What Barry Conservation District does

Barry Conservation District (BCD) is a local government conservation district chartered under Michigan state law to serve Barry County, Michigan. The district provides free, confidential technical assistance to private landowners across five core service areas: Agriculture (risk assessments, MAEAP certifications, agency referrals), Forestry (consultations, Qualified Forest Program referrals, timber management guidance), Invasive Species (treatment coordination through the BCK CISMA collaborative), Recycling (household hazardous waste collection events and materials management planning), and Waterways (water quality monitoring, natural shoreline design, and watershed planning). Its technical work centers on field-based natural resource practices including macroinvertebrate sampling for stream health assessment, fish passage improvements, and dam removals — notably the Nashville Dam (2009) and Morgan Dam (2014) removals, which restored a 27-mile reach of the Thornapple River to water quality standards.

The district operates a community-led go-to-market model, delivering services through direct office consultations at its Hastings headquarters (1611 S. Hanover St. Ste. 105), workshops, watershed council meetings, and youth education events such as the Outdoor Recreation Youth Day. It supplements grant-funded operations with a Tree & Plant Store for native species sales and donations processed through the Barry County Community Foundation. BCD functions as the formal local liaison for multiple state and federal agencies — MDNR, USFWS, EGLE, MDARD, and USDA-NRCS — administering programs and cost-share funding that private entities cannot directly offer.

BCD's revenue model is grant-dependent, drawing on MiCorps Volunteer Stream Monitoring Implementation Grants, MDNR Aquatic Habitat Grants, USFWS Partners for Fish & Wildlife grants, EGLE watershed council support grants, and miscellaneous donations and retail sales. There is no disclosed revenue, no headcount figure, and no evidence of venture capital, private equity, or commercial ownership; the organization operates as an independent public entity affiliated with the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts. Strategic activity is dominated by multi-stakeholder partnership projects with watershed councils (Thornapple, Coldwater, Kalamazoo), Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, Historic Charlton Park, and Barry County municipalities.

Name

Barry Conservation District

Legal name

Barry Conservation District

Website

https://barrycd.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Barry Conservation District is a Michigan-chartered local government entity providing free conservation technical assistance to landowners in Barry County across agriculture, forestry, invasive species, recycling, and waterways, funded by federal and state grants plus donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH), Education & Community Programs (Junior Ranger, Citizen Science, School Programs) (THAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Conservation district services
• Natural resource management
• Watershed management
• Agricultural conservation
• Forestry consultation

Headquarters

HQ city

Hastings

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary funding from Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) Volunteer Stream Monitoring Implementation Grants, MDNR Aquatic Habitat Grants, USFWS Partners for Fish & Wildlife grants, and various state and federal conservation programs.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Accepts donations through Barry County Community Foundation for supporting conservation programs and events like Outdoor Youth Day.
3. Tree and Plant Sales: Operates a Tree & Plant Store selling native trees, shrubs, and fruit trees to raise funds for conservation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Barry Conservation District provides free confidential conservation services to landowners and residents of Barry County, Michigan across five program areas: Agriculture (MAEAP risk assessments and certifications), Forestry (Qualified Forest Program referrals and tax-reduction consultations), Invasives (treatment and education), Recycling (household hazardous waste events), and Waterways (water quality monitoring and natural shoreline design). The District also conducts watershed restoration projects, sells native trees and plants, and runs community education events including the annual Outdoor Recreation Youth Day.

Product overview

Barry Conservation District offers a comprehensive suite of conservation services organized around five core areas: Agriculture (risk assessments and MAEAP certifications), Forestry (consultation and Qualified Forest Program referrals), Invasives (treatment and education), Recycling (hazardous waste events and materials management), and Waterways (water quality monitoring and shoreline protection). The district operates the MiCorps Stream Monitoring program for macroinvertebrate sampling, provides equipment rental and a Tree & Plant Store for native species sales, and delivers educational programming through workshops and the annual Outdoor Recreation Youth Day. Services are delivered through partnerships with agencies including Michigan DNR, USFWS, and local watershed councils.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agriculture Services Free confidential risk assessments, agency referrals, and certifications for farmers including Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) verification, supporting agricultural landowners in Barry County.
• Forestry Services Free consultation, technical service provider referrals, and assistance with property tax reductions through the Qualified Forest Program (QFP) for non-homestead forest landowners with 20 or more acres.
• Invasive Species Treatment Free consultation, education, and low-cost treatment for qualifying invasive species on private land through the BCK CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) collaborative.
• Recycling Services Support for Barry County materials management planning, free household hazardous waste collection events for residents, recycling resources, and public education.
• Waterways Services Free consultation on best practices for water quality monitoring and natural shoreline design and installation to protect aquatic ecosystems along Barry County lakes and rivers.
• MiCorps Stream Monitoring Program Water quality monitoring program in the Thornapple River Watershed using macroinvertebrate sampling to assess stream health, delivered in partnership with Thornapple River Watershed Council and LGROW.
• Equipment Rental Rental program providing conservation-related equipment to landowners and residents for land management projects.
• Tree & Plant Store Annual sale of native trees, shrubs, and fruit trees for conservation planting and reforestation efforts in Barry County, with online ordering and pickup at Historic Charlton Park.
• Educational Events and Workshops Community education programs including rain garden workshops, tree identification walks, invasive species management workshops, regenerative agriculture field days, and food safety training for farmers.
• Outdoor Recreation Youth Day Annual youth-focused outdoor recreation and education event featuring hands-on activities in hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, birding, and wildlife education held at Historic Charlton Park.
• Thornapple River Watershed Management Plan Comprehensive watershed management planning and implementation including the 2016 Thornapple River Watershed Management Plan covering pollution assessment and remediation strategies for the watershed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27-mile reach of Thornapple River now meets water quality standards after Nashville Dam removal
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thornapple River Watershed Council (TRWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCD partners with TRWC for water quality monitoring in the Thornapple River Watershed, including MiCorps Volunteer Stream Monitoring Implementation Grant. TRWC focuses on watershed council support grants, annual cleanup, and water quality initiatives.
• Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for MiCorps Stream Monitoring program. LGROW provides aquatic specialist and education coordinator support for macroinvertebrate identification workshops and water quality monitoring.
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMDNR contributed $249,000 for Nashville Dam removal engineering and construction. Partners on Aquatic Habitat Grants, streambank restoration projects, and various conservation initiatives.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCD acts as local liaison for USFWS Partners for Fish & Wildlife program, working with private landowners on voluntary wetland restorations and wildlife habitat improvements.
• Village of NashvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nashville Dam removal project located near the village in Barry County.
• Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBCD received MiCorps Volunteer Stream Monitoring Implementation Grant for water quality monitoring in the Thornapple River Watershed, including macroinvertebrate sampling training and equipment.
• Pierce Cedar Creek InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Cedar Creek Restoration Project and hosts macroinvertebrate identification workshops at their research lab facility in Hastings, Michigan.
• Barry County Road CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Cedar Creek Restoration Project for fish passage improvement by replacing undersized culverts.
• USDA-NRCS Barry County OfficecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCollaborates on Qualified Forest Program information sessions and conservation programs. Hosts USDA-NRCS Local Working Group meetings.
• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEGLE watershed council support grant funding; EGLE monitoring discovered water quality issues that led to Nashville Dam removal project.
• Historic Charlton ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for Outdoor Recreation Youth Day events and tree sale pickup location in Barry County.
• Hastings Public LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue for rain garden workshops, food safety for farmers events, and forestry series presentations.
• Niswander EnvironmentalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTechnical partner in Cedar Creek Restoration Project providing environmental consulting services.
• BCK CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on invasive species management workshops and MAMW (mile-a-minute weed) Learn and Pull events.
• WK Kellogg Experimental ForestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner venue for Kellogg Forest Invasive Species Workshop with BCD District Forester Ben Savoie presenting.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Eaton Conservation District: Michigan conservation district serving Eaton County, adjacent to Barry County, delivering the same free risk assessment, forestry referral, and watershed monitoring services to private landowners.
• Allegan Conservation District: Michigan conservation district serving Allegan County with the same statutory mission and five-pillar service model (farms, forests, invasives, recycling, waterways). Geographic neighbor of Barry County with a similar rural/watershed profile.
• Kent Conservation District: Michigan conservation district serving Kent County with the same statutory mandate, service mix (agriculture, forestry, invasives, water quality, education), and free landowner services as BCD. Operates in an adjacent West Michigan county, so it does not compete directly but is structurally and operationally identical.
• Ionia Conservation District: Michigan conservation district serving Ionia County with the same statutory mission, MAEAP verification work, and watershed stewardship services as BCD. Comparable in scale and operating model.

Others

• Trout Unlimited: National coldwater conservation nonprofit focused on stream and watershed restoration, dam removal advocacy, and volunteer-led stream monitoring — closely paralleling BCD's Thornapple River dam removal and MiCorps macroinvertebrate work.
• The Nature Conservancy (Michigan): Large national/international conservation nonprofit working on land and water protection, including Michigan-focused projects. Different operating model (private land acquisition, science-based) but shares mission overlap with BCD's habitat and water-quality work.
• American Rivers: National river conservation organization advocating for and executing dam removals, stream restorations, and water quality improvements — directly analogous to BCD's Nashville Dam, Morgan Dam, and Cedar Creek restoration projects.
• Ducks Unlimited: National habitat-focused nonprofit specializing in wetland and waterfowl conservation, frequently partnering with conservation districts on habitat delivery. Comparable mission around habitat and watershed health, though with a national funding and chapter model.

Broad incumbents

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: Federal agency delivering overlapping conservation technical assistance, cost-share programs, and farmland/forest stewardship services. BCD is an active local partner, co-hosting USDA-NRCS Local Working Group meetings in Barry County.
• Michigan Association of Conservation Districts: Statewide umbrella association for Michigan's 75 conservation districts, including BCD (which uses the @macd.org email domain). Provides legislative advocacy, training, and coordination; broader scope but directly relevant as BCD's parent professional body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barry-conservation-district

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 Barry Conservation District