door county land trust

What door county land trust does

Door County Land Trust is a Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit land conservation organization founded in 1986 to permanently protect Door County's exceptional lands and waters. It maintains 15 nature preserves totaling more than 10,600 acres of forests, wetlands, shorelines and farmlands, all open to the public free of charge from dawn to dusk, and it supports an additional portfolio of private conservation easements (including a 305-acre agreement with Lawrence University's Björklunden property). The Trust operates three primary land-protection mechanisms: conservation easements that legally restrict development while landowners retain ownership, land donations and bargain sales, and fee-simple acquisitions funded through philanthropy.

The organization's revenue model is a member- and donor-supported nonprofit stack spanning individual and business memberships (Bronze $350+ to Platinum $5,000+ tiers), one-time and recurring gifts, planned giving through a 109+ member Legacy Circle, gifts of stock, charitable gift annuities (minimum $10,000), event tickets, and grants. Major revenue drivers include a 24,000-household quarterly Landings journal, a 10,000+ subscriber email list, a 4,500-supporter annual report, and a 36+ business member sponsorship program. Land acquisition is supported by capital campaigns (a $750,000 campaign for a proposed 338-acre 16th preserve is active in 2026) and federal/regional funding partnerships with WDNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Ducks Unlimited.

The team comprises 20 professional staff supported by 150+ active volunteers and a volunteer board led since January 2026 by President Deb Hagman-Shannon and Vice President Mark Holey; Emily Wood serves as Executive Director. The organization is accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission (since 2016, renewed 2021, with renewal pending 2026), placing it within a national network of accredited land trusts that together have conserved more than 56 million acres. All activities are geographically constrained to Door County, Wisconsin, including the mainland peninsula and Washington Island.

Name

door county land trust

Legal name

Door County Land Trust

Website

https://doorcountylandtrust.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Door County Land Trust is a Wisconsin 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 that permanently protects Door County lands and waters by owning 15 public nature preserves totaling 10,600+ acres and holding conservation easements on private property, funded primarily through member donations, business sponsorships, planned giving and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Recreation, Ecotourism & Access Rights (Hunting, Fishing, Camping) (AFAMAMAD)

Keywords

• Land conservation
• Conservation easements
• Nature preserves
• Land stewardship
• Nonprofit land trust

Headquarters

HQ city

Sturgeon Bay

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership program with various levels including business memberships at Bronze ($350+), Silver ($1,000+), Gold ($2,500+), and Platinum ($5,000+) tiers. Members receive recognition and support conservation work.
2. Land Donations: Landowners donate ecologically significant property to be protected forever and open to the public. Donors receive potential tax deductions.
3. Bargain Sales: Property owners sell land for less than appraised value, receiving cash while avoiding some capital gains and qualifying for charitable deduction on the difference.
4. Planned Giving/Legacy Gifts: Bequests in wills, retirement account beneficiaries, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and other estate planning vehicles. Legacy Circle with 109+ members.
5. Gifts of Stock: Transfer of stock shares to Door County Land Trust for tax-efficient giving through appreciated securities. Federal Tax ID 39-1561423.
6. Land Purchases at Fair Market Value: Direct acquisition of properties identified as conservation priorities at full appraised value.
7. Event Tickets and Donations: Annual Gathering 2026 tickets priced at $55 per adult, $25 per child under 17, with optional conservation gifts.
8. Special Donations: Additional gifts beyond membership, including one-time, monthly, or quarterly giving options with optional 3% fee coverage to offset processing costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Door County Land Trust permanently protects Door County's natural lands and waters through 15 nature preserves totaling 10,600+ acres that are open free to the public, conservation easements held on private property, and fee-simple land acquisitions via donations, bargain sales, and fair-market purchases. The organization supports these conservation activities through individual and business memberships, planned giving programs, grants, and educational events and programs.

Product overview

Door County Land Trust operates as a unified conservation services platform centered on land protection. The core offering is a portfolio of 15 nature preserves (totaling 10,600+ acres) providing free public access for hiking and low-impact recreation. Supporting this are three primary land protection mechanisms: fee-simple preserve ownership, conservation easements with private landowners, and land donation acceptance. The organization supplements with educational programs (guided hikes, citizen science), publications (Landings newsletter, annual reports), membership tiers (individual and business), planned giving options (Legacy Circle), and a gift shop. All preserves are free and open dawn to dusk.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nature Preserves DCLT maintains 15 nature preserves totaling over 10,600 acres of permanently protected forests, wetlands, shorelines, and farmlands across Door County, Wisconsin, open to the public for hiking and low-impact recreational activities free of charge.
• Conservation Easements Legal agreements that limit future development on private property while landowners retain ownership, allowing them to live on, farm, sell, or pass land to heirs while ensuring permanent conservation protection.
• Land Donations Program accepting donations of ecologically significant property to be permanently protected and opened to the public, with potential tax deductions available to donors.
• Events & Programs Educational and community programs including guided hikes, family nature adventures, citizen science initiatives (Bumble Bee Brigade, Pollinator Observation Days), and the Annual Gathering celebration.
• Business Membership Program Tiered sponsorship program (Platinum $5,000+, Gold $2,500-$4,999, Silver $1,000-$2,499, Bronze $350-$999) offering logo placement in publications, on hiking maps, and at events for local Door County businesses.
• Legacy Giving Planned giving program including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, retirement account beneficiary designations, and real estate donations through the Legacy Circle.
• Gift Shop Online merchandise store offering DCLT-branded items including apparel and accessories supporting land conservation.
• Hunting Program Program managing hunting access on select preserves during designated seasons, with safety guidelines including blaze orange requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,600+ acres permanently protected since 1986
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lawrence University / BjörklundencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2016Conservation easement agreement protecting 305 acres (70% of the Björklunden property) from future development in perpetuity. The partnership preserves boreal forest, migratory bird habitat, wildlife habitat, and over half a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline. Represents 10% of DCLT's total conservation easement acreage and includes the most shoreline of any conservation easement. Björklunden has been used for Lawrence University adult seminars since 1980.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing conservation partner that collaborated on creating conservation priority maps and agreeing on collective goals for Door County. Previously worked together on land acquisition at Kangaroo Lake Nature Preserve. Joint stewardship efforts through Door Stewardship Alliance.
• The Ridges SanctuarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partner collaborating on conservation priorities and protecting Door County's natural areas.
• Crossroads at Big CreekminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization collaborating on conservation efforts in Door County.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner collaborating on conservation priorities and land protection strategies. WDNR manages 350 acres of Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area near DCLT's Washington Island acquisitions.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal conservation partner collaborating on conservation priorities and habitat protection for endangered species like the Hine's emerald dragonfly.
• Great Lakes Restoration InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal program providing funding and support for conservation projects protecting Great Lakes ecosystems in Door County.
• Local Townships and MunicipalitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partners collaborating on conservation priorities and land protection in Door County communities.
• The ClearingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Door County's conservation network.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Inland Northwest Land Trust: Regional land trust in Spokane, Washington where DCLT Senior Conservation Easement Manager Drew Reinke previously worked. Operates the same model with conservation easement stewardship, preserve management, and member-supported structure.
• Mississippi Valley Conservancy: Regional Wisconsin land trust protecting bluffs, prairies, and cold-water streams in the Driftless area. Operates the same model with accredited status, easement portfolio, and member-based fundraising structure comparable to DCLT.
• The Ridges Sanctuary: Door County-based land conservation organization protecting unique habitats including the highest-quality boreal forest in Wisconsin. Shares the same geography, same donor base, and same conservation partners, with overlapping staff (Brian Forest previously worked at Ridges).
• Bayfield Regional Conservancy: A regional Wisconsin land trust protecting lands in Bayfield and Ashland counties along Lake Superior. Operates the same conservation easement/preserve model with comparable scale, accreditation status, and Wisconsin Great Lakes focus.
• Ozaukee Washington Land Trust: Accredited Wisconsin land trust protecting natural areas in Ozaukee and Washington counties along Lake Michigan. Similar-sized organization with comparable urban-edge conservation easement/preserve portfolio and member-supported model.

Emerging players

• Ducks Unlimited: National wetland conservation organization providing grant funding that partially financed DCLT's Washington Island marsh acquisition. Operates in an adjacent niche (wetland-focused) and is a financial partner rather than direct acreage competitor.

Broad incumbents

• The Nature Conservancy: The largest global conservation nonprofit, operating across the U.S. including Wisconsin. DCLT explicitly partners with TNC on conservation priority mapping and joint stewardship (Kangaroo Lake preserve, Door Stewardship Alliance), making it both a partner and the dominant incumbent in the same space.
• National Wildlife Federation: National wildlife conservation organization where DCLT's Executive Director Emily Wood previously served as affiliate executive director. Operates at broader scale with advocacy and education alongside conservation land work.
• The Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts-based nonprofit land conservation organization operating 120+ properties. Larger and older (founded 1891) than DCLT but with the same combination of fee-simple preserves, public access, and member-supported nonprofit model.

Others

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: State government agency managing public natural areas including the Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area near DCLT's Washington Island acquisitions. Functions as both partner and adjacent public-sector steward of conservation lands in Wisconsin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/414832775218316
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/door-county-land-trust

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 door county land trust