. Public-facing preserves include the 300+ acre Weaver Cave Preserve in Anniston and the Nancy Schuster Natoli Memorial Preserve near Savannah.

Revenue comes from a mix of charitable donations (via PayPal, cryptocurrency through The Giving Block, stock transfers, donor-advised funds, and bequests), carbon credit transaction fees, easement-related payments, federal program reimbursements, foundation grants (e.g., National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Coosa Valley RC&D), consulting fees, and event sponsorship. The organization is building a $1 million Forever Fund endowment to underwrite perpetual monitoring obligations and is pursuing renewal of its Land Trust Accreditation Commission accreditation. Distribution is direct-to-landowner and direct-to-government-partner, with no resellers or intermediary channels.

Name

Georgia Alabama Land Trust

Legal name

Georgia-Alabama Land Trust, Inc.

Website

https://galandtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Georgia-Alabama Land Trust is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 1993 that protects and stewards 518,000 acres across 1,360 conservation properties in the Southeast through conservation easements, federal programs, carbon credit sales, and ecological forestry consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Conservation & Protected Land Brokerage (Easements, Land Trust Sales) (BPAJADAH)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easement programs
• Land trust stewardship
• Carbon offset credits
• Wetland mitigation banking

Headquarters

HQ city

Piedmont

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Conservation Easements: GALT protects land through donated and purchased conservation easements, where landowners give up development rights in exchange for tax benefits or compensation, with easements lasting in perpetuity.
2. Carbon Offset Sales: GALT generates and sells carbon offset credits through the Anneewakee Forest Preserve, verified by City Forest Credits and endorsed by ICROA. Credits are sold to corporations seeking to offset emissions.
3. Ecological Forestry Consulting: GALT offers fee-based consulting services including wildlife habitat improvement, timber sales, hunt lease management, reforestation, property line maintenance, land management plans, and prescribed fire facilitation in Georgia and Alabama counties.
4. Donations and Grants: GALT receives charitable donations through various channels including PayPal, cryptocurrency, stock transfers, donor-advised funds, and bequests. They also pursue grants from organizations like Coosa Valley RC&D.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Georgia-Alabama Land Trust (GALT) is a nonprofit land trust that protects land, wildlife, and natural resources in perpetuity through donated and purchased conservation easements, direct land stewardship of public preserves, and partnership-based federal programs (REPI, NRCS/USDA ALE/WRE). It also generates ICROA-endorsed carbon offset credits via the Anneewakee Forest Preserve, operates an In-Lieu-Fee wetland mitigation credit program, offers fee-based ecological forestry consulting, and occasionally sells protected land parcels.

Product overview

Georgia Alabama Land Trust operates as a single unified nonprofit organization offering multiple interconnected conservation programs and services. The core offerings center on conservation easements (permanent land protection agreements) and preserve management (including Weaver Cave Preserve, Nancy Schuster Natoli Memorial Preserve, and partner preserves). Additional programs include carbon sequestration through the Anneewakee Forest Preserve (generating ICROA-endorsed carbon credits), REPI partnerships with military installations, NRCS/USDA wetland and agricultural easements, and fee-based ecological forestry consulting. GALT also offers land for sale, manages a Forever Fund endowment, publishes The Conservationist magazine, and hosts public education events. The organization functions as both a land trust and service provider, protecting over 518,000 acres across Georgia, Alabama, and adjacent states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easements Permanent legal agreements that restrict development on private land while allowing landowners to retain ownership and use, providing tax benefits or compensation in exchange for perpetual protection of wildlife habitat, prime soil, and natural resources.
• Carbon Sequestration / Carbon Offset Credits Verified, ICROA-endorsed carbon offset credits generated through forest preservation, sold to corporations seeking to offset emissions. Issued under City Forest Credits' Preservation Protocol with third-party verification.
• Wetland Mitigation Credits (In-Lieu-Fee) In-Lieu-Fee wetland mitigation program allowing developers to purchase wetland credits to compensate for permitted wetland impacts, with proceeds supporting local wetland restoration projects.
• Ecological Forestry Consulting Fee-based consulting services for landowners across select Georgia and Alabama counties covering wildlife habitat improvement, timber sales management, hunt lease management, reforestation, property line maintenance, land management plans, and prescribed fire facilitation.
• REPI Easement Enrollment Federal Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program partnership that creates buffers around military installations (e.g., Fort Stewart) by acquiring conservation easements, protecting both military readiness and natural habitats.
• NRCS/USDA Conservation Easement Enrollment (ALE and WRE) Partnership program with USDA/NRCS to protect agricultural land and wetlands through Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) using federal conservation program funding.
• Protected Land for Sale Occasional sale of land parcels already subject to perpetual conservation easements, allowing buyers to purchase already-protected properties for recreational, agricultural, or conservation purposes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 518,000 acres protected across Georgia, Alabama, and adjacent states
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Conservation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Partnership for Beard's Bluff conservation project along Altamaha River, protecting over 6,000 acres in a continuous conservation corridor with GALT and NRCS.
• Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Provided funding through Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) for the 2,335-acre Beard's Bluff easement and habitat restoration along Altamaha River.
• Georgia ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Partner in securing NRCS funding for the Beard's Bluff conservation easement along the Altamaha River.
• Fort Stewart REPI ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program supporting military readiness by protecting land around Fort Stewart, preventing incompatible development.
• Longleaf AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Partner in the Beard's Bluff project, supporting restoration of longleaf pine sandhill habitat.
• Georgia Ornithological SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Partner in the Beard's Bluff project dedicated to conserving Georgia's diverse landscapes.
• McIntosh S.E.E.D.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Local nonprofit providing community members with work-education and skills-training, involved in educational workshops for the Beard's Bluff project.
• REI Co-opcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 July 2025REI purchased carbon credits from Anneewakee Forest Preserve, sequestering carbon and protecting access to recreation in the Metro Atlanta area.
• Coosa Valley RC&DcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 June 2025Grant funding for Weaver Cave Preserve improvements including pollinator area, educational signage, and invasive species treatment. Also funded automatic gate installation for improved visitor access.
• Nordson CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 September 2024Nordson purchased ICROA-endorsed carbon offsets from GALT's Anneewakee Forest Preserve, supporting permanent forest conservation in metropolitan Atlanta.
• The Nature Conservancy in AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2024Partnership to protect 40 acres at Lightning Point in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The Nature Conservancy completed the largest coastal restoration project in Alabama's history at this site, protecting intertidal marsh, brackish tidal marsh, maritime forest, and savannah/wet prairie habitats.
• National Fish and Wildlife FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2024Partner in the Lightning Point protection project in Mobile County, Alabama, contributing funding and support for coastal conservation efforts.
• Mobile CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2024Local government partner in the Lightning Point conservation project, supporting protection of coastal areas and wildlife habitats.
• City Forest CreditscoreTechnology or Integration · 8 December 2022Nonprofit carbon registry that issues and verifies carbon offset credits for the Anneewakee Forest Preserve project. Credits are issued under CFC's ICROA-endorsed Preservation Protocol.
• Georgia Department of Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to protect Cannoochee Sandhills WMA - a 10,224-acre wildlife management area featuring sandhills, flatwoods, bay swamps, and floodplain forests.
• Southeastern Cave ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand transferred to this organization for designation as Charles B. Henson Cave Preserve, protecting Johnson's Crook area with over 40 caves including Johnson's Crook Cave and Lost Canyon Cave.
• Southeastern Climbers CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the purchase of The Citadel Bouldering Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama - a 58-acre climbing destination with over 150 unique climbing challenges.
• Lula Lake Land TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated for ten years to create connector trails linking Lula Lake Land Trust and Cloudland Canyon State Park, expanding the trail system.
• Cloudland Canyon State ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrail connection partnership allowing hikers to travel from Cloudland Canyon State Park all the way to Chattanooga, TN.
• Georgia Sentinel LandscapecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGALT properties within the larger Georgia Sentinel Landscape which includes multiple military installations, strengthening military readiness while supporting agricultural communities.
• Alabama PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiologists from Alabama Power lead Echo Walk bat monitoring events at Weaver Cave Preserve using acoustic monitoring equipment.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit that protects land through conservation easements, acquisitions, and federal program partnerships. Directly comparable to GALT — the two are active partners on the Beard's Bluff/Altamaha River project and share the same business model of blending donated easements, federal funding, and strategic acquisitions.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused specifically on protecting agricultural land, primarily through conservation easements and federal program enrollment (NRCS ALE). Closely comparable to GALT's 100,000-acre agricultural land protection program and its NRCS ALE partnership work.
• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit that protects land through conservation easements and acquisitions, with a strong focus on public access and government partnership leverage. Operates the same easement-led land protection model as GALT and competes for federal, state, and philanthropic conservation dollars.
• Open Space Institute: National nonprofit that protects land through direct acquisition and conservation easements, with strong presence in the Eastern US. Closely comparable operating model to GALT and competes for similar federal, philanthropic, and corporate conservation funding.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation nonprofit, operating a comparable mix of conservation easements, direct land acquisition, and partnership-driven protection. TNC in Alabama is an active GALT partner on the Lightning Point project, and the two compete for the same corporate and government funding.

Regional players

• Lowcountry Land Trust: Regional land trust serving the South Carolina Lowcountry, with a similar coastal-wetland-and-forestland protection focus. Comparable to GALT in scale and program mix, though operating in an adjacent Southeast state rather than directly overlapping GALT's Georgia/Alabama footprint.
• Southeast Land Trust of Tennessee: Regional land trust operating across Tennessee with a comparable mix of conservation easements, direct land acquisition, and federal program partnerships. Closest geographic and operational analog to GALT in the Southeast, though operating in an adjacent state.
• Lula Lake Land Trust: Tennessee-based regional land trust with which GALT has collaborated on connector trails. Operates the same easement-and-preserve model in an adjacent Southeast state and shares GALT's outdoor recreation and public access orientation.
• Palmetto Conservation Foundation: South Carolina-based regional conservation organization that operates preserves and trail corridors in the Southeast. Comparable to GALT's preserve-management and public-access programming (e.g., Weaver Cave Preserve).

Broad incumbents

• City Forest Credits: Nonprofit carbon registry that issues and verifies the ICROA-endorsed credits GALT sells from Anneewakee. Operates an adjacent layer in the same value chain and is the technical infrastructure on which GALT's carbon program is built.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 Georgia Alabama Land Trust