What Vinalhaven Land Trust does

Vinalhaven Land Trust (VLT) is a nonprofit land conservation organization incorporated in 1986 and headquartered at Skoog Park on Vinalhaven Island, Maine. Its core function is the permanent protection of ecologically significant island lands and the provision of free public access to those lands for recreation and education. The organization holds conservation easements and fee ownership of 14 preserves containing approximately 17 miles of hiking trails, and it offers programs including guided Walks & Talks, a family-oriented Story Trail on Granite Island, and climate-change education tied to the local lobster industry.

VLT's primary product surface consists of the preserves and trails themselves, supported by the VHtrails mobile application (v2.0.4, released in 2024) which provides offline GPS navigation on iOS and Android for hikers on routes without cellular reception. The organization also sells branded merchandise (caps at $25, limited-edition Carnival Glass ornaments at $35) through a website e-commerce store. Its operational footprint is tightly bounded to Vinalhaven Island, with strategic land conservation partnerships extending to Maine Coast Heritage Trust, North Haven Conservation, the Island Institute, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

VLT is funded through individual donations, voluntary memberships, planned giving, and merchandise sales. The organization employs a small staff of four (Executive Director Andrea Hogan, Stewardship Coordinator Thomas Crisp, Programs & Communications Coordinator Hope Steffens, and Environmental Educator Dani Lackey Crisp), supported by a 14-member Board of Directors. It operates under a 2021-2026 Strategic Plan and is governed as an independent nonprofit with no parent entity. Outreach is conducted primarily through a website, monthly email newsletters, Facebook, Instagram, and on-island community engagement.

Name

Vinalhaven Land Trust

Legal name

Vinalhaven Land Trust

Website

https://vinalhavenlandtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vinalhaven Land Trust is a 1986-founded nonprofit that permanently conserves ecologically significant lands on Vinalhaven Island, Maine, stewarding 14 preserves with 17 miles of hiking trails and providing free public access, environmental education, and community programs funded through donations and memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Scenic Lookouts & Natural Landmarks (Waterfalls, Canyons, Rock Formations) (THAJACAD), Cave, Geology & Volcanic Experiences (THAJAIAI)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Nature preserve management
• Hiking trail access
• Environmental education programs
• Nonprofit land trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Vinalhaven

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: VLT raises funds through individual donations, annual memberships, and planned giving programs. Membership is offered to supporters who receive monthly online newsletters and other communications.
2. Merchandise Sales: VLT sells branded merchandise including pigment-dyed cotton caps ($25) and Carnival Glass ornaments ($35), both available through the organization's website e-commerce store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vinalhaven Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that permanently conserves ecologically significant lands on Vinalhaven Island, Maine, and provides free public access to 14 nature preserves with 17 miles of hiking trails. It delivers environmental education through guided Walks & Talks, the Story Trail literacy program, the VHtrails mobile app with offline GPS, and free community events, while also raising funds through donations, memberships, and branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

Vinalhaven Land Trust operates as a nonprofit land conservation organization offering a portfolio of products and services centered on preserving and providing public access to natural lands on Vinalhaven Island, Maine. The core offerings include the VH Trails mobile application (available on iOS and Android) for GPS-guided hiking navigation, 14 nature preserves with 17 miles of trails, and educational programs such as Walks and Talks guided nature walks and the Story Trail literacy program. The organization also sells branded merchandise (caps and ornaments) through its website. Additional services include land protection assistance for landowners through conservation easements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VHtrails Mobile App Free smartphone hiking app providing directions to hiking trails in Vinalhaven Land Trust preserves and parks on Vinalhaven Island. Includes trail descriptions, directions to trailheads, and offline mode for navigational support without cellular reception, with automatic trail data updates on launch.
• VLT Branded Caps Branded pigment-dyed cotton caps with leather backstrap and embossed brass buckle, adjustable one-size-fits-all. Available in multiple colors for $25 to support Vinalhaven Land Trust.
• VLT Carnival Glass Ornaments Limited-edition iridescent glass ornaments made by Adirondack Glassblowing Studios using titanium dioxide as a fuming agent, the same technique used to make carnival glass more than 100 years ago. Priced at $35.
• Preserves and Trails Public access to 14 nature preserves with approximately 17 miles of diverse hiking trails for all abilities, including Perry Creek, Granite Island, Watershed Preserve, Whitmore Pond Sanctuary, Tip Toe Mountain, Lower Mill River, and Marcuse Wetlands. Free public access with no permits or fees.
• Walks and Talks Program Free year-round guided nature walks and educational talks led by local experts covering topics such as wildflowers, birds, geology, marine life, and island ecology. Open to the community with optional donations encouraged for some events.
• Story Trail Program Collaborative literacy program with Vinalhaven Reads that places oversized picture book pages along the Granite Island Trail. Books change three times per year, providing a family-friendly hiking and reading experience.
• Land Protection Services Conservation assistance to private landowners interested in protecting wildlife habitat and scenic open space through conservation easements or property donation, ensuring land remains forever wild in partnership with Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 preserves with 17 miles of diverse hiking trails protected in perpetuity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• North Haven ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership for joint conservation events including the Paddle Perry Creek and Hike Fox Rocks event, combining paddle and hiking activities across both islands.
• Pleasant River GrangeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Co-sponsor of numerous VLT programs and events including Climate Friendly Forests talks, Native Hedges workshops, Pressed Flower Workshops, Pollinator Friendly Habitats sessions, and Dragonfly Zoom presentations.
• Maine Coast Heritage TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1986Long-standing strategic partner in land conservation. VLT and MCHT collaborated to conserve 745 acres around the Basin (a 360-acre tidal embayment), with MCHT holding conservation easements and VLT managing fee-owned properties. MCHT also partnered on the Eleanor L. Campbell Preserve, transferring a 21-acre parcel to VLT.
• Island InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVLT works with the Island Institute on sharing science and community data with Maine's island and coastal communities, particularly regarding climate change impacts on the lobster industry and marine ecosystem. The Island Institute publishes research relevant to Vinalhaven's climate challenges.
• Gulf of Maine Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVLT is inspired by and supports the Gulf of Maine Research Institute's efforts to share the latest science and community data with Maine's island and coastal communities, particularly on lobster industry and Right Whale issues.
• Maine Lobstermen's AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVLT stands with the lobster fishing community and supports the Maine Lobstermen's Association's efforts to share the latest science and community data with Maine's island and coastal communities regarding climate change impacts.
• Vinalhaven ReadsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Story Trail program on Granite Island. Vinalhaven Reads is a group formed to help raise reading and literacy skills of students at Vinalhaven School. Together, VLT and Vinalhaven Reads create family-friendly trail experiences combining reading and nature.
• Hurricane Island Center for Science and LeadershipminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVLT partners with Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership for boat trips to Hurricane Island, a former quarrying town. VLT organizes and promotes these trips as part of its educational programming.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maine Coast Heritage Trust: Statewide Maine land trust and VLT's most significant strategic partner, co-stewarding conservation easements and jointly conserving properties such as the 745-acre Basin and the Eleanor L. Campbell Preserve. Operates the same core activity (fee ownership and easements) at a much larger geographic scale.
• North Haven Conservation: Neighbor-island land trust on North Haven, Maine, with which VLT runs joint conservation events (Paddle Perry Creek / Hike Fox Rocks). Small, community-led land trust with a near-identical operating model on an adjacent Penobscot Bay island.
• Coastal Mountains Land Trust: Midcoast Maine land trust conserving habitat, farmland, and forests around Penobscot Bay. Highly comparable mission, scale, and fee/easement stewardship model to VLT.
• Boothbay Region Land Trust: Midcoast Maine land trust with preserves, trails, and educational programming in the Boothbay region. Closely comparable in scope of preserves, trail mileage, and community-driven programming.
• Blue Hill Heritage Trust: Downeast Maine land trust managing preserves, trails, and conservation easements around Blue Hill. Similar scale, geography (coastal Downeast Maine), and fee/easement portfolio structure.
• Frenchman Bay Conservancy: Regional land trust in downeast Maine conserving lands around Frenchman Bay. Same fee/easement model, similar small-staff community-led structure, and comparable Maine coastal geography.
• Damariscotta River Association: Maine land trust focused on the Damariscotta River watershed, combining land conservation with public trail access, water-quality monitoring, and education — closely parallel to VLT's mixed conservation-plus-programming model.
• Kittery Land Trust: Southern Maine community land trust managing conserved lands, trails, and conservation easements. Operates at a comparable small-staff scale with a similar fee/easement mix.

Broad incumbents

• Island Institute: Rockland, Maine-based nonprofit focused on Maine's island and coastal communities. VLT partners with Island Institute on climate science and lobster industry data. Operates a much broader mission across community, economic, and environmental resilience.

Others

• Gulf of Maine Research Institute: Portland, Maine-based marine research and education nonprofit whose climate science and lobster industry work VLT cites as a model. Thematically adjacent — VLT supports and amplifies GMRI's research but does not compete directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VinalhavenLandTrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/vinalhavenlandtrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vinalhaven-land-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Vinalhaven Land Trust