Natural Community Services

What Natural Community Services does

Natural Community Services (NCS) is a privately held ecological restoration firm headquartered in Northville, Michigan, founded in 2009 by John DeLisle, a former government entomologist with 25+ years in the field, and led today by Liz DeLisle as CEO and Owner. The firm operates as an SBA-certified woman-owned small business from offices in Northville and West Bloomfield, with a total staff of approximately 30 (9 leadership, 11 permanent, up to 10 seasonal). NCS serves homeowners, HOAs, municipalities, public agencies, non-profits, and commercial land managers across southeast Michigan and a wider 15-county Michigan footprint.

NCS offers an integrated suite of consulting, design-build, and implementation services centered on invasive species control and native landscape restoration. Core service lines include ecological consulting (GIS/drone surveys, biological assessments, wetland and aquatic ecosystem services, green stormwater infrastructure, forestry and arboriculture, and natural resources planning), native landscape design (rain gardens, butterfly gardens, bioswales, bioretention, green stormwater infrastructure, LEED projects), and ecological restoration implementation (buckthorn, honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose, and Phragmites control) using the proprietary UMN Cover-It-Up methodology paired with phenology-based timing. Field operations are supported by sub-meter GPS, drone survey, RTK GPS, GIS mapping, and CAD landscape architectural drafting, and the firm holds multi-state herbicide applicator licensing (MI, IN, OH), CERP, ISA Certified Arborists, certified foresters, and MI Natural Shoreline Professionals credentials.

NCS generates revenue through project-based professional services priced via quote and project-specific estimates, with pay-as-you-go billing. Pricing tiers include a 20% Winter Discount Program across site assessment, grants, forestry consulting, native landscape design, live staking/bioengineering, native seed sowing, Phragmites brush-hogging, and woody invasive control, plus a Buckthorn Referral Program offering up to 20% off for neighbor referrals. Unit-priced offerings include live stakes and plugs at $4-6 each and native prairie seed installation at $1-3K per acre. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining enterprise field sales for government and municipal contracts with inside sales via phone and email for residential and HOA customers; marketing channels include the company website, Pinterest, Houzz, Facebook, LinkedIn, technical advisory committee participation, and structured referral and seasonal discount programs.

Name

Natural Community Services

Legal name

Natural Community Services, LLC

Website

https://naturalcommunityservices.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Natural Community Services is a Southeast Michigan-based ecological restoration firm providing invasive species control, native landscape design, biological assessment, and green stormwater infrastructure services to homeowners, HOAs, municipalities, non-profits, and commercial land managers across 15 Michigan counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecological Restoration Services

NAICS

Landscape Architectural Services (541320), Landscaping Services (561730)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Ecological Restoration Planning & Monitoring (Habitat, Wetland, Stream) (EUAHAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Invasive Species & Vegetation Management (Woody Plants) (HSAIADAI), Conservation, Restoration & Biodiversity Services (Habitat, Wetlands, Riparian) (IMAMAJAH), Native & Pollinator Garden Design/Install (HSAIABAG), Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Native, Pollinator & Drought-Tolerant Garden Installations (HSAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Ecological restoration services
• Invasive species control
• Native landscape design
• Habitat restoration consulting
• Green stormwater infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Northville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ecological Consulting Services: Professional consulting services including GIS/drone survey, wetland services, regulatory consulting, soil surveys, biological assessments, forestry, water resources monitoring, and educational outreach. Project-based professional services.
2. Native Landscape Design Services: Design services for native landscapes, rain gardens, butterfly gardens, green stormwater infrastructure, bioretention, erosion control, bioengineering, and wetland mitigation. Custom landscape architecture and design-build services.
3. Ecological Restoration Implementation: Implementation of invasive species control, biomass removal, erosion control, natural area management, wildlife habitat structures, and restoration planting. Full-scope restoration services from concept to maintenance.
4. Maintenance and Stewardship Services: Ongoing stewardship services including monitoring, mowing, prescribed fires, hand-pulling weeds, and biological control. Performance-based maintenance plans to meet success criteria.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Natural Community Services provides ecological consulting, habitat restoration, invasive species control (buckthorn, honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose, Phragmites), native landscape design and design-build, green stormwater infrastructure, forestry and arboriculture, wetland and aquatic ecosystem services, and long-term stewardship across Southeast Michigan. Services span surveying and biological assessment, regulatory permitting, native plant installation, and ongoing maintenance delivered by in-house crews.

Product overview

Natural Community Services (NCS) is an ecological restoration firm offering an integrated suite of consulting, design, and implementation services for ecosystems across Southeast Michigan. The company's portfolio centers on invasive species control and removal (with expertise in buckthorn, honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose, and Phragmites), native landscape design (rain gardens, butterfly gardens, prairie restorations), ecological restoration, green stormwater infrastructure, and natural resources planning. Services include ecological and biological assessment, wetland and aquatic ecosystem consulting, forestry and arboriculture, site survey and measurement, and erosion control. NCS operates a Winter Discount Program offering 20% off various services, and a Buckthorn Referral Program providing neighbor referral discounts. The company serves homeowners, HOAs, municipalities, non-profits, and commercial land managers across Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston, Genesee, and Monroe counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ecological Consulting Services Provides geospatial and statistical consulting, wildlife habitat assessment, water resources and wetlands consulting, soil science and permitting, arboricultural and forestry consulting, invasive species management planning, construction documentation, and ecological and water quality monitoring for public agencies, non-profits, HOAs, and private land managers.
• Biological Assessment Offers vegetation inventory and assessment, wildlife assessment (avian, herpetofauna, mammal, fish, macroinvertebrates), forest management and arboricultural consulting, and aquatic habitat surveys following USFWS protocols for environmental review and permitting needs.
• Wetland & Aquatic Ecosystems Provides wetland determination, delineation, permits, mitigation plans, and wetland banking; stream mitigation and restoration; water quality and soil science services including SESC plans and GPS data collection for projects requiring wetland and aquatic resource work.
• Green Stormwater Infrastructure Offers NPDES permit administration, green infrastructure BMP controls, bioretention soil and hydrology evaluation, NEPA biological assessments, SESC measures, and stormwater management plans for municipalities and developers needing MS4 compliance and stormwater solutions.
• Forestry & Arboriculture Provides forest stand management, timber sales, forest health assessment, tree surveys, preservation, and arboricultural consulting with ISA Certified Arborists and consulting foresters available for urban forest and pre-development tree surveys.
• Natural Resources Planning Offers forest stewardship and invasive species management plans, GI/habitat restoration master plans, ecological restoration concept plans, greenway and natural areas planning, geospatial mapping, and public outreach services for public agencies and large land managers.
• Site Survey & Measurement Provides GPS-based site survey, native plants and wildlife inventory, soil and hydrology assessment for conceptual design and ecosystem monitoring using sub-meter GPS units to support ecological restoration design.
• Native Landscape Design Offers custom native landscape designs including rain gardens, butterfly gardens, permaculture, green stormwater infrastructure, bioretention, bioengineering, interpretive signage, wetland mitigation, and LEED sustainability projects using Michigan native plants.
• Invasive Species Control & Ecological Restoration Provides woody invasive species control (buckthorn, honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose, Phragmites), erosion control, shoreline and streambank stabilization, wildlife habitat structures, and biological control using the UMN Cover-It-Up methodology for long-term landscape-level restoration results.
• Green Infrastructure: Native Plants & Rain Gardens Delivers green infrastructure solutions using native plants in rain gardens, bioswales, natural shorelines, and native buffer installations for stormwater management, wildlife habitat, and erosion control.
• Residential Native Landscapes & HOA Services Provides homeowners and HOAs with design-build native landscaping, invasive species control, rain gardens, butterfly gardens, backyard prairies, woodland shade gardens, and seasonal maintenance services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Native plants established with decreasing invasive species over multi-year stewardship
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Detroit Future CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCS serves on green infrastructure technical advisory committees as experts in bioretention design-build for Detroit Future City, contributing to strategic urban planning initiatives in Detroit.
• The Greening of DetroitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCS co-authored native landscape maintenance best practices with The Greening of Detroit and serves on their green infrastructure technical advisory committee for bioretention design-build projects.
• The Nature ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNick Longbucco, Senior Ecologist, spent six years working on conservation issues with The Nature Conservancy, managing a million dollar plus wetland restoration program and working with watershed and supply-chain partners.
• CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNCS assists CISMAs and community leaders in controlling invasive species in southeast Michigan, supporting regional invasive species management efforts.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global engineering, environmental services, and ecological restoration consultancy offering wetland delineation, permitting, and restoration design. Comparable to NCS in ecological consulting and wetland work, but operates as a broad incumbent across many disciplines.
• TRC Companies: National environmental consulting and engineering firm with practices in ecological restoration, permitting, and stormwater. Comparable to NCS in environmental consulting and green infrastructure work, but at materially greater scale and as one offering among many.
• SavATree: National tree care and plant health care firm that has expanded into ecological consulting, invasive management, and native landscape services. Comparable to NCS in arboriculture and invasive control, but with broader geographic reach and a primarily residential customer base.
• Davey Resource Group (Davey Tree Expert Co.): Large national tree care, forestry, and environmental services firm with ecological consulting and utility vegetation management offerings. Comparable to NCS in forestry and invasive control services but operates at far greater scale across residential, utility, and government customers.

Direct peers

• Applied Ecological Services: Midwest-based ecological restoration firm offering consulting, design, native seeding, and invasive species management services. Highly comparable to NCS in service mix, customer type, and geographic profile across the Upper Midwest.
• Biohabitats: Ecological restoration, regenerative design, and conservation planning firm with deep experience in wetlands, streams, and native landscape design. Comparable to NCS in methodology and institutional customer base, though larger in scale and geographic reach.
• Resource Environmental Solutions (RES): National ecological restoration and mitigation firm delivering wetland, stream, and habitat restoration at scale. Comparable to NCS in core restoration offerings and public-sector orientation, though materially larger and project-financed.
• Heartland Restoration Services: Regional ecological restoration contractor in the Midwest focused on invasive species control, native seeding, prairie restoration, and prescribed fire. Closely comparable to NCS in service scope, customer type, and operational scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NaturalCommunityServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/naturalcommunityservices
• Pinterestpinterest.com/naturcommunserv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Natural Community Services