Tule Basin Land And Water Conservation Trust

What Tule Basin Land And Water Conservation Trust does

Tule Basin Land And Water Conservation Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust headquartered in Tulare, California, founded in 2019. Its mission is to protect farmland, preserve the agricultural economy, and provide natural resource management solutions in the Tule Subbasin of California's southern San Joaquin Valley. The organization works at the intersection of conservation and water regulation, helping farmers and landowners navigate compliance with California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which is projected to force 500,000 to 1 million acres of San Joaquin Valley farmland out of production by 2040 and has already driven per-acre land-value declines of $8,000 to $50,000 over the past 11 years.

The trust's core offering is a Conservation Easement Service that guides landowners through a 5-question decision tree before initiating a 6-month-to-2-year easement implementation process. Beyond easements, it produces an educational resource portfolio including a Farm Diversification Guide, Sustainable Agriculture Presentations, a Tule Trust Brochure, and Tule Region Fact Sheets, alongside a monthly newsletter cadence and seminars at the World Ag Expo (which draws over 100,000 visitors from more than 80 countries). The trust also curates SGMA regulatory resources, linking to updated Groundwater Sustainability Plans from nine partner irrigation districts and GSAs across the Tule Subbasin.

Its business model is donation- and membership-based, with no commercial pricing; revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization operates with 1–10 employees and partners with established conservation and water institutions including the Nature Conservancy, Friant Water Authority, Sequoia Riverlands Trust, California Water Institute at Fresno State, Great Valley Farm Water Partnership, and Earth Science Labs. Technology footprint is limited to a Squarespace-hosted website with no proprietary platform, API, or AI capabilities.

Name

Tule Basin Land And Water Conservation Trust

Legal name

Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust

Website

https://tuletrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tule Basin Land And Water Conservation Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust based in Tulare, California, serving farmers and landowners in the Tule Subbasin through conservation easements, SGMA compliance resources, and farmland protection programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116)

akta.pro primary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Land conservation services
• Farmland preservation
• Conservation easements
• Groundwater sustainability
• Agricultural land trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulare

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership Contributions: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on donations from individuals and organizations to support its mission of protecting farmland and managing natural resources in the Tule Basin region.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust that helps farmers and agricultural landowners in California's Tule Subbasin protect farmland through conservation easement agreements and supports groundwater sustainability under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The organization guides landowners through a 5-question decision tree, manages the multi-year easement process (typically 6 months to 2 years), and provides educational resources including farm diversification guides, SGMA background materials, and sustainability presentations.

Product overview

Tule Basin Land & Water Conservation Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a land trust rather than a technology company. The organization offers a portfolio of conservation services and educational resources centered on protecting farmland, preserving the agricultural economy, and supporting groundwater sustainability in the Tule Subbasin of California's Southern San Joaquin Valley. Core offerings include Conservation Easement Services (guiding landowners through a decision process and multi-year easement implementation), along with educational resources such as the SGMA Background Information and Resources, Farm Diversification Guide, and Sustainable Agriculture Presentations. The trust also publishes monthly newsletters and manages donation processing for membership and one-time contributions. The product portfolio is unified under the trust's conservation mission, with resources designed to help farmers navigate SGMA compliance while maintaining viable agricultural operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conservation Easement Services A permanent agreement that limits how land can be developed, often in exchange for payment or tax benefits. The trust guides farmers through a 5-question decision tree to assess fit, and manages the easement process which typically takes 6 months to 2 years. Targeted at farmers and landowners in the Tule Subbasin and southern San Joaquin Valley.
• SGMA Background Information and Resources Fast facts and resources explaining the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), its impact on farms in the Tule Basin, and links to Groundwater Sustainability Agency plans from districts including Pixley Irrigation District, Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District, and others. Intended for farmers and stakeholders needing SGMA compliance information.
• Farm Diversification Guide A guide to assist growers in considering different land uses under SGMA restrictions to maintain economic viability as groundwater regulations are implemented. For Tule Basin farmers facing reduced groundwater pumping.
• Sustainable Agriculture Presentations Expert presentations from farmer outreach events covering grants, loans, farm management options, crop alternatives, and farmland diversification techniques. Delivered to the agricultural community in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
• Monthly Newsletters Monthly email newsletters providing updates on the trust's activities, partnerships, community engagement, and natural resource management initiatives. Distributed to subscribers across the Tule Subbasin region.
• Donation Processing Online donation capabilities accepting membership donations and one-time contributions, processed through the website to support the trust's conservation mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Conservation easements can protect farmland for generations

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Great Valley Farm Water PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leading water-related seminars at the World Ag Expo, addressing topics such as invasive golden mussels, groundwater recharge, irrigation technology, floodwater management, and conservation easements.
• Friant Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leading water-related seminars at the World Ag Expo, collaborating on water conservation topics relevant to the Tule Basin region.
• Sequoia Riverlands TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating organization in water-related seminars at the World Ag Expo, sharing expertise in conservation and land stewardship.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured in World Ag Expo seminars and credited for video footage on the organization's website. The Nature Conservancy shares conservation expertise relevant to the Tule Basin's natural resource management.
• California Water Institute at Fresno StateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leading water-related seminars at the World Ag Expo, bringing academic water management expertise to farmer outreach efforts.
• Pixley Irrigation DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2025 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page, helping farmers access regulatory compliance information.
• Delano-Earlimart Irrigation DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2025 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Tea Pot Dome Water DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2025 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Alpaugh Irrigation DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2023 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Vandalia Water DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2025 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Tri County Water AuthoritycoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2019 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Saucelito Irrigation DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2025 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Lower Tule Irrigation DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2019 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Eastern Tule Irrigation DistrictcoreOthersListed as a resource partner with a 2024 Updated Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• California State Water Control Resources BoardminorOthersListed as a resource partner providing guides and background information on SGMA on the organization's SGMA Overview page.
• Candor WellsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite design partner credited on the organization's Credits page.
• Dairy CaresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredited for content/video contributions on the organization's Credits page.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy (California): A large global conservation organization with deep California programs. It runs farmland and habitat protection initiatives that overlap with Tule Trust's mission, and is already a co-seminar partner, but operates at vastly greater scale and geographic scope.
• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit focused on farmland protection, agricultural policy, and farmer outreach. Directly comparable mission around protecting working farmland from development, with overlapping SGMA-adjacent policy work in California.

Direct peers

• River Partners: California-focused nonprofit restoring riverine and agricultural habitat through large-scale revegetation and conservation projects. Overlaps with Tule Trust on habitat restoration, multi-stakeholder partnerships with irrigation districts, and water-driven land management.
• Sierra Foothill Conservancy: A regional California land trust focused on conservation easements, working lands, and habitat in the Sierra foothills and eastern San Joaquin Valley. Highly comparable operating model — small staff, easement-driven, donor-funded — for adjacent foothill geography.
• Sequoia Riverlands Trust: A regional California land trust covering the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra foothills, with overlapping conservation-easement programs and a co-marketing relationship at the World Ag Expo. It is the closest comparable peer in mission, geography, and operating model.
• Great Valley Farm Water Partnership: A coalition of California agricultural organizations working on water policy and groundwater sustainability. It is a current co-seminar partner of Tule Trust and pursues directly overlapping SGMA / farmland-water objectives with similar farmer-audience outreach.

Others

• Land Trust Alliance: National membership association representing 1,000+ land trusts across the U.S. Provides accreditation, policy advocacy, and capacity-building — not a direct competitor, but the primary ecosystem / standards body under which Tule Trust operates and benchmarks.

Regional players

• Friant Water Authority: A joint-powers authority representing water districts delivering Friant-Kern Division water in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Co-leads World Ag Expo seminars with Tule Trust and is a key stakeholder on SGMA implementation affecting the same farmers.

Emerging players

• Dairy Cares: A California dairy-industry sustainability coalition focused on environmental stewardship in dairy operations. Currently credited by Tule Trust for content contributions; addresses overlapping sustainability, water, and land-use topics with a different industry lens.
• California Waterfowl Association: A California conservation nonprofit focused on wetlands, waterfowl habitat, and working-lands programs in the Central Valley. Overlaps with Tule Trust on habitat restoration and partnerships with irrigation districts, though its habitat focus is narrower.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TuleTrust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Tule Basin Land And Water Conservation Trust