charlottesville area tree stewards

Name

charlottesville area tree stewards

Legal name

Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards

Website

https://charlottesvilleareatreestewards.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Forestry and Urban Tree Stewardship

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting (AFAMACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Tree Pruning & Crown Management (HSAIADAA)

Keywords

• Tree stewardship training
• Native tree sales
• Volunteer conservation
• Tree planting services
• Community forestry education

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting community education programs and field activities. Also receives grants from organizations such as the Caplin Foundation and ReLeaf Cville for specific programs like the 10th and Page neighborhood tree planting.
2. Tree Steward Training Tuition: Training program tuition of $160 covers textbooks, materials, Tree Steward carrying bag, and membership dues through end of 2027.
3. Tree Sales: Sale of native trees and shrubs to community members at $6, $10, and $15 price points. Spring 2024 sale generated $5,217 in sales from 463 trees/shrubs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards provides community tree education and volunteer stewardship centered on a 15-week Tree Steward Training Program, seasonal native tree and shrub sales at the Virginia Department of Forestry campus, volunteer-run tree planting and long-term maintenance at public spaces, guided tree walks and invasive species education, and a volunteer-operated nursery that cultivates native Piedmont species from VDOF saplings.

Product overview

Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards (CATS) is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of tree conservation services centered around its Tree Steward Training Program, seasonal Tree Sales, and community Tree Planting initiatives. The organization runs educational Tree Walks and Guided Tours at local parks, operates a volunteer nursery at the Virginia Department of Forestry, and provides community education programs on tree identification, planting, and care. The core offering is the Tree Steward Training Program—a 15-week certification course combining online training with hands-on field activities. Tree Sales provide native trees and shrubs to the community at accessible price points, while Volunteer Nursery Operations cultivate saplings for planting projects. Together, these services enable CATS to fulfill its mission of protecting and promoting local forests through community education and direct action.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tree Steward Training Program A 15-week certification program combining online training sessions with field activities that trains community members to become certified Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards. Open to prospective volunteers in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area, with $160 tuition covering textbooks, training materials, a Tree Steward carrying bag, and membership dues through 2027.
• Native Tree and Shrub Sales Seasonal sales of native trees and shrubs (shrubs at $6, small/medium trees at $10, large trees at $15) held at the Virginia Department of Forestry campus at 900 Natural Resources Drive, Charlottesville. Concentrates on native Piedmont species difficult to source from commercial nurseries, including Arrowwood Viburnum, Coralberry, Elderberry, Hazelnut, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Spicebush, Ninebark, Winterberry, American Holly, Serviceberry, Fringe Tree, Dogwood, Persimmon, Redbud, Sourwood, Bald Cypress, Catalpa, Red Maple, Oak varieties, Sycamore, and White Pine.
• Guided Tree Walks and Educational Tours Free educational guided walks led by trained Tree Stewards at local parks and natural areas, focusing on tree identification, forest ecology, and seasonal observations. Open to the general public, with events registered through Eventbrite.
• Community Tree Planting and Long-Term Maintenance Volunteer-driven tree planting at parks, schools, community buildings, and residential properties, with ongoing multi-year maintenance including weeding, mulching, pruning, and invasive plant removal to ensure tree survival and optimum growth. Targets public spaces, nonprofit sites (e.g., Ronald McDonald House), and neighborhood heat-island areas (e.g., 10th and Page).
• Community Education Programs Public-facing educational programs on tree value, native species selection, planting techniques, long-term care, invasive plant identification and management, and wildlife habitat creation. Delivered through classes, presentations, blog content, and informational resources for community members and partner organizations.
• Volunteer Tree Nursery Operations Volunteer-run tree nursery located at the Virginia Department of Forestry campus (900 Natural Resources Drive, Charlottesville), where saplings obtained from VDOF and other sources are planted and nurtured until large enough for community planting. Specializes in native Virginia Piedmont species.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• UVA APO Service FraternityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025UVA students from APO Service Fraternity (service fraternity focused on creating inclusive communities through leadership and service) joined CATS members to plant trees at Walnut Creek Park. CATS members provided expertise and assistance while educating students about tree importance.
• UVA Forestry ClubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2025Students from UVA Forestry Club (focused on sustainability, conservation and land management) collaborated with CATS at Walnut Creek planting event, adding new trees and bushes to the park landscape.
• Headwaters Master NaturalistsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2023CATS and Headwaters Master Naturalists joined forces on the Waynesboro Greenway Cage Project to replace beaver cages around planted trees along the Greenway, assisting over 50 trees. This was their first collaboration.
• Virginia Department of ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATS maintains their tree nursery at the VDOF campus and obtains saplings from VDOF for cultivation. Tree sales are held on VDOF grounds, and VDOF provides support and space for CATS operations. CATS has planted trees at VDOF to replace diseased trees.
• American Chestnut FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATS members participate in chestnut research walks at Lesesne State Forest led by Tom Wild, learning about American Chestnut tree breeding programs to save the species. Kaitlyn Harless, Mid-Atlantic Regional Science Coordinator, gives talks through CATS events.
• Blue Ridge Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJacob Edel, Invasive Management Specialist from Blue Ridge PRISM, assisted with CATS training session on identifying and controlling invasive plants and vines that affect trees.
• Ivy Creek FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATS holds many events, training sessions, and tree walks at Ivy Creek Natural Area. The foundation provides the venue for much of CATS' educational programming and volunteer activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tree Stewards of Prince William County: A Virginia-based volunteer tree stewardship nonprofit offering nearly identical services — Tree Steward training, community tree planting, and tree sales — serving Prince William County. Most direct functional and operational comparable to CATS within the same state Tree Steward network.
• Headwaters Master Naturalists: Local chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program that already collaborates with CATS on beaver cage and greenway projects. Similar volunteer-driven model delivering environmental education and conservation service in the same region.
• ReLeaf Cville: Charlottesville-focused urban tree planting nonprofit and current CATS co-funder for the 10th and Page program. Operates in the same city with overlapping mission around urban canopy expansion.
• TreeStewards (Arlington, VA): Northern Virginia volunteer tree care and planting program operating under the same TreeStewards model as CATS. Direct comparable in volunteer structure, training programs, and community tree-planting mission.

Broad incumbents

• Arbor Day Foundation: National nonprofit driving tree planting, education, and stewardship across the U.S. Comparable mission of community tree planting and conservation, though operating at vastly larger scale and with paid staff and corporate partnerships.
• The Nature Conservancy (Virginia Chapter): Major environmental nonprofit with active Virginia operations focused on land and forest conservation. Shares CATS' conservation and native-species orientation but operates at multi-state scale with substantial endowment and paid staff.

Regional players

• Blue Ridge PRISM: Regional invasive species management organization that already provides CATS training support. Comparable focus on forest ecosystem health in the Virginia Piedmont, with a more specialized mandate around invasive control.
• Ivy Creek Foundation: Local land trust and natural area manager that hosts much of CATS' educational programming. Operates adjacent to CATS in land stewardship and public conservation access within Charlottesville.

Emerging players

• American Chestnut Foundation: Research and restoration nonprofit already partnering with CATS on chestnut education walks. Shares interest in native species conservation and Piedmont-region ecology, though focused on a single species.

Others

• Virginia Department of Forestry - Urban and Community Forestry: State agency providing grants, training, and technical assistance to community forestry programs including CATS. Functions as both a funder and ecosystem enabler, supporting the broader urban tree canopy infrastructure CATS operates within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/charlottesvilleareatreestewards
• Instagraminstagram.com/cvilleareatreestewards

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 charlottesville area tree stewards