What Yaak Valley Forest Council does

Yaak Valley Forest Council (YVFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in Troy, Montana, that protects and restores the wild Yaak Valley ecosystem within the 2.2 million-acre Kootenai National Forest. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a single product: the Headwaters Restoration Partnership (native fish habitat and stream restoration since 1999), Forest Watch (USFS project monitoring and NEPA advocacy), Climate Refuge Program (GIS-based identification of climate-resilient refugia), THRIVE (grizzly bear and lynx habitat research), Bear Aware (human-wildlife coexistence), Stop Black Ram (legal advocacy against the 4,000+ acre logging project), Pacific Northwest Trail re-routing advocacy, Alvord Lake Community Forest (a 142-acre collaborative land project), Wilder Yaak Studios (wildlife media), and community education initiatives including the Lincoln County Photo Contest and The Archipelago newsletter. Core field technology includes GIS mapping, environmental DNA (eDNA) testing for fish hybridization, 18 strategically placed stream temperature thermographs, aerial cinematography via donated LightHawk flights, remote trail-cam monitoring, and photo-point surveys spanning 600+ miles of streams and 1.1 million acres of monitored project area.

YVFC is led by Executive Director Anthony South with a five-person staff (Communications Director Ashley South, Conservation Director Chris Bachman, Director of Development Erin Carroll, Administrative Manager Sierra Owen, and Organizational Assistant Teddy Reinhardt-Ertman), a Big Sky Watershed Corps Member, and a three-person Board of Directors chaired by wildlife photographer Brad Orsted. Revenue is generated entirely through donations: individual gifts and recurring monthly giving via Network for Good, corporate/stock donations, Donor Advised Fund grants, Montana specialty license plate sales (featuring artwork by Monte Dolack), branded merchandise on Bonfire, and fundraising events such as the Black Ram Guitar Fest and Climate Aid. The organization does not disclose specific revenue figures, and no public financials are referenced.

YVFC's primary stakeholders are the residents of the Yaak Valley and Lincoln County, individual conservation donors across the U.S., and partner agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, and the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station. The organization has achieved two significant federal court victories: the August 2023 Black Ram ruling (USFS found to have violated NEPA) and the July 2020 Pacific Northwest Trail ruling, establishing legal precedent for climate impact analysis in federal land management decisions. Since 1997, YVFC has brought over $1 million into Lincoln County through restoration projects, monitors habitat for 18-25 remaining grizzly bears in one of only six grizzly recovery areas in the lower 48 states, and works in a landscape containing approximately 180,000 acres of undisturbed roadless area and 25% of Montana's sensitive species.

Name

Yaak Valley Forest Council

Legal name

Yaak Valley Forest Council

Website

https://yaakvalley.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Yaak Valley Forest Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1997 and based in Troy, Montana, that protects the Yaak Valley ecosystem within the Kootenai National Forest through field-based conservation science, habitat restoration, climate refugia mapping, wildlife coexistence programs, and federal land management advocacy supported by individual donations and agency partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB)

Keywords

• Forest conservation
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Watershed restoration
• Nonprofit environmental advocacy
• Climate refuge mapping

Headquarters

HQ city

Troy

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters made through the Network for Good platform, including one-time and monthly recurring gift options.
2. Corporate/Stock Donations: Gifts of appreciated stock and securities, as well as Donor Advised Fund grants. EIN 81-0517993.
3. License Plate Sales: Montana specialty license plate featuring YVFC art generates revenue and raises awareness.
4. Merchandise Sales: Merch store sales through Bonfire platform for branded merchandise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Yaak Valley Forest Council operates a portfolio of field-based conservation programs protecting old-growth forests, wildlife habitat (especially grizzly bears and native trout), and watersheds in northwestern Montana's Yaak Valley. Its work combines scientific monitoring, legal advocacy, habitat restoration, and community education to preserve the 2.2 million-acre Kootenai National Forest ecosystem. The organization is funded primarily through tax-deductible individual donations, grants, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Yaak Valley Forest Council operates as a nonprofit conservation organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a unified technology product. Core programs include the Headwaters Restoration Partnership (aquatic habitat restoration since 1999), Forest Watch (land management monitoring and advocacy), Climate Refuge Program (climate adaptation and refugia protection), THRIVE (vegetative habitat research), Bear Aware Program (wildlife coexistence), and Wilder Yaak Studios (media and documentation). Additional initiatives encompass the Stop Black Ram legal campaign, Pacific Northwest Trail re-routing advocacy, Alvord Lake Community Forest management, and community education programs including the Lincoln County Photo Contest and The Archipelago Newsletter. These programs collectively work toward the organization's mission of protecting and restoring the wild Yaak Valley ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bear Aware Program A community coexistence program that provides bear-proof trash cans, electric fences for livestock and gardens, bear-proof coolers, bear spray, and bear bells, along with bear spray training and electric fence workshops, to reduce human-bear conflicts in the Yaak Valley. The program is delivered to local residents, landowners, and community members of Lincoln County.
• Climate Refuge Program A program to identify, map, preserve, and protect climate refugia within the Yaak Valley using climate-relevant topographic, hydrologic, and species-based criteria to guide conservation goals and habitat restoration. The program targets climate-resilient landscapes capable of supporting biodiversity under changing climate conditions.
• Headwaters Restoration Partnership A rehabilitation and restoration project launched in 1999 to improve habitat for native fish species in the Yaak River watershed. Activities include sediment source surveys, culvert replacement, aquatic invasive species testing, water quality monitoring, and stream temperature monitoring using eighteen thermographs.
• Forest Watch Program A monitoring and advocacy program that tracks U.S. Forest Service NEPA processes, provides input on logging projects, and campaigns for protection of wildlife corridors, roadless areas, and grizzly bear habitat on the Kootenai National Forest.
• THRIVE (Terrestrial Habitat Restoration Initiative for Vegetative Enhancement) A research and monitoring program that studies vegetative response to land management treatments to create healthier, more resilient grizzly bear and lynx habitat, with a focus on huckleberry production monitoring. The program operates in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Stop Black Ram Campaign A multi-year legal and advocacy campaign to halt the proposed Black Ram logging project on the Kootenai National Forest, which would clearcut over 4,000 acres of ancient forest including 2,011 acres of clearcuts. The campaign successfully resulted in a federal court ruling on August 17, 2023 halting the project.
• Alvord Lake Community Forest A collaborative community forest project protecting 142 acres along Alvord Lake's southeast shoreline for public recreation including hiking, canoeing, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Established in partnership with Vital Ground Foundation and Friends of Alvord Lake.
• Pacific Northwest Trail Re-Route Advocacy An advocacy campaign to re-route the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail out of critical grizzly bear habitat in the Yaak Valley through legal action and legislative efforts. On July 30, 2020, a Federal Judge ruled in favor of Yaak Grizzly Bears in the Pacific Northwest Trail Route Case.

Quantifiable outcome

• Halted Black Ram logging project through federal court ruling (August 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vital Ground FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Vital Ground Foundation and Friends of Alvord Lake to establish the Alvord Lake Community Forest, a 142-acre parcel protecting wildlife habitat and public access.
• LightHawkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLightHawk provides aerial cinematography capabilities, donating volunteer pilot time, fuel, and skill to help YVFC document restoration effectiveness and watershed-scale dynamics from the air.
• YETIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to promote responsible recreation and bear-proof coolers, providing education about bears and YVFC's conservation work.
• Wild MontanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for guided hiking programs through Wild Montana's Wilderness Walks Program, providing educational hiking opportunities in the Yaak Valley.
• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal agency partner for habitat restoration projects, watershed monitoring, and land management within the Kootenai National Forest. YVFC monitors USFS projects and provides input on environmental analysis.
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for native fish habitat restoration, bear management, wildlife surveys, and collaborative conservation projects throughout the Yaak Valley.
• Montana's Outdoor Legacy FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in wolverine monitoring and education programs, collaborating with Troy and Yaak schools and Dept. of Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists.
• Friends of Scotchman PeaksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working to protect wilderness areas, collaborating on wolverine monitoring and education efforts in the region.
• Upper Columbia Lakes NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) testing and prevention, working to increase AIS awareness and prevent invasion in Yaak Valley waterways.
• The Montana ProjectcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresented the Black Ram Guitar Fest in partnership with Maclean Literary Festival and Whitefish Review, combining art and advocacy to defend the Black Ram forest.
• Protect Ancient ForestscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaine-based grassroots organization co-hosting Climate Aid: The Voice of the Forest event to protect the Black Ram forest and advocate for Climate Refuge designation.
• U.S. Fish Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency partner in THRIVE program for wildlife habitat research and adaptive management, coordinating grizzly bear and lynx habitat restoration efforts.
• Refugia Research CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of scientists and conservationists focused on identifying and preserving climate refugia nationwide, with YVFC as a member.
• Yellowstone to Yukon InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional linkage partner providing connectivity to transboundary grizzly conservation programs connecting Yaak grizzly populations to larger conservation efforts.
• Kootenai National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary federal land management partner. YVFC works on the 2.2 million-acre Kootenai National Forest monitoring projects and advocating for wildlife protection.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Vital Ground Foundation: Land trust and habitat conservation nonprofit also working on grizzly bear recovery in the Northern Rockies; direct partner with YVFC on the Alvord Lake Community Forest and shares mission, donor base, and regional geography.
• Wild Montana: Montana-based conservation nonprofit focused on wilderness protection, roadless areas, and public lands; YVFC partner on guided hike programming with overlapping advocacy on USFS land management issues.
• Friends of Scotchman Peaks: Grassroots northern Idaho/Montana conservation nonprofit pursuing wilderness designation; YVFC partner on wolverine monitoring and education with directly comparable community organizing and federal land advocacy approach.
• Montana Wilderness Association: Statewide Montana conservation nonprofit working on wilderness designations, roadless area protection, and USFS policy reform; highly comparable grassroots-plus-policy operating model.
• Trout Unlimited: Coldwater fisheries conservation nonprofit working on native trout habitat restoration across the Northern Rockies; directly comparable to YVFC's Headwaters Restoration Partnership on westslope cutthroat trout and stream restoration.

Broad incumbents

• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative: Large-scale transboundary conservation organization connecting grizzly habitat corridors from Yellowstone to Yukon; directly named YVFC partner and operates at much larger geographic scale with comparable science and policy advocacy model.
• Defenders of Wildlife: National wildlife conservation organization with deep grizzly bear recovery and federal land management work; comparable mission on threatened species protection though operates nationally rather than at watershed scale.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national conservation nonprofit with active Northern Rockies and grizzly bear recovery programs; comparable wildlife habitat and climate adaptation work though at a much larger institutional scale.
• Center for Biological Diversity: National nonprofit using litigation and science-based advocacy to protect endangered species and habitats; closely comparable in tactics (NEPA-based legal action) though operating nationally across species and ecosystems.

Others

• Earthjustice: National environmental litigation nonprofit; comparable in that YVFC's Black Ram NEPA win parallels Earthjustice's broader federal lands litigation portfolio, though at vastly larger scale and scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YaakValleyOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/61565870349991
• Instagraminstagram.com/yaakvalleyforestcouncil

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Yaak Valley Forest Council