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THE WETLAND TRUST INC

NEW BERLIN, NY · EIN 262931343 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE C32 · Environment · Large ($10M-$50M) · thewetlandtrust.org
revenue
$20.5M
expenses
$17.7M
net assets
$5.4M
employees
14
volunteers
10
program ratio
97%
mission · from form 990

TO RESTORE, CONSERVE AND PROTECT WETLAND BIOTA, FUNCTIONS AND VALUES.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Wetland Trust Inc. is a New York-based nonprofit focused on restoring, conserving, and protecting wetland ecosystems and their biodiversity, with a special emphasis on rare reptiles and amphibians. The organization owns over 170 properties totaling more than 7,700 acres of wetland habitat. It conducts on-the-ground conservation through land acquisition, habitat restoration, species recovery programs, and wetland mitigation banking.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Hellbender Recovery Program
Headstarting, reintroduction, and habitat restoration for eastern hellbenders in New York’s Susquehanna River basin, including land acquisition, installation of artificial denning structures, and partnership with the Bronx Zoo and SUNY ESF
Hudson Valley Turtle Initiative
Conservation of rare turtle species including bog, spotted, Blanding’s, and wood turtles through habitat protection and restoration in the Hudson Valley region
In-Lieu Fee Wetland Mitigation Program
Wetland mitigation banking service providing compensatory mitigation credits to developers, approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers in multiple New York service areas
Large Wetland Complex Preservation
Acquisition and restoration of significant wetland complexes such as the Nine Mile Swamp and Owasco Inlet headwaters in partnership with federal and state agencies
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Ecological Habitat Restoration 2 activities
    • Restoration, conservation, and protection of wetland ecosystems
      Engages in the restoration, conservation, and protection of wetland biota, functions, and values, including owning and managing over 170 properties totaling more than 7,700 acres of wetland habitat in New York. Activities include acquiring land for wetland and upland restoration, implementing sediment and erosion control measures, constructing wetland mitigation sites, and providing long-term stewardship.
    • Species recovery and habitat enhancement for eastern hellbenders
      Implements habitat enhancement measures such as installing hellbender huts and flat rocks in streams to support nesting, and conducts annual releases of captive-reared juvenile eastern hellbenders into the wild in New York since 2018.
  • Volunteer and Professional Training Programs 1 activity
    • Capacity building in sustainable wetland design
      Provides staff training through intensive courses on sustainable wetland design, such as a two-week program led by expert Tom Biebighauser, to build internal expertise in wetland restoration planning and implementation.
  • Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 1 activity
    • Research on rare and threatened species in wetland habitats
      Conducts scientific research and long-term monitoring of rare reptiles and amphibians, including bog turtles, spotted turtles, Blanding’s turtles, wood turtles, and eastern hellbenders. Studies focus on habitat use, foraging behavior, seasonal movements, vulnerability to fragmentation, and reintroduction success.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Wetland mitigation compliance and permitting support
      Completes Transaction Letters for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to verify wetland mitigation compliance following credit purchases, supporting regulatory and environmental compliance processes.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$20.50M
Contributions & grants$429K2%
Program service revenue$19.53M95%
Investment income$519K3%
Other revenue$14K
expenses
Total expenses$17.71M
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$1.11M
Grants paid out$59K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$21.97M
Cash$8.18M
Investments$13.33M
Liabilities$16.60M
Net assets$5.37M
Liquid reserves14.6 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +1098.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 4
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
JAMES CURATOLO SECRETARY/TREASURER 40 $144K
THOMAS BIEBIGHAUSER WETLAND RESTORATION EXPERT 40 $105K
JESSICA ST JOHN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $96K
DANIEL KWASNOWSI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $76K
board members · 7
  • ALAN TOUSIGNANT — DIRECTOR
  • CHARLOTTE C RAND — DIRECTOR
  • DANIEL JOSEPH STERANTINO — DIRECTOR
  • JASON TESAURO — DIRECTOR
  • MARIBEL PREGNALL — CHAIR
  • MATT YOUNG — DIRECTOR
  • SCOTT ANGUS — DIRECTOR
relationships · 14

Who they work with

  • Bronx Zoo Partner — Partners to raise hellbenders through the larval stage prior to transfer to TWT’s nursery facility.
  • IUCN Government — References IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for turtle conservation status.
  • NYS Department of Conservation Partner — Collaborating with The Wetland Trust to permanently protect and restore wetlands and surrounding uplands.
  • Not specified Government — Supported by wetland mitigation fees, indicating affiliation with government-regulated mitigation programs.
  • Private Landowners Partner — Works with private landowners to promote wetland stewardship and conservation practices.
  • SUNY ESF Partner — Collaborates on research studying headstarting and reintroduction of eastern hellbenders.
  • Schools Partner — Collaborates with schools to deliver wetland biodiversity education and stewardship programs.
  • Slime Story Partner — Partners with The Wetland Trust on a wetland-themed merchandise line, with a portion of proceeds supporting TWT.
  • Students Partner — Engages students in wetland conservation education and stewardship activities.
  • Tom Biebighauser Partner — Partnered with The Wetland Trust to co-design a wetland restoration project and provide staff training in sustainable wetland design.
  • US Army Corps of Engineers Government — Approves projects and determines required mitigation credits; receives Transaction Letters from TWT to confirm mitigation.
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Partner — Collaborating with The Wetland Trust to permanently protect and restore wetlands and surrounding uplands.
  • Volunteers Partner — Involves volunteers in wetland biodiversity education and land stewardship efforts.
  • Wetland Restoration & Training Partner — Partners with The Wetland Trust; led by Tom Biebighauser, an expert in wetland restoration.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Integrated Species Recovery Model
    methodology: integrated_species_recovery
    By combining land acquisition, habitat restoration, and headstarting with reintroduction, the organization increases survival rates and long-term viability of endangered species like the eastern hellbender, because a multi-pronged approach addresses both ecological and biological barriers to recovery.
  • Landscape-Scale Habitat Conservation
    methodology: landscape_scale_conservation
    By collaborating with federal and state agencies to protect and restore wetlands alongside adjacent upland habitats, the organization ensures ecological connectivity and resilience, because species survival—especially for migratory and fragmentation-sensitive species—depends on broad-scale, interconnected ecosystems.
  • Science-Based Wetland Conservation
    methodology: science_based_conservation
    By applying the best available scientific research and data, the organization guides its wetland protection and restoration efforts to maximize ecological impact, particularly for amphibian and reptile biodiversity, because science ensures precision and effectiveness in targeting conservation actions.
  • Sustainable Wetland Design
    methodology: sustainable_wetland_design
    By using low-maintenance, sustainable construction techniques that avoid engineered infrastructure like concrete and pipes, the organization increases the longevity and ecological integrity of restored wetlands, because natural systems are more resilient and less dependent on ongoing human intervention.