Friends Of North Creek Forest

What Friends Of North Creek Forest does

Friends of North Creek Forest (FNCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that maintains and improves the ecological function of North Creek Forest, a 64-acre urban forest preserve in Bothell, Washington, encompassing 9 wetlands and 7 streams that filter water and protect habitat for endangered salmon. The organization delivers environmental education, stewardship, and conservation programs including K-12 NGSS-aligned field trips, guided Forest Bathing (Shinrin Yoku) and Forest Yoga sessions, citizen science workshops (phenology monitoring, macroinvertebrate stream surveys, native plant identification), and birding programs. FNCF serves K-12 students (Northshore School District, LWSD Environmental & Adventure School), university students (UW Bothell, Cascadia College, UW Restoration Ecology Network), community members, and government agencies (City of Bothell, WRIA 8, King County). The underlying technology stack consists of QR-coded plant identification tags, a PlantsMap digital catalog of restoration-site plants, and a web-based platform for program delivery and donations, which together support the on-the-ground stewardship and educational mission. Revenue is generated through a mix of tax-deductible individual donations (including the recurring Forest Keepers monthly giving program), grants from government agencies and foundations (Rose Foundation, Russell Family Foundation, Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund, King County Flood Control District, WRIA 8 CWM Grant 2024), corporate sponsorships (Microsoft, AT&T, Expedia, HDR, HNTB, Peach Foundation), suggested-donation program fees ($100 per Forest Bathing group), and merchandise sales ($20 branded T-shirts). The organization operates with 1-10 employees, is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, and has accumulated 2,215 pledged volunteer hours annually, nine UW-REN student-led restoration sites, and a botanical inventory of 100+ plant species over its 13-year operating history.

Name

Friends Of North Creek Forest

Legal name

Friends of North Creek Forest

Website

https://friendsnorthcreekforest.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Friends of North Creek Forest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that stewards a 64-acre urban forest in Bothell, WA through K-12 and university environmental education, volunteer-driven restoration, citizen science, and community wellness programs funded by grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation & Stewardship

NAICS

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

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Watershed Protection & Water Quality Services (AFAMAMAB), Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Urban forest stewardship
• Volunteer conservation services
• Citizen science monitoring
• Ecological restoration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bothell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting forest conservation and restoration. Recurring monthly donations through Forest Keeper program and one-time contributions.
2. Grants: Grant funding from government agencies (WRIA 8 CWM Grant 2024, King County Flood Control District), foundations (Rose Foundation, Russell Family Foundation, Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund), and corporate sponsors (Microsoft, AT&T, Expedia).
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including T-shirts at $20 each.
4. Program Fees: Suggested donation of $100 per group for guided forest bathing experiences; free events with optional donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends of North Creek Forest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that stewards 64 acres of urban forest in Bothell, WA, delivering environmental education (K-12 NGSS-aligned field trips, guided forest bathing and yoga), community-based citizen science (phenology, macroinvertebrate surveys), and ecological restoration through student-led UW-REN partnerships. The organization operates volunteer work parties, fundraising campaigns (Forest Keepers monthly giving, #GivingTuesday), and small-scale merchandise sales to support conservation in perpetuity.

Product overview

Friends of North Creek Forest is a non-profit land stewardship organization offering a portfolio of environmental education programs, community science initiatives, and conservation services centered on 64 acres of urban forest in Bothell, WA. The core offerings include hands-on field trip programs aligned with NGSS standards for K-12 students, guided wellness experiences (Forest Bathing and Forest Yoga), and citizen science workshops. The organization partners with UW Restoration Ecology Network (UW-REN) for annual student-led restoration projects across nine designated sites. Fundraising programs include the Forest Keepers monthly giving program and annual #GivingTuesday campaign. Merchandise includes branded T-shirts. The portfolio is unified by the mission to maintain and improve ecological function through education, stewardship, and conservation in perpetuity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest Field Trips K-12 environmental education field trips aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), emphasizing Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). Maximum 40 students per visit to the 64-acre urban forest.
• Forest Bathing (Shinrin Yoku) Guided mindfulness walks based on the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, involving slow-paced sensory immersion walks in North Creek Forest. Available for small groups of 3-12 people ages 15 and older, with a suggested donation of $100 per group.
• Citizen Science Program Community science workshops including phenology monitoring (tree density, photo-point documentation), macroinvertebrate stream surveying, and native versus invasive plant identification. Features QR-coded plant tags and a photo-point contest for community participants.
• Forest Yoga Ecologically themed gentle yoga practice conducted in North Creek Forest. Open to all levels, limited to 7 participants per session, ages 16 and older. Free event with a $10 suggested donation.
• Birding Program Expert-led birdwatching exploration of North Creek Forest's bird communities led by ornithologist Woody Wheeler. Currently on pause with updates pending.
• UW-REN Restoration Sites Partnership program hosting student teams (4-8 students per team) who design and implement ecological restoration on quarter-to-third-acre parcels annually across nine restoration sites spanning 2011 to present.
• Forest Keepers Monthly Giving Program Recurring monthly donation program supporting ongoing forest conservation, restoration events, and youth education. Monthly gifts can be set up via credit card or automatic bank deduction.
• #GivingTuesday Campaign Annual global day of giving campaign held on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, supporting restoration events, youth education, and urban biodiversity preservation.
• FNCF T-Shirts Standard men's style 100% cotton T-shirts with Friends of North Creek Forest's logo printed in Navy. Available in sizes XS-XXL, priced at $20 each.
• #FNCFselfies Plant Identification Challenge Weekly native plant identification selfie challenge encouraging community members to explore North Creek Forest and photograph tagged plants to learn about local flora.
• Learning at Home Resources Curated list of environmental education resources for home learning including Project Learning Tree curriculum, Washington Trails Association family programs, TED-Ed Earth School quests, and virtual environmental experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ acres of restoration sites across 9 UW-REN sites (2011-2021)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of BothellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Bothell is the custodian of North Creek Forest land. Purchased initial 35 acres from Boy Scouts of America and additional acreage. Partners with FNCF on forest stewardship and maintenance.
• University of Washington Restoration Ecology Network (UW-REN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2011, UW-REN has matched teams of UW students with FNCF for ecological restoration projects. Students design and implement community-based restoration on quarter-to-acre parcels as capstone projects.
• University of Washington BothellcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution providing student volunteers, CBLR (Community Based Learning and Research) programs, and academic research support for forest restoration and education.
• Cascadia CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner with faculty and students engaged in forest research, internships, and service learning programs.
• Washington Native Plant SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Puget Sound Chapter provides botanical expertise, has pledged annual labor for restoration, and purchased QR code plant tags through grant funding.
• Northshore School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthshore School District passed resolution endorsing North Creek Forest conservation and education. Enables development of science programs for district students.
• HNTBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and architecture firm employees volunteered to remove invasive blackberries and restore areas of the forest.
• Whale ScoutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner focused on orca and whale research; volunteers assist with restoration and reforestation efforts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Earthwatch Institute: Citizen science and field-based environmental engagement nonprofit with comparable community science programming and educational focus. Less regionally overlapping but methodologically aligned with FNCF's photo-point and QR-tag citizen science work.
• Cascadia Environmental Science Center: Small Pacific NW environmental science nonprofit where FNCF's Vice President also serves as VP. Closely affiliated organization sharing leadership and overlapping on Puget Sound ecosystem education and research.

Broad incumbents

• Forterra: Large Pacific Northwest land conservation and stewardship nonprofit spanning land trusts, urban forests, and regional conservation across WA. Broader portfolio but overlaps with FNCF on urban forest conservation and community-based stewardship.
• The Nature Conservancy (Washington Chapter): Global conservation nonprofit with a major Washington chapter focused on forest, salmon habitat, and watershed protection. Overlaps with FNCF on watershed health, native vegetation, and salmon recovery, though at vastly greater scale and budget.

Regional players

• Washington Trails Association: Washington-state nonprofit mobilizing volunteers for trail maintenance and stewardship across public lands. Comparable volunteer-driven model, Pacific NW geography, and outdoor education mission.
• Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust: Regional forest and trail conservation trust operating along the I-90 corridor from Seattle to Ellensburg, WA. Comparable forest stewardship, education, and volunteer engagement focus across a broader geography.

Direct peers

• Nature Bridge: National nonprofit delivering residential environmental education programs for K-12 students in national parks, with mission, target audience, and NGSS-aligned curriculum closely paralleling FNCF's forest field trip offerings.
• EarthCorps: Puget Sound-based nonprofit focused on ecological restoration through crew-based volunteer programs and youth leadership — directly comparable to FNCF's UW-REN student restoration and volunteer work party model in the same region.
• Green Kirkland Partnership: Urban forest stewardship nonprofit in adjacent Kirkland, WA, operating a city-wide volunteer restoration model that closely mirrors FNCF's community work-party approach. Comparable geography, mission, and volunteer-driven operating model.
• Student Conservation Association: National nonprofit placing youth and students in conservation service projects on public lands. Comparable youth-led restoration, internship pipelines, and education-aligned stewardship model to FNCF's UW-REN program.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsnorthcreekforest
• Instagraminstagram.com/northcreekforest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-north-creek-forest

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Friends Of North Creek Forest