Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes

What Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes does

Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes (legally Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1977 and headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin. The organization promotes native plant landscaping through education, advocacy, and community-based action, addressing biodiversity loss, declining pollinator populations, and the environmental costs of traditional lawn maintenance. It serves individual homeowners and gardeners seeking to convert lawns to native habitats, educational institutions, community organizations and HOAs navigating native plant adoption, and environmental volunteers and activists, with primary focus on the homeowner segment.

The organization's product and program surface includes the Wild Ones Journal (a quarterly award-winning digital publication), the Certified Native Habitat (CNHP) certification program targeting a vision of 5,000 registered gardens, the Seeds for Education grant program (awarding $10,000 to 22 organizations across 17 states in 2026), the Wild for Monarchs program, and the Native Garden Designs website offering garden plans, a nursery finder, and climate-resilient landscaping guides. Distribution is driven by a community-led model anchored in 100+ local chapters across the United States that host native plant sales, workshops, and educational events, supplemented by a branded merchandise e-commerce store and a members-only portal.

Wild Ones generates revenue through three streams: recurring membership dues, charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, and merchandise sales via shop.wildones.org. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization maintains 11+ mission-aligned partnerships (including Pollinator Partnership, Monarch Joint Venture, Homegrown National Park, 1% for the Planet, and North American Land Trust) and is independently governed by a Board of Directors with no parent company or controlling entity.

Name

Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes

Legal name

Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd

Website

https://wildones.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wild Ones is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 that promotes native plant landscaping through education, advocacy, and a network of 100+ local US chapters, serving homeowners, educators, and community groups seeking biodiversity restoration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Guided Tours & Interpretive Services (Ranger-Led, Naturalist, Cultural Interpretation) (THAAAGAB), Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

Keywords

• Native plant landscaping
• Environmental education
• Native habitat certification
• Pollinator conservation
• Community gardening advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Neenah

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. Membership dues: Wild Ones generates revenue through annual membership fees. Members receive access to the quarterly Wild Ones Journal, chapter resources, and member-only benefits including the journal archive and member login portal.
2. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Wild Ones accepts charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support mission activities, grants, and programs.
3. Merchandise sales: The organization operates a merchandise store selling branded items including t-shirts, hoodies, and jackets through shop.wildones.org.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wild Ones is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes native plant landscaping and natural landscapes through education, advocacy, and a national network of more than 100 local chapters. Its core offerings include annual membership with a quarterly digital journal, the Certified Native Habitat certification program, the Seeds for Education grant program for schools and nonprofits, the Wild for Monarchs pollinator conservation initiative, and a branded merchandise store.

Product overview

Wild Ones is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (IRS) that promotes native landscapes through education, advocacy, and collaborative action. The organization operates primarily as an educational and advocacy nonprofit rather than a software product company. Its offerings include the Wild Ones Journal (a quarterly digital publication for members), Native Garden Designs (an online resource with garden plans, nursery finder, and climate-resilient landscaping guides), the Certified Native Habitat program, Seeds for Education Grant program, Wild for Monarchs program, and a Photo Contest. The organization also maintains over 100+ local chapters across the US, offers webinars, and operates a merchandise store. Wild Ones does not appear to offer a technology platform, SaaS product, or API-based services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wild Ones Annual Membership Paid annual membership tier (with individual, family, and student/low-income categories) that delivers the quarterly digital Wild Ones Journal, access to member benefits, and connection to the national chapter network. Targeted at homeowners, gardeners, and native plant enthusiasts.
• Wild Ones Journal

Quantifiable outcome

• Certified Native Habitat program with vision of 5,000 gardens contributing to biodiversity goals

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pollinator Partnership (Bee Friendly)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1977, Wild Ones partners with industry organizations and businesses for mutual advocacy and mission support. Pollinator Partnership works on bee-friendly initiatives.
• Quiet CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on promoting native landscaping practices and reducing noise/environmental impact in communities.
• Michigan AuduboncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Michigan Audubon on bird-friendly native plant initiatives and habitat restoration.
• Plant Baby PlantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting native plant education and early childhood engagement with nature.
• North American Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership focused on land conservation and native plant habitat restoration efforts.
• Texan by NatureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas-focused conservation partnership promoting native plants and natural landscapes in Texas.
• Monarch Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership dedicated to monarch butterfly conservation through native plant habitat restoration.
• Homegrown National ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Homegrown National Park initiative focused on native plant landscaping to support biodiversity.
• 2/3 for the BirdsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBird conservation partnership promoting native plants that support avian wildlife.
• Nurture NativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting native plant education and community engagement.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Wildlife Federation: Major conservation nonprofit with Certified Wildlife Habitat program analogous to Wild Ones' CNHP; much larger scale and broader portfolio, but directly competes for residential habitat donors and members.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit with biodiversity programs; overlaps with Wild Ones' biodiversity and habitat mission but operates at vastly greater scale and a more land-acquisition-oriented model.
• Audubon Society: Large conservation nonprofit with bird-focused native plant advocacy and Plants for Birds program; directly comparable bird-and-native-plant cause area but with broader conservation mandate.
• Arbor Day Foundation: Tree-focused nonprofit with large membership base and community planting programs; comparable member-based nonprofit model and overlapping tree/native plant educational mission.

Direct peers

• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Nonprofit dedicated to invertebrate conservation, particularly pollinators, with overlapping mission in native plant advocacy, habitat certification, and education — directly comparable cause area and audience.
• Native Plant Trust: Regional nonprofit operating garden in the wild and native plant conservation programs in New England; closely aligned mission and runs comparable educational programming.
• Pollinator Partnership: Nonprofit focused on pollinator health through habitat creation; runs Bee Friendly certification and works with native plants — already a Wild Ones Core partner and a directly comparable mission-driven nonprofit.
• Monarch Joint Venture: Partnership dedicated to monarch butterfly conservation through native milkweed and habitat planting; shares Wild Ones' monarch program and habitat certification logic with a more species-specific lens.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Research and education organization promoting native plants and sustainable landscapes; comparable mission, comparable educational content library, and comparable native plant resource offerings.
• Homegrown National Park: Doug Tallamy's movement promoting homeowner native landscaping for biodiversity; competes for the same residential native plant audience and is a current Wild Ones partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wildonesnativeplants

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 Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes