What Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust does

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust (RLHT) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1991 by Ed Kfoury and headquartered in Rangeley, Maine, with an additional operations site at the Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground in Adamstown. The organization permanently conserves land and water resources in the Rangeley Lakes Region of western Maine, having protected over 120,000 acres cumulatively across 40+ conservation areas, easements, and sanctuaries, including flagship holdings such as Forest Legacy Conservation Area (1,272 acres), South Bog (980 acres), Height of Land (512 acres), Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary (100 acres), Kennebago Wildlands (1,731 acres), and Kennebago Uplands (5,096 acres).

RLHT's work spans four primary program areas: (1) Land Conservation through fee acquisition and conservation easements; (2) Watershed Health, including water quality monitoring across 13 lakes and ponds, courtesy boat inspections (1,331 conducted in 2025 with zero invasive plants found), and brook trout habitat restoration on the Kennebago River (10+ miles reconnected via five bridge projects); (3) Campground Operations at the ~78-site Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground (operated since 2011), which generated fees ranging from $32-$76/night across site tiers plus boat rentals and marina slips; and (4) Community Programs, including Self-Guided Discovery Trails (Artists, Dark Sky, Birding), the Annual Rangeley Birding Festival, the Byway Ambassador program, the Dark Sky Community Certification initiative, and the Community Conservation Corps volunteer program managing 35+ miles of trails.

Revenue mechanics are nonprofit-typical: tax-deductible donations and memberships form the core, supplemented by campground and event ticket revenue (e.g., $45/picnic ticket), planned giving through the Legacy Society (bequests, trusts, annuities), and major capital campaigns such as the $62 million Magalloway Collaborative project targeting 78,000 acres of additional conservation. Donor tiers include the Height of Land Society ($1,000+/year) and the Legacy Society (planned giving). Technology dependencies are limited to ArcGIS Survey123 (trail hazard reporting), Qgiv (donation/event processing), and Maine Trail Finder (trail mapping). RLHT is governed by an independent Board of Directors, led by Executive Director David Miller, and currently operates with a 1-10 person staff.

Name

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust

Legal name

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust

Website

https://rlht.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust founded in 1991 that permanently conserves over 120,000 acres of land and water across the Rangeley Lakes Region of western Maine, operating Campground, watershed, and community-engagement programs supported by donations and campground revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Timberland Conservation & Easement Management (AFAMAKAI), Wilderness & Backcountry Lodges (Remote/Off-Grid) (THAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Land conservation trust
• Watershed restoration services
• Wildlife habitat protection
• Conservation easement stewardship
• Nonprofit land stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Rangeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: RLHT relies heavily on donations from members, supporters, and the community. Contributions are tax-deductible to donors as RLHT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2. Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground Operations: The campground generates revenue through campsite rentals ($36-$76 per night), boat rentals, marina slips, and related amenities.
3. Planned Giving and Legacy Gifts: Bequests, trusts, annuities, retirement plan assets, and life insurance policies support long-term fundraising.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as the Annual Picnic ($45 per person tickets) and other community events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that permanently conserves land and waters in the Rangeley Lakes Region of western Maine through property acquisition, conservation easements, and watershed and habitat restoration. The organization operates Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground, manages a network of self-guided discovery trails and the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway, and supports conservation through donations, memberships, and volunteer programs.

Product overview

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust operates as a nonprofit land trust offering a portfolio of interconnected conservation and recreation products. The core offerings include Land Conservation (property acquisition and easements), Watershed Health (water quality monitoring and habitat restoration), and Cupsuptic Lake Park and Campground (a full-service campground operated since 2011). These are supported by Self-Guided Discovery Trails including the Artists Trail, Dark Sky Trail, and Rangeley Lakes Birding Trail, which provide themed recreational experiences. The organization also manages the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway, offers membership programs (Legacy Society, Height of Land Society), and operates the Community Conservation Corps volunteer program. The portfolio is anchored by a network of over 40 conservation areas spanning over 120,000 conserved acres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Land Conservation

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 120,000 acres conserved in western Maine
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Magalloway Collaborative (Forest Society of Maine, Northeast Wilderness Trust, The Nature Conservancy)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2025Four conservation organizations formed the Magalloway Collaborative to conserve 78,000 acres in western Maine. RLHT will own and manage over 4,000 acres for recreation and wildlife habitat. Project cost is $62 million with fundraising deadline of May 2026.
• Bayroot, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Landowner and partner on multiple RLHT conservation projects including Kennebago Wildlands (1,731 acres), Kennebago Uplands (5,096 acres), South Bog Conservation Area, Cupsuptic Lake Park and Campground, and Height of Land.
• Wagner Forest ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Landowner and manager partnering on Kennebago conservation projects. Part of multi-step acquisition within Kennebago River watershed.
• Black Brook LLCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Project partner that purchased over 3,000 adjacent acres including previously unconserved lands along Kennebago Lake shores and wetlands known as the Logans.
• Maine Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partner on Kennebago conservation projects and collaborator on water quality monitoring and loon count programs.
• High Peaks AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Conserved the 80-acre Perham Stream Birding Trail property in 2022. RLHT promotes this trail as part of the Rangeley Lakes Birding Trail.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kennebago River restoration efforts, including stream-crossing projects and in-stream wood additions to restore the river to its natural state.
• Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kennebago River restoration work and conservation projects. Commissioner Judy Camuso endorsed the Magalloway Project.
• Trout UnlimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Kennebago River restoration efforts, adding strategic wood additions to restore river habitat for brook trout.
• Trust for Public LandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Nature Conservancy and State of Maine to permanently conserve Quill Hill property.
• The Nature ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Quill Hill conservation and member of Magalloway Collaborative.
• Maine AudubonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRLHT regionally supports Maine Audubon's Annual Loon Count and collaborates on birding programs.
• Seven Islands Land CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerForest management operation at Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary is carried out under guidance of Seven Islands Land Company foresters and RLHT staff.
• Land Trust Accreditation CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent program of Land Trust Alliance that reviews RLHT's policies and programs for accreditation renewal, verifying governance, financial management, and stewardship capacity.
• Rangeley Region Guides' and Sportsmen's AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal advocacy group that endorsed the Magalloway Project, representing hunters and anglers who value continued access to lands and waters.
• Maine Bureau of Parks and LandsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that received Bald Mountain property from RLHT (1,293 acres purchased in 1993) for permanent conservation as part of Maine's public lands system.
• Wabanaki Tribal NationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMagalloway Collaborative acknowledges these lands are part of Wabanaki homeland and hopes to create opportunities for tribal cultural and spiritual caretaking.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Conservation Fund: National nonprofit focused on conservation real estate and bridge financing. Provided bridge financing to RLHT for the Kennebago Headwaters purchase, comparable in function to RLHT's conservation-acquisition approach.
• Forest Society of Maine: A statewide land trust operating across Maine. Direct co-member of the Magalloway Collaborative with RLHT, making it the closest operational and geographic peer for conservation-easement and land-acquisition activity in Maine.
• Trust for Public Land: National land conservation nonprofit. Co-partnered with RLHT and The Nature Conservancy on the Quill Hill conservation project, providing bridge financing and acquisition expertise on similar conservation real estate transactions.
• Maine Coast Heritage Trust: A statewide Maine land trust operating coastal and inland preserves. Operates the same nonprofit land-conservation model as RLHT, with similar stewardship, easement, and visitor-program portfolios for a comparable donor base.
• Northeast Wilderness Trust: A regional wilderness-conservation land trust. Direct co-member of the Magalloway Collaborative alongside RLHT, focused on permanently protecting wildlands in the Northeast with a similar easement and acquisition model.

Regional players

• Appalachian Mountain Club: Regional conservation and recreation nonprofit in the Northeast. Operates trails, huts, and conservation programs comparable to RLHT's trail stewardship and Discovery Trails portfolio.
• Maine Audubon: Maine-based conservation nonprofit focused on bird habitat and education. Donated Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary to RLHT and collaborates on water quality monitoring and loon counts, indicating operational overlap in habitat stewardship.
• High Peaks Alliance: Small regional land trust serving western Maine's High Peaks region. Conserved the Perham Stream Birding Trail property in partnership with RLHT, operating a comparable small-scale land trust model in the same region.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The largest global conservation nonprofit. Magalloway Collaborative partner and Quill Hill co-partner with RLHT, operating at much greater scale but with overlapping conservation-easement and watershed-protection activities in Maine.

Others

• Trout Unlimited: National coldwater fisheries conservation nonprofit. Strategic partner on Kennebago River restoration with RLHT, sharing the brook trout habitat focus and providing a complementary peer on watershed restoration rather than land ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVTH70rqY_4SMvFMY2uVtPw
• Facebookfacebook.com/rlht.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/rangeleyheritagetrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rlht

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 Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust