About Central Conservation
Founded in 2009 as a youth conservation corps, Central Conservation now supports two divisions: WisCorps and The Nature Place.
Vision
We are unifying the conservation movement to benefit our communities for generations to come.
Mission
We empower humans working to care for the Earth.
Built to make conservation work better.
Environmental nonprofits shouldn’t have to choose between running effective programs and managing the behind-the-scenes work that keeps them operating.
We help eliminate that tension.
By providing shared administrative infrastructure, strategic leadership, and operational support, conservation organizations can focus on what they do best: educating communities, restoring ecosystems, and inspiring the next generation of stewards.
What we do
Shared services that let conservation teams focus on the work
Central Conservation shoulders the organizational challenges that can slow our divisions down, so they can focus on serving their communities.
WisCorps crew members at a project debrief
People and payroll
Hiring, staffing, onboarding, benefits and PTO administration, and payroll.
Accounting and reporting
Invoicing, data entry, budget management, and financial reporting.
Legal, insurance, and compliance
Grant and legal compliance, liability and workers’ comp insurance paperwork, internal systems, and operations.
Story and support
Storytelling, branding, marketing and communications, donor strategy and relations, development, fundraising, and grant management.
Our experienced staff and board members are passionate about making a real impact on our planet. By helping the public understand the importance of our divisions’ missions, we amplify their impact.
Our story
From one crew to a conservation movement
The Nature Place building
Kids exploring a meadow
The WisCorps sign
2009
Wisconsin Youth Conservation Corps, Inc. is founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with $5,000 and one crew doing one week of work on public lands in La Crosse, WI.
2013
Renamed WisCorps, Inc., adding several new crew partnerships, including the National Park Service.
2014
Moved offices to 789 Myrick Park Dr. and was soon invited to run the Myrick Park Center on a year-to-year lease with the City of La Crosse. Adopted the Environmental Education division under WisCorps, formerly run by the EcoPark and the Hixon Forest Nature Center, preserving a legacy of more than 25 years of nature education in the La Crosse area.
2022
Entered a 20-year lease with the City of La Crosse, allowing for investment and growth within the organization.
2023
Rebranded the environmental education programs and Myrick Park Center rentals as The Nature Place, with a redesigned atrium that creates “nature’s living room.” WisCorps program offices moved to 411 La Crosse St. The Nature Place and WisCorps became formal program divisions.
2024
WisCorps programs rebranded and the organization renamed Central Conservation, Inc.
2025
Central Conservation upgraded its foundational systems for growth. The Nature Place completed a solar array and a greenhouse. Eight WisCorps crews completed 105 weeks of work on public lands across the Upper Midwest, benefiting more than three million people.
Unity is the way forward.
Each division of Central Conservation holds meaningful opportunities for people to build community and strengthen personal relationships with our Earth.
WisCorps engages the next generation of environmental leaders through guided, hands-on service opportunities that benefit public lands across our region. Its conservation corps program serves the Upper Midwest, complemented by an individual placement program that partners with like-minded organizations throughout the region.
The Nature Place is a nature-focused community center in La Crosse, Wisconsin, dedicated to cultivating meaningful connections between people and nature, for the benefit of both.
Together, let's unify the conservation movement.
Your generosity strengthens the systems that make conservation work possible. Today and for generations to come.
Frequently asked questions
What does Central Conservation do?
We provide shared administrative infrastructure, strategic leadership, and operational support to conservation organizations. That includes HR and payroll, communications and fundraising, accounting and reporting, and insurance and compliance.
What are Central Conservation’s divisions?
WisCorps, a conservation corps serving the Upper Midwest, and The Nature Place, a nature-focused community center in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Central Conservation, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 27-0774779). Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
How can I support Central Conservation?
Give online through our donation page, or contact us to talk about other ways to help.
Are you hiring?
Open roles are listed on our Careers page.
Where are you located?
789 Myrick Park Drive, La Crosse, WI 54601.