Countryside Conservancy

What Countryside Conservancy does

Countryside Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1994 and headquartered in La Plume, Pennsylvania, operating across Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties in the Tunkhannock Creek watershed. Its core function is the permanent protection and public stewardship of greenspace through two complementary instruments: preserves that the organization owns and manages, and conservation easements held on privately owned land. To date it has permanently protected over 2,500 acres from development, manages 1,190 acres across roughly 20 preserves, and stewards approximately 882 acres under conservation easement, with strategic holdings adjoining Lackawanna State Park forming a connected conservation corridor. The organization also develops and maintains trail infrastructure, most notably the 5.4-mile Trolley Trail built on the former Northern Electric Trolley right-of-way and over 10 miles of singletrack trails on its preserves.

The Conservancy operates with a very lean staff of three people led by Executive Director Bill Kern, supported by an all-volunteer board of directors and significant volunteer labor, particularly from the Lackawanna State Park Trail Crew. Its business model is a hybrid nonprofit funding stack: tiered annual memberships ranging from $30 (Supporter) to $5,000 (Benefactor) yielding recurring but small-dollar revenue from approximately 400 member families; tax-deductible private donations of $25 to $1,000+; project-based grants from state agencies such as PA DCNR and private foundations including the Willary Foundation; planned-giving vehicles such as the Sycamore Society; and ancillary revenue from events (e.g., Bike and Brunch), merchandise, and book sales. Trail and preserve access is free to the public, so the organization monetizes community engagement and donor stewardship rather than usage fees.

The Conservancy is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and is a member of the Land Trust Alliance and WeConservePA, providing third-party validation of its operational standards. Strategic and financial partners include Keystone College, PA DCNR, PA Department of Transportation, the Scranton Area Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains, Procter & Gamble, Cabot Oil & Gas, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, and Walk with a Doc. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer through physical access to preserves and trails in three counties, supported by Facebook, Instagram, a quarterly newsletter, community events, and a volunteer program. No proprietary technology platforms, mobile applications, or API integrations are operated.

Name

Countryside Conservancy

Legal name

Countryside Conservancy

Website

https://countrysideconservancy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Countryside Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust in northeastern Pennsylvania that permanently protects over 2,500 acres across 20 preserves and the Trolley Trail, serving residents of Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties through free public access funded by memberships, donations, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

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 easements
• Public trail access
• Land trust stewardship
• Watershed preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

La Plume

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program with tiered levels from Supporter ($30) to Benefactor ($5,000), providing recurring revenue and benefits including newsletters, event invitations, and merchandise
2. Private Donations: Tax-deductible donations from private individuals, primary funding source for operations
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Grant funding for specific projects including trail construction and property acquisition from sources like PA DCNR and private foundations
4. Planned Giving: Sycamore Society legacy gifts including bequests, retirement asset beneficiaries, life insurance, and real estate gifts
5. Trail Events and Merchandise: Revenue from events like Bike and Brunch ($30/person), book sales of Northern Electric Railway history ($33.39), and merchandise

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Countryside Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that permanently protects land from development through two mechanisms: directly owning and managing 20 preserves (covering approximately 510 acres owned and 1,190 acres of lands and waters managed) and holding conservation easements on approximately 882 acres of privately owned land. It also provides free public trail access across 5.4 miles of Trolley Trail and 10+ miles of singletrack hiking and biking trails, and funds its mission through a tiered membership program, private donations, government and foundation grants, planned giving, and community events.

Product overview

Countryside Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust organization (not a technology product company). The organization offers land conservation services including: preserves (lands owned and managed for conservation with public access), conservation easements (legal agreements restricting development on private lands), trail systems (including the Trolley Trail converting the former Northern Electric Trolley corridor), and community engagement programs including membership, volunteer opportunities, and donation options. The organization does not offer technology products, SaaS platforms, or software services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Countryside Conservancy Preserves Lands owned and managed by Countryside Conservancy to protect their conservation values; 20 preserves covering 1,190 acres of lands and waters across Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties. Most preserves are open to the public free of charge from dawn to dusk for hiking, biking, and nature appreciation.
• Conservation Easements Legal agreements between the Conservancy and private landowners that permanently restrict development on approximately 882 acres of privately owned land in northeastern Pennsylvania. Provides landowners with tax benefits and permanent protection of their property from development.
• Trolley Trail 5.4-mile recreational trail converted from the former Northern Electric Trolley corridor, free and open to the public for hiking and biking, with eventual plans to connect Clarks Summit to Lake Winola.
• Singletrack Hiking and Biking Trails on Preserves

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 acres permanently protected from development
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Land Trust AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting land trusts. Countryside Conservancy is a member, providing access to resources, best practices, and advocacy support.
• WeConservePAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPennsylvania-focused conservation organization. Countryside Conservancy participates as a member supporting state-level conservation efforts.
• Land Trust Accreditation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent commission that accredits land trusts meeting high standards of excellence. Countryside Conservancy has achieved accredited status.
• Lackawanna State Park Trail CrewcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer group that has built and maintains trails within Lackawanna State Park and neighboring Conservancy lands. Responsible for countless hours of trail construction and maintenance.
• Keystone CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution collaborating on trolley trail development. Provided 1.4 mile segment through campus Woodlands and partnered on trail construction.
• Walk with a DocminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth walking program partnership where local healthcare professionals lead monthly walks at Church of the Epiphany, providing health tips and community engagement.
• Waverly Community HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity venue partner hosting joint events such as Appalachian Trail presentations with local hiking author Jeff Mitchell.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit focused on land conservation and creating parks/green space for public access. Operates at much larger scale and broader scope, but pursues the same mission of land protection and public access that anchors CC's work.
• WeConservePA: Pennsylvania statewide coalition of conservation organizations of which Countryside Conservancy is a member. Comparable in mission but operates as an industry association rather than a direct land-holding trust; supports and advocates for the network of PA land trusts including CC.
• The Nature Conservancy: Largest global conservation organization operating conservation easements, preserves, and land-protection programs across the U.S. and internationally. While far larger, it pursues the same core mission of permanent land conservation and represents both a peer and a potential partnership channel for regional trusts.
• Natural Lands: Pennsylvania-based regional conservation organization operating a network of nature preserves and conservation easements across the Mid-Atlantic. A larger, more established counterpart offering comparable preserve management and easement stewardship at greater scale.

Regional players

• Brandywine Conservancy: Chadds Ford, PA-based land trust that holds conservation easements and manages preserves along the Brandywine watershed. Comparable in combining land protection, public access, and stewardship with a similar nonprofit funding model.
• Wildlands Conservancy: Lehigh Valley-based Pennsylvania land trust managing preserves, trails, and conservation easements. Comparable mission and operational model focused on protected land acquisition and public outdoor recreation in eastern PA.
• Lancaster Conservancy: Pennsylvania land trust focused on natural lands, trails, and watershed protection in Lancaster and York counties. Operates a similar preserve + trail model with comparable membership/donation funding, although in a different region of the state.
• Pocono Heritage Land Trust: Northeastern Pennsylvania land trust serving the Pocono region, geographically adjacent to Countryside Conservancy. Comparable mission (preserves, easements, trails) and donor base within the broader NEPA conservation community.
• French & Pickering Creeks Conservancy: Chester County, PA accredited land trust managing preserves and conservation easements in the Brandywine/Great Valley region. Comparable in operating as a regional accredited land trust with a preserve + easement model.

Direct peers

• North Branch Land Trust: Regional Pennsylvania land trust operating in Luzerne County (adjacent to Countryside Conservancy's three counties). Direct peer in scale, mission, and service offering (easements, preserves, rail-trails); notably, Countryside's Land Protection Specialist Rylan Coker previously spent 11 years at NBLT protecting 10,000+ acres and 6 miles of Rail-Trail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/countrysideconservancypa
• Instagraminstagram.com/countryside_conservancy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/countrysideconservancy

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 Countryside Conservancy