What Cape Cod Conservation District does

The Cape Cod Conservation District is a non-profit conservation organization founded in 1947 and headquartered in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, that coordinates water resource and coastal restoration projects across the 15 municipalities of Cape Cod's Barnstable County. The District's core program is the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project (CCWRP), a federally authorized watershed restoration initiative developed jointly with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and approved by Congress in 2006. The CCWRP identifies and prioritizes 76 restoration sites across Cape Cod — including stormwater discharge sites, tidal-restricted salt marshes, and fish passage projects — targeting improvements to 7,300 acres of shellfish beds, 1,500 acres of degraded salt marsh, and 4,200 acres of spawning habitat.

The District functions as a project coordinator and intermediary between federal agencies, state authorities, local municipalities, and Cape Cod Indigenous Tribes. Its technology footprint is limited to ArcGIS-based mapping tools (StoryMaps and web app viewers) used for project visualization and public engagement. The District does not sell products or services; instead, it secures federal and state grant funding — including $10 million in FY17 and $42.5 million in 2022 from NRCS — to implement restoration projects. Major active projects include the Herring River Restoration in Wellfleet, the Bayview Bogs Wetlands Restoration in West Yarmouth, and the Coonamessett River Restoration in Falmouth. Leadership consists of a volunteer Board (chaired by Mark Forest) and a small professional staff led by Program Manager Martha Craig, who was hired in 2023 to direct the expanded CCWRP program.

Name

Cape Cod Conservation District

Legal name

Cape Cod Conservation District

Website

https://capecodcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cape Cod Conservation District is a non-profit conservation organization founded in 1947 that coordinates coastal and water resource restoration projects across Cape Cod's 15 municipalities, funded primarily through federal NRCS grants and state appropriations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Restoration Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Watershed restoration services
• Coastal habitat restoration
• Salt marsh restoration
• Fish passage projects
• Conservation district programs

Headquarters

HQ city

West Yarmouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Federal NRCS Funding: The Cape Cod Conservation District receives federal funding through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program. Major funding includes $42.5 million approved for the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project (CCWRP) to restore shell-fishing areas, revitalize salt marshes, and restore herring runs across Cape Cod.
2. State Funding: The District receives state funding through the Massachusetts Department of Ecological Restoration for priority restoration projects such as the Bayview Cranberry Bogs wetlands restoration.
3. Federal Appropriations: Prior federal appropriations included $10 million in FY17 funds for Phase II of the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project, assisting Cape communities with planning, design, and construction of coastal restoration projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Cape Cod Conservation District coordinates and implements water resource and coastal restoration projects across Cape Cod, with the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project (CCWRP) as its central program. Services include salt marsh restoration, herring run and fishway construction, stormwater discharge remediation, shellfish bed water quality improvement, and wetlands restoration planning, delivered in partnership with federal NRCS, state agencies, the 15 Barnstable County towns, and Cape Cod Indigenous tribes.

Product overview

Cape Cod Conservation District operates as a conservation organization offering environmental restoration services, primarily structured around the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project (CCWRP) as its core initiative. The CCWRP is a collaborative program with the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that encompasses multiple sub-projects including the Herring River Restoration Project in Wellfleet, Bayview Bogs Wetlands Restoration, and Coonamessett River Restoration. These projects collectively aim to restore coastal wetlands, improve water quality, revitalize salt marshes, and restore fish habitat across Cape Cod. The organization functions as a project coordinator, working with local towns, indigenous tribes, and government agencies to identify, evaluate, and implement restoration priorities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project (CCWRP) A comprehensive watershed restoration program developed jointly with the federal NRCS to restore shell-fishing areas, revitalize degraded salt marshes, and restore herring runs and fishways across all 15 Cape Cod towns. It identifies and coordinates work at 76 sites including stormwater discharge sites, tidal-restricted salt marshes, and fish passage projects, with planned outcomes of 7,300 acres of shellfish bed water quality improvement, 1,500 acres of restored salt marsh, and 4,200 acres of improved fish spawning habitat.
• Herring River Restoration Project A major tidal restoration initiative in Wellfleet, MA that increases tidal influence in the Herring River estuary to improve water quality in Wellfleet Harbor, benefiting shellfish aquaculture operations. The project includes sediment transport dynamics studies, oyster spat settlement monitoring, and construction of fishways to restore anadromous fish access.
• Bayview Bogs Wetlands Restoration Project A wetlands restoration initiative for the Bayview Cranberry Bogs in West Yarmouth, MA, designated as a Priority Project by the Massachusetts Department of Ecological Restoration. The project converts former cranberry cultivation land into restored wetland habitat as part of the District's broader water resource restoration portfolio.
• Coonamessett River Restoration A multi-phase river restoration project in Falmouth, MA, implemented in partnership with the Town of Falmouth and various federal, state, regional, and local partners. It is one of the 16 individual projects being funded under the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,300 acres of shellfish beds with improved water quality
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Center for Coastal Studies (Department of Marine Geology)supportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025The Cape Cod Conservation District contracted the Center for Coastal Studies to undertake a baseline study on sediment transport dynamics and monitoring protocol for the Herring River Restoration Project in Wellfleet, including creation of a pre-construction seamless onshore/offshore map.
• Cape Cod Indigenous TribescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The Conservation District works with indigenous tribes on Cape Cod to identify priorities and take action on coastal restoration. Tribes participate in project evaluation and provide guidance on restoration priorities that affect tribal resources.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2022The NRCS is the primary federal partner for the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project (CCWRP). The NRCS serves as the primary technical adviser providing engineering and environmental expertise and science-based technology for watershed restoration. The NRCS approved $42.5 million in funding for coastal restoration projects and previously invested $10 million in FY17 funds.
• Massachusetts Department of Ecological RestorationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2021The Massachusetts Department of Ecological Restoration approved the Cape Cod Conservation District's application for assistance to develop a comprehensive restoration plan for the Bayview Cranberry Bogs in West Yarmouth and designated the bog restoration initiative as a 'Priority Project'.
• Town of FalmouthsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Town of Falmouth partnered with the Conservation District on Phase 2 of the Coonamessett River Restoration, one of 16 individual projects being funded in part by the CCWRP.
• Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (Massachusetts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017State-level project sponsor for the Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project, providing coordination with Massachusetts environmental policy and funding frameworks.
• Barnstable County Coastal Resource SubcommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The 15-town member subcommittee provides guidance to the District on restoration project priorities, helping evaluate and prioritize projects that improve shellfish, fisheries, marsh habitat, and have strong community impact.
• Barnstable County CommissionerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Barnstable County Commissioners are project sponsors alongside the Conservation District and all 15 Cape Cod towns, providing regional governance support for coastal restoration initiatives.
• All 15 Cape Cod TownscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006All 15 Cape Cod municipalities are project sponsors for the CCWRP and collaborate with the District on restoration projects that affect their communities, bringing projects to the District's attention for evaluation and implementation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts' oldest and largest land conservation nonprofit, managing coastal reservations and engaging in coastal resilience work. Comparable as an established Massachusetts conservation organization with overlapping coastal habitat priorities but with a much larger property-holding portfolio.
• Mass Audubon: Massachusetts' largest nature conservation nonprofit, operating sanctuaries and engaging in habitat protection across the state. Comparable as a larger, established Massachusetts environmental nonprofit but with a broader land/wildlife portfolio beyond the District's water-focused restoration niche.
• The Nature Conservancy - Massachusetts: Major global conservation organization with significant Massachusetts coastal and marine programs, including shellfish reef and salt marsh restoration. Comparable as a larger conservation player working on overlapping coastal restoration themes but with a much broader portfolio and global footprint.

Direct peers

• Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC): Cape Cod's principal regional environmental nonprofit focused on water quality monitoring, climate change, and coastal restoration. Highly comparable to the District in geography, water-quality mission, and stakeholder base across the 15 Cape Cod towns.
• Buzzards Bay Coalition: A coastal restoration and clean-water nonprofit focused on Buzzards Bay, immediately adjacent to Cape Cod. Directly comparable as a regional coastal restoration organization working on nitrogen reduction, stormwater, and shellfish habitat with similar funding models and stakeholder structures.
• Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve: A federal/state estuarine research reserve on Cape Cod focused on coastal water quality, nitrogen loading, and salt marsh ecology. Comparable in geographic focus on Cape Cod coastal ecosystems and overlapping scientific mission with the District's watershed restoration work.
• Massachusetts Association of Conservation Districts: The state-level umbrella organization for Massachusetts conservation districts, of which Cape Cod Conservation District is a member. Provides the most direct institutional peer comparison as a coordinating body for conservation districts across the Commonwealth.

Others

• Massachusetts Department of Ecological Restoration: The Massachusetts state agency that designated Bayview Bogs as a Priority Project and has co-funded District restoration work. Functions as an enabling/state-level partner rather than a direct peer, but is central to the District's funding and project pipeline.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): The federal agency that is the District's primary funder, technical adviser, and de facto parent organization in the conservation district system. Not a peer in a competitive sense but is the essential enabling partner that authorizes and funds the District's program.

Regional players

• Save the Sound: A Long Island Sound-focused clean water and coastal habitat organization based in Connecticut/New York. Comparable in mission (coastal water quality, habitat restoration, stormwater) but operating in a different geography rather than directly competing on Cape Cod projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape-cod-conservation-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Cape Cod Conservation District