Trees For Tomorrow

What Trees For Tomorrow does

Trees For Tomorrow (TFT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit environmental education center founded in 1944 and headquartered in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Operating on National Forest property under a special use permit from the USDA Forest Service, TFT is the only fully Cognia-accredited environmental education center in Wisconsin and runs a campus that includes 1930s-era Civilian Conservation Corps buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places (since 1996). The organization serves approximately 10,000 people annually, of whom roughly 7,000 are K-12 students drawn from Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Illinois, with the remainder comprising adult learners (Road Scholar, Wisconsin Master Naturalist trainees), young children (KinderWild Camp, ages 3–5), and community-event attendees such as the annual Forest Fest (>1,200 participants).

The product portfolio is built around SOLE K-12 (multi-day, curriculum-aligned residential programs from grade school through high school, plus a six-day Careers Exploration Week), Community Programs (workshops, summer day camps, WI Master Naturalist certification), Outreach/Virtual Programs (mobile educators or remote delivery), an annual Tree Seedling sale (>5,000 native seedlings/year in lots of 10), and facility/hospitality services (dining hall, gift shop, facility rental). Curriculum is NGSS-aligned and the historical track record includes 23 million seedlings distributed by the 1950s as part of the organization's original reforestation mission.

Revenue is generated from four streams: educational program fees charged to K-12 schools and community groups, donations and corporate sponsorships (the dominant non-program revenue channel for a 501(c)(3)), annual tree seedling sales, and facility-use/hospitality income. A small paid staff of 17 (with 6-year average tenure), led by Executive Director Cheryl Todea — internally promoted to the role in 2021 as the 10th ED — runs operations. The Board of Directors draws executives from Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands, Billerud, Leader Paper, and the Wisconsin County Forests Association, anchoring the organization's forest-industry and conservation relationships.

Name

Trees For Tomorrow

Legal name

Trees For Tomorrow

Website

https://treesfortomorrow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trees For Tomorrow is a Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) environmental education center, founded in 1944 and operating on USDA Forest Service land, that delivers NGSS-aligned outdoor learning programs to approximately 10,000 K-12 students, teachers, and adult learners annually from Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (1132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD), Science Camps & Field Programs (Nature, Space, Marine, Geology) (EDAMABAB), Tree Care & Arborist Services (IMAIAIAB)

Keywords

• Environmental education services
• K-12 outdoor learning
• Natural resources education
• Forestry education programs
• Nonprofit environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Eagle River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Program Fees: Fees charged to K-12 schools and community groups for on-campus programs, outreach programs, and virtual programming. Programs range from day visits to multi-day overnight experiences.
2. Tree Seedling Sales: Annual tree seedling sales fundraiser. Native species sold in lots of 10, with over 5,000 seedlings sold per year. Species include White Spruce, Northern White Cedar, Red Pine, and White Pine.
3. Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on individual donations, corporate sponsors, and legacy giving programs. Make an Impact page for donations, corporate sponsors page, and alumni/volunteer programs.
4. Facility Use and Hospitality: Revenue from facility use fees, hospitality services (dining hall meals for visiting groups), and gift shop sales.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Trees For Tomorrow is a nonprofit environmental education center that delivers hands-on outdoor learning experiences for K-12 students and community members from its 40-acre campus on National Forest property in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Core offerings include school programs (SOLE K-12, Multi-High School, Careers Exploration Week), community programs (KinderWild Camp, workshops, Road Scholar programs), Master Naturalist training, and an annual tree seedling sales fundraiser. Programs are delivered on-campus, through outreach to schools, and via virtual programming, aligning with Next Generation Science Standards.

Product overview

Trees For Tomorrow is a non-profit environmental education center offering a portfolio of educational programs and experiences focused on natural resource management and sustainability. The core offerings include SOLE K-12 school programs (spanning Multi-High School and Careers Exploration Week), Community Programs (including KinderWild Camp for ages 3-12, WI Master Naturalist training, and outreach programs), Tree Seedlings sales, and facility-based experiences at the Outdoor Learning Center. Programs are delivered on-campus in Eagle River, Wisconsin, through mobile outreach to schools, and via virtual programming, with annual events like Forest Fest drawing over 1,200 participants. The organization serves approximately 10,000 people annually, with about 7,000 being K-12 students from Wisconsin, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SOLE K-12 School Programs K-12 school programs connecting students to science, natural resources, and real-world careers through interdisciplinary, inquiry-based outdoor learning experiences. Programs align with Next Generation Science Standards and Academic and Career Planning Guidelines, range from 1-day to multi-day/night on campus, and are also offered via outreach and virtual programming.
• Multi-High School Programs High school-level environmental education programs offering multi-day immersive experiences on the Eagle River campus, focusing on forestry, wildlife, water, and energy topics.
• Careers Exploration Week Six-day intensive program connecting high school students directly with professionals in natural resource careers including timber producers, mill operators, wildlife biologists, hydrologists, conservation wardens, and engineers.
• Outreach Programs Professional environmental educators travel to schools or natural areas to deliver programs to students in their own communities, with virtual programming options for remote access.
• Community Programs Year-round programs for youth, adults, and families connecting participants to Wisconsin's forests, wildlife, and natural resources through hands-on outdoor experiences, including workshops and field experiences. Many programs offered in partnership with Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Master Naturalists, and Road Scholar.
• Tree Seedling Sales Annual tree seedling sales fundraiser offering native species (White Spruce, Northern White Cedar, Red Pine, White Pine) in lots of 10 with dirt plugs for landowners, educators, and conservation enthusiasts. Over 5,000 seedlings sold per year.
• Wisconsin Master Naturalist Training Training program coordinated with UW-Madison Division of Extension preparing participants to serve as educators, citizen scientists, and stewards in their communities. TFT hosts training sessions annually where participants become certified Master Naturalists.
• Outdoor Learning Center and Facility Use Campus facility offering trails, outdoor classroom spaces, and Nature PlayScape for hands-on environmental education activities, available for facility use by visiting groups, with associated hospitality (dining hall meals) and gift shop services.
• Forest Fest Annual Event Annual summer fundraiser event attracting over 1,200 participants to the Eagle River campus to learn about the history and legacy of logging in the northwoods and modern sustainable logging practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 10,000 people annually, including 7,000 school-aged children
• +1 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Blackwell Job CorpsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Six-person crew from Blackwell Job Corps in Laona, WI assisted with invasive species treatment at TFT campus in May 2023. Job Corps trains young people for careers in nature and preservation of natural resources including invasive species management.
• Wisconsin Headwaters Invasives Partnership (WHIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021TFT partnered with WHIP to develop an Invasive Species Management Plan for the campus. Joint restoration committee works on invasive plant removal and new signage. WHIP helps TFT handle invasive species following storm events and timber harvests.
• Natural Resources Foundation of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for community programs, bringing expert insight and unique learning opportunities to the Northwoods. Many programs offered in partnership with this foundation.
• Wisconsin Master Naturalists (UW-Madison Extension)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization for Wisconsin Master Naturalist training programs. Coordinates training events throughout the state, with TFT hosting training sessions annually where participants become certified Master Naturalists.
• Road ScholarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization offering educational travel for adults. TFT serves as a host site provider for Road Scholar programs including 'Woods and Waters of Wisconsin' and custom adventure programs.
• USDA Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFT campus is located on National Forest property under a special use permit from the USDA Forest Service. The original USFS Training Facility built by the CCC in Eagle River serves as the foundation for TFT operations.
• Northwoods Land Trust (NWLT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWLT Monitoring Coordinator Troy Walters served as guest blogger. NWLT protects land through conservation easements and land donations, complementing TFT's educational mission with land conservation action.
• Forest History Association of WisconsinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTFT partnered with this organization to gather more information on Mully Taylor, TFT's first executive director and 1985 inductee in the Wisconsin Forestry Hall of Fame.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Morton Arboretum: Larger Illinois-based tree-focused institution with K-12 field trips, summer camps, and adult education programs; comparable subject matter (trees, forestry) and audience, but broader in scope with significant tree-research and curation activities.

Direct peers

• Aldo Leopold Foundation: Baraboo, Wisconsin-based nonprofit stewarding the Aldo Leopold legacy with K-12 educator workshops, residencies, and land-based learning at the Leopold-Pine Farm Important Bird Area; directly comparable on conservation-focused environmental education in Wisconsin.
• Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES): Colorado-based nonprofit operating a nature center with school programs, summer camps, naturalist training, and community events—closely analogous to TFT across all primary product lines (K-12, camps, master naturalist equivalents).
• Bernheim Forest & Garden: Kentucky's largest privately-held forest preserve offering K-12 environmental education, citizen science, and event programming on a dedicated natural-area campus—highly comparable as a nonprofit education center built around a managed forest/land campus.
• Schlitz Audubon Nature Center: Milwaukee-based Audubon-affiliated nature center offering K-12 school programs, summer camps, adult lectures, and citizen science across a 185-acre preserve—directly comparable as a Wisconsin environmental education nonprofit.
• Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center: Residential environmental learning center in Finland, Minnesota delivering K-12 outdoor education, summer camps, and graduate programs on natural resources—the closest comparable peer to TFT in mission, model, and Upper Midwest geography.
• Conserve School: Wisconsin-based semester school and summer programs focused on environmental stewardship and place-based learning; comparable to TFT in regional footprint, college-prep mission, and outdoor-immersion pedagogy.
• The Ridges Sanctuary: Wisconsin's oldest private land trust and nature preserve in Door County offering K-12 nature programs, teacher workshops, and family events; directly comparable as a Wisconsin conservation-based environmental education nonprofit.

Regional players

• UW-Stevens Point Treehaven: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's residential natural-resources learning center delivering K-12 and graduate outdoor education in northern Wisconsin—a public-sector peer with overlapping programs and shared regional audience.

Emerging players

• Northland College: Ashland, Wisconsin liberal-arts college with an environmental-studies mission and中小学 partnerships; overlaps with TFT on natural-resource career exploration and Wisconsin-based outreach but operates at higher-education level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trees-for-tomorrow

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Trees For Tomorrow