Tall Pines Conservancy

What it reported doing in 2024

Land protectionin 2022, tall pines conservancy partnered with american farmland trust (aft) and the natural resources conservation service (nrcs) to officially launch the Wisconsin farmland protection partnership project. By 2024, tall pines successfully utilized its allocation of funding through this initiative to permanently protect over 300 acres of productive farmland across two family-owned operations: the oberhaus (cozy nook) farm in the town of delafield and the monis family farm in the town of ashippun, which closed in january 2025.the oberhaus farm is a multi-generational dairy and seasonal pumpkin operation located in a rapidly developing area with soaring land values. The monis family farm, a designated sesquicentennial farm, spans over 200 acresand features a combination of high-quality agricultural soils and vital wetland and wildlife habitat.in 2024, tall pines also completed the fee-simple acquisition of the saeger creek preserve, an 80-acre natural area in the village of lac la belle that provides critical water quality benefits to the adjacent lake. Restoration efforts are now underway on both ends of the preserve: trail building and habitat enhancement on the eastern side, and a large-scale stream restoration project along saeger creek on the western side. A conservation easement for the property, held by the lac la belle management district, helps ensure its long-term protection.additional conservation success in 2024 included the completion of a 26-acre conservation easement on an organic farm in stone bank, located adjacent to a previously protected property and across the road from a localelementary school. The landowner intends to work with tall pines and the school district to develop educational programming focused on sustainable agriculture.tall pines remained a key partner in the oconomowoc watershed protection program (owpp), which empowers landowners to adopt conservation practices that reduce phosphorus runoff and improve water quality. Building on the success of the mason creek re-meandering projectcompleted in 2022 and elebrated with a public ribbon-cutting in 2023tall pines extended its watershed restoration efforts in 2024 through its support of the cottonwood creek project, a similarly modeled initiative targeting a high-priority waterway in the oconomowoc river watershed.tall pines also continued its support for farmers for lake country (fflc), a producer-led group advancing regenerative agricultural practices and soil health across a landscape now encompassing more than 450,000 acres. In 2024, tall pines contributed to fflc efforts by coordinating aerial seeding of cover crops, engaging landowners in conservation programs, and helping secure cost-share funding for practices such as no-till farming, plantinggreen, and rotational grazing.collaborative partnerships remained central to tall pines' land protection work in 2024. The conservancy partnered with waukesha county land conservancy, rock river coalition, the nature conservancy, savanna institute, gathering waters, the land trust alliance, and others to advance regional conservation priorities throughout southeast Wisconsin.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 83.5%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 93.7%; rating input score 94
• Fundraising efficiency: $40.73 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 11.5%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.63; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 6.9%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 16% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 12.1% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings