Mason-Lake Conservation District

What Mason-Lake Conservation District does

Mason-Lake Conservation District is a Michigan Conservation District — a political subdivision of the State of Michigan under the Natural Resources Commission — established in 1941 and headquartered at 655 N Scottville Rd, Scottville, MI. It delivers conservation technical assistance, environmental restoration services, and conservation education to residents and landowners of Mason and Lake Counties, operating 16 distinct programs spanning coastal dune restoration (beachgrass), forestry and timber assistance, hemlock woolly adelgid treatment, household hazardous waste collection, invasive species management, MAEAP agricultural certification, no-till drill and roller crimper rental, NRCS co-delivery, produce safety, shoreline protection, tree seedling sales, volunteer coordination, stream monitoring (Little Manistee, Big Sable, Lincoln rivers), and the Lincoln River Watershed Council.

The district is governed by an elected/appointed Board of Directors and operates through a single office (Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30) plus a deployable field crew. Its technology footprint is conventional: a Squarespace-hosted public website, email newsletter, and active YouTube/Facebook/Instagram channels used for community engagement. Field operations rely on manual surveys (macroinvertebrate sampling), on-site crew deployment for treatments, and physical equipment — no proprietary software platform, mobile app, or API offerings are disclosed.

Funding and revenue mechanics are diversified across statutory state appropriations, cost-share programs administered jointly with USDA NRCS, Michigan EGLE grant funding (Nonpoint Source Program), community donations (including a suggested $20 minimum for HHW events), usage-based equipment rental (No-Till Drill, Roller Crimper), tree seedling sales with pickup at Baldwin and Ludington, and an emerging fee-for-service Field Crew offering. Distribution is fully direct: walk-in/phone services at the Scottville office, on-site crew delivery, and event-based service at community days. Customers are split between Mason/Lake County residents (primary) and local farmers/landowners (secondary use-case segment), with geographic segmentation forming the core GTM approach.

Name

Mason-Lake Conservation District

Legal name

Mason-Lake Conservation District

Website

https://mason-lakeconservation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mason-Lake Conservation District is a Michigan state-chartered conservation district delivering environmental stewardship, agricultural assistance, equipment rental, and community education programs across Mason and Lake Counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Forestry (800), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)

Keywords

• Conservation district services
• Natural resource management
• Watershed protection programs
• Agricultural conservation assistance
• Environmental stewardship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Rental of farm equipment including No-Till Drill and Roller Crimper to local farmers for sustainable land management.
2. Field Crew Services: Hire of field crew for services including hemlock treatments, invasive shrub removal, and native plant installations.
3. Donations: Community donations supporting conservation programs. Donations crucial for HHW events costing $100,000 to host in three counties.
4. Tree Sales: Annual tree seedling sales with pre-orders and pick-up locations in Baldwin and Ludington.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mason-Lake Conservation District is a Michigan government entity that delivers community conservation services across Mason and Lake Counties. Its core offerings include conservation program delivery (forestry, shoreline, beachgrass, invasive species management, hemlock woolly adelgid treatment, stream monitoring), equipment rental (No-Till Drill and Roller Crimper), a hireable field crew for treatments and plantings, MAEAP and NRCS agricultural assistance, produce safety training, the Household Hazardous Waste Collection event, an annual tree seedling sale, and a volunteer program.

Product overview

Mason-Lake Conservation District is a government agency providing community resource services for conservation across Mason and Lake Counties, Michigan. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of programs including environmental restoration services (beachgrass, shoreline, invasive species management), agricultural support (no-till drill rental, roller crimper, MAEAP, produce safety), and community engagement (tree sales, volunteer programs, stream monitoring). Field crew services are available for hire to perform conservation work including hemlock treatments, invasive shrub removal, and native plant installations. The district also hosts annual household hazardous waste collection events and watershed planning initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beachgrass Program Coastal dune restoration program focused on planting beachgrass to stabilize shorelines and prevent erosion, available to shoreline property owners in Mason and Lake Counties.
• Forestry Program Forest management and timber resource assistance for landowners, including habitat management and wildlife conservation, with shared forester services across partner conservation districts.
• Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Treatment Field crew service delivered to landowners to treat hemlock trees affected by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid pest, supporting hemlock conservation in the district.
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Annual community collection event for safe disposal of hazardous household materials including pesticides, electronics, batteries, and paints, hosted for Mason and Lake County residents with a suggested minimum donation of $20 and an approximate $100,000 annual host cost.
• Invasive Species Management Control and removal services for invasive plant species threatening local ecosystems, including shrub removal, offered through the hireable field crew and conservation programs.
• MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) Voluntary state-aligned certification program delivered locally to help farms manage nutrients, pests, energy, and wildlife to protect Michigan's natural resources, with verification coordinated via the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
• No-Till Drill Rental Rental service providing a no-till farming drill to local farmers and landowners to promote sustainable agriculture and soil conservation; pricing and availability obtained by contacting the Scottville office.
• NRCS Assistance Partnership program with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service providing technical and financial assistance for conservation projects, including cost-share programs for local landowners.
• Produce Safety Program Food safety training and resources for produce growers to ensure compliance with federal food safety regulations.
• Shoreline Program Protection and restoration services for shoreline properties, including native plant installations and erosion control, delivered across Mason and Lake Counties.
• Tree Sale Annual sale of tree seedlings and shrubs for conservation planting, available by pre-order with pickup locations in Baldwin and Ludington.
• Field Crew Services Hireable field crew providing conservation services to landowners and partners, including hemlock treatments, invasive shrub removal, and native plant installations, with rates and scope obtained through the office.
• Roller Crimper Rental Rental of a roller crimper tool used to terminate cover crops without herbicide, supporting sustainable farming practices for local farmers and landowners.
• Stream Monitoring Macroinvertebrate sampling and water quality monitoring conducted on the Little Manistee, Big Sable, and Lincoln Rivers in partnership with local watershed councils and volunteers.
• Lincoln River Watershed Council Community stakeholder initiative for watershed planning and water quality protection in the Lincoln River Watershed, funded through Michigan EGLE's Nonpoint Source Program.
• Volunteer Program Community involvement opportunities for conservation activities including stream monitoring, tree planting, and event support for Mason and Lake County residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mason County collected 27,471 lbs of hazardous waste in 2025

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded through Michigan EGLE's Nonpoint Source Program for watershed restoration projects including the Lincoln River Watershed Council formation and water quality initiatives.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on conservation programs including agrichemical handling facilities and cost-share programs for landowners.
• Manistee Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting Farm Field Day 2026 and shared Forestry Assistance Program forester services.
• Osceola-Lake Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting 1st Annual Scrap Tire Collection event in Baldwin for Lake County residents.
• Little Manistee Watershed Conservation CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on stream monitoring workshop and macroinvertebrate sampling programs.
• Michigan Tree Farm CommitteeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsoring lunch for Forestry & Wildlife Habitat Field Day event.
• West Shore BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Community Car Wash beneficiary, with donations supporting Mason-Lake Conservation District programs.
• Little Manistee, Big Sable, and Lincoln Rivers organizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStream monitoring partnerships for water quality assessment through macroinvertebrate sampling.
• Cadillac Area Land ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel presentation on land conservation options including easements and preservation approaches.
• Land Conservancy of West MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPanel presentation on land conservation options including easements and preservation approaches.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Manistee Conservation District: Neighboring Michigan conservation district that co-hosts events and shares a Forestry Assistance Program forester with Mason-Lake, offering an essentially identical mix of conservation, agricultural, and water quality programs.
• Osceola-Lake Conservation District: Co-host of the Scrap Tire Collection event and a fellow Michigan conservation district serving Lake County, operating the same chartered-district model with overlapping programs in watershed and natural resource protection.
• Mecosta Conservation District: Adjacent Michigan conservation district offering the same statutory mix of MAEAP assistance, forestry support, and water quality programs to a comparable rural county population.
• Benzie Conservation District: Regional Michigan conservation district with similar programmatic offerings, target customers (rural residents and farmers), and statutory structure under the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
• Oceana Conservation District: Neighboring Lake Michigan coastal conservation district offering shoreline restoration, beachgrass planting, and watershed programs that closely mirror Mason-Lake's Beachgrass and Shoreline service lines.
• Wexford Conservation District: Another Michigan conservation district in a contiguous service region providing nearly identical program menus (forestry, invasive species, equipment rental, MAEAP) under the same state regulatory framework.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Federal partner and broader incumbent that administers nationwide conservation programs and cost-share funding; NRCS overlaps with Mason-Lake's technical and financial assistance offerings but at a much larger national scale.
• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE): State agency that funds Mason-Lake through the Nonpoint Source Program and oversees watershed protection regulatory frameworks; comparable in mission but vastly larger in scope and budget.

Regional players

• Cadillac Area Land Conservancy: Regional land conservancy that partnered with Mason-Lake on a panel presentation about easements; operates in a similar northern Michigan geography with overlapping land conservation and stewardship priorities.

Others

• Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD): Umbrella association of which Mason-Lake is a member (per its @macd.org email domain); provides coordination, advocacy, and shared services across all Michigan conservation districts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mason-lakeconservationdistrict
• Facebookfacebook.com/MasonlakeCD
• Instagraminstagram.com/masonlakecd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Mason-Lake Conservation District