Chocorua Lake Conservancy

What Chocorua Lake Conservancy does

Chocorua Lake Conservancy (CLC) is a nonprofit land trust founded in 1968 and headquartered in Chocorua, New Hampshire. The organization's mission is to preserve the ecology and pristine waters of the Chocorua Lake Basin, maintain trails on Mount Chocorua and conservation lands, and provide public access to Chocorua Lake. CLC owns and manages 800 acres of conservation land across 17 properties and protects an additional 2,500 acres through perpetual conservation covenants and easements on more than 100 properties, resulting in roughly 95% of the 13.2-square-mile watershed being protected. The entity was formed in 2014 through the merger of the 1968-founded Chocorua Lake Association and Chocorua Lake Conservation Foundation, and in 2023 absorbed the Chocorua Mountain Club to extend stewardship to Mount Chocorua and Mount Paugus trails.

CLC operates with a small professional staff of 6-8, supported by a 10-member Board of Directors and a broad volunteer base. Its core technology footprint is light but functional: the free Chocorua Map App is an iOS application using LiDAR elevation data, digital elevation models, and shaded-relief base maps to deliver offline trail navigation; supporting digital products include downloadable PDF trail maps, a Chocorua Lake live webcam, and educational crankie video series. Water-quality monitoring is conducted in partnership with the UNH Center for Freshwater Biology through the Lakes Lay Monitoring Program, providing 43+ years of longitudinal data including cyanobacteria and eDNA research. The organization operates three public-access areas on Chocorua Lake (The Grove, The Island, and the Tamworth Residents Area) and is the largest non-state provider of public lake shoreline in New Hampshire outside of state parks (approximately 40% of shoreline, or 5,800 feet).

The business model is a community-led nonprofit funding stack with no commercial revenue. Income is derived from annual donations from over 700 member households across 33 states, competitive grants from foundations and government agencies (including the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Carroll County Conservation District), planned-giving bequests through the Legacy Circle program, car donations, and merchandise sales. Pricing for public access to Chocorua Lake is free, and the organization depends entirely on voluntary contributions rather than fees for services. Distribution is direct: CLC engages visitors, members, and landowners through its website, monthly e-newsletter, YouTube channel, community events (Winter Fest, Annual Meeting, Member Cookout), and in-person stewardship days.

Name

Chocorua Lake Conservancy

Legal name

Chocorua Lake Conservancy

Website

https://chocorualake.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chocorua Lake Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust founded in 1968 that protects 800 acres of owned conservation land plus 2,500 acres of easement land across the Chocorua Lake Basin in New Hampshire, funded primarily by 700+ member households, grants, and planned gifts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation and Stewardship Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Conservation easement management
• Water quality monitoring
• Trail stewardship
• Nonprofit land trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Chocorua

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Donations: Annual donations from over 700 households across 33 states provide ongoing operational funding. Approximately 30% of donations are spent on maintaining public access areas.
2. Grants and Foundation Funding: CLC receives grant funding from organizations and government agencies for conservation projects, water quality monitoring, and stewardship programs.
3. Planned Giving (Legacy Circle): The Legacy Circle program offers planned giving opportunities for supporters leaving bequests or estate gifts.
4. Car Donations: The organization accepts car donations as a way to support conservation work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chocorua Lake Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that preserves and manages the natural resources of the Chocorua Lake Basin. It owns 800 acres of conservation land across 17 properties, holds perpetual conservation covenants/easements on more than 100 additional properties covering 2,500 acres, maintains public lake access areas and hiking trails (including on Mount Chocorua), monitors water quality in partnership with UNH, and delivers educational programs for residents and visitors.

Product overview

Chocorua Lake Conservancy offers conservation and stewardship services for the Chocorua Lake Basin with several digital products and educational resources. The primary digital product is the Chocorua Map App, a free iOS mobile application that provides offline-accessible trail maps using LiDAR technology. Supporting digital offerings include downloadable PDF trail maps, the Chocorua Lake Live Cam streaming service, educational crankie video series on natural history topics, digital newsletters and annual reports, and a Landowner Handbook on conservation agreements. The conservancy also maintains public access areas at Chocorua Lake including the Grove and Island properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chocorua Map App Free iOS app for iPhone and iPad that provides detailed offline trail maps of the Chocorua Lake Basin using LiDAR shaded relief base maps and digital elevation models, with trail traces, distance/elevation data, points of interest, and glacial history. Built for hikers and visitors exploring the basin's conserved lands.
• Downloadable PDF Trail Maps Printable PDF trail maps for CLC conserved properties, including the LiDAR Trail Map and Charlotte C. Browne Woods Trail Map, available for free download on the CLC website for visitors and hikers.
• Chocorua Lake Live Cam Live webcam streaming service providing real-time views of Chocorua Lake along with sunrise and sunset time-lapse videos, available free via the CLC website for members, visitors, and the general public.
• Landowner Conservation Easement and Covenant Services Conservation covenant and easement program for private landowners in the Chocorua Lake Basin, providing perpetual legal protections, covenant drafting, monitoring, and long-term stewardship of over 100 protected properties covering 2,500 acres.
• Public Lake Access and Recreation Areas Free public access areas on Chocorua Lake including The Grove (3 acres), The Island (17 acres), and the Tamworth Residents Area, supporting swimming, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and picnicking for residents and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% reduction in phosphorus entering Chocorua Lake following Berms and Swales project
• +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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nature Conservancy owns the 247-acre Frank Bolles Nature Reserve, which CLC co-manages. Together, the Frank Bolles Nature Reserve and CLC's Clark Reserve form a 518-acre natural area. The preserve is open to the public for passive recreational, educational, and scientific uses.
• UNH Center for Freshwater Biology / UNH Cooperative ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLC has partnered with UNH since 1981 to monitor water quality in Chocorua Lake through the Lakes Lay Monitoring Program. The partnership includes water quality testing 10 times per season and research on cyanobacteria and eDNA.
• Cook Memorial LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the Climate & Community program series featuring educational presentations on climate change, water quality, pollinators, wildlife, and conservation topics. CLC staff provide expertise and content for workshops and events.
• Green Mountain Conservation Group (GMCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Wildlife Corridors Workshop, Microplastics & Zero Waste program, and other water quality initiatives. GMCG Staff Scientist Jill Emerson collaborates with CLC on water quality monitoring and education.
• Loon Preservation CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint guided paddles on Chocorua Lake where participants learn about loon ecology and conservation. Educational program about why loon chicks ride on parents' backs and loon communication.
• Tin Mountain Conservation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on educational programs including the Chocorua Lake Crankie created by 3rd and 6th graders as part of a STEAM collaboration with Brett School. Also collaborates on wildlife and conservation education.
• NH Astronomical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts skywatch events with telescopes allowing viewing of galaxies and bright stars visible in the winter sky. Educational partnership for astronomy programming.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding for brook trout habitat improvement project on Allen Brook (2018-2019). NRCS provides cost-share funding for stream habitat enhancement and may provide similar funding for landowners.
• Carroll County Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided funding for the 2019 expansion of Allen Brook trout habitat project, adding 3,000 feet of stream improvement. Previously awarded CLC the Conservation Award of the Year in 2001.
• New England Wildlife TrackingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Intro to Bird Language program. Kyle Ball and Hillary Behr from New England Wildlife Tracking teach participants about bird behavior and communication.
• Chocorua Mountain ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerged into CLC in 2023. For over 100 years, CMC maintained trails on Mount Chocorua and Mount Paugus. Now CLC's Chocorua Mountain Club Trails Committee organizes year-round trail stewardship.
• Tamworth Outing ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts the Annual Winter Fest, a fun day and evening of outdoor and indoor activities in Chocorua. 4th Annual Winter Fest held in February 2026.
• Community Partners (Local Businesses)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal businesses including Chocorua View Construction, J Noyes Tree Removal, Neal Higgins PMC/Construction, The Preserve at Chocorua, and numerous others support conservation through sponsorship and partnership.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance: NH-based watershed organization protecting water quality in lakes and ponds in the Acton-Wakefield region of southern NH and Maine. Comparable operating scale, lake-focused mission, and member/donor support base.
• Tin Mountain Conservation Center: NH-based nonprofit conservation organization in the White Mountains region delivering conservation programs, education, and stewardship. Directly comparable in geographic footprint, program mix (land, water, education), and partnership-driven operating model - and an active CLC partner.
• Lakes Environmental Association: Maine-based nonprofit focused on protecting the quality of lake and pond waters through conservation, water quality monitoring, and education. Closely comparable in lake-centric mission, donor-funded model, and water-quality-monitoring operations.
• Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests: New Hampshire's oldest and largest land trust, founded 1901, with comparable mission across conservation easements, land ownership, public access, trail stewardship, and donor-supported funding model. Operates across NH forests and waterways with a similar mix of conservation covenants and member-funded operations.
• Upper Saco Valley Land Trust: Regional land trust serving the Upper Saco Valley region of New Hampshire and western Maine with land conservation, easement stewardship, and community education. Comparable scale, donor-supported structure, and river/watershed-centric mission.
• Green Mountain Conservation Group: NH-based watershed-focused conservation organization delivering water quality monitoring, education, and citizen science. Directly comparable on lake and stream conservation programming, and an active CLC partner on water-quality initiatives.
• Lakes Region Conservation Trust: NH-based regional land trust protecting lakes, ponds, and surrounding lands via ownership and conservation easements in central New Hampshire. Closely comparable in scale, lake/watershed focus, and reliance on member donations and grants.
• Moose Mountains Regional Greenways: NH-based regional land trust conserving farmland, forests, water resources, and trails in the Moose Mountains region. Similar mix of conservation easements, trail stewardship, water-quality monitoring, and donor-funded local operations.

Broad incumbents

• Trust for Public Land: National nonprofit land conservation organization working across all 50 states to protect land for public access and recreation. A much larger incumbent with portfolio breadth extending well beyond what a single-basin conservancy like CLC can support.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global nonprofit conservation organization that owns and co-manages protected land across all U.S. states and dozens of countries. CLC co-manages TNC's 247-acre Frank Bolles Nature Reserve. Operates as a much broader incumbent with a portfolio spanning CLC's full niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@chocorualakeconservancy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chocorua-lake-conservancy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Chocorua Lake Conservancy