The Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) was established in 1968 as a private, non-profit (501) (c) (3) environmental organization. OCCA continues to have a positive impact on the community it serves. With a large membership base from Cooperstown and the Otsego Lake community, OCCA has traditionally supported water quality initiatives designed to ensure a healthy Otsego Lake. OCCA has provided over $300,000 in funds paid to Otsego Lake watershed farmers implementing water quality improvement projects on their farms. OCCA also funds streamside buffer plantings on farms in the Otsego Lake watershed. To ensure implementation of the Plan for the Management of the Otsego Lake Watershed, OCCA has directed major funding for a comprehensive septic system management plan for residences within 500 feet of Otsego Lake or 100 feet of a feeder stream or tributary. OCCA has also funded no-wake zone buoys for Otsego Lake. OCCA has also sponsored over 30 Otsego Lake Clean-up Days, invested many thousands of dollars for scientific research on Otsego Lake, and participated in a coalition opposing a state boat launch on Otsego Lake. In the realm of public education, OCCA has sponsored several Otsego Lake Forums. In 2005, it was a major player in the first ever Otsego Lake Festival. Through mailings and local media, OCCA disseminates information on Otsego Lake concerns in a timely manner.

OCCA also engages in programs which have a countywide impact. Since 1998, OCCA has provided funds, staff support, and volunteer help for Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. OCCA has published a guide for local alternatives to reuse and recycle goods rather than disposing of them. OCCA has also published an informational flier on outdoor lighting concerns and solutions. OCCA was a partner and major distributor of the Otsego County Trails Map (2000). More recently, OCCA has undertaken, through volunteer services, the publication Otsego Walks and Paddles: an outdoor recreation guide for the Otsego County area. OCCA organizes seasonal nature walks for county residents. OCCA has provided over $30,000 in funding to farms in the Butternut Valley watershed to carry out water quality improvement projects. Finally, in 2002, OCCA initiated a countywide natural resources inventory, the goal of which is to document what exists in Otsego County, provide information to researchers and the general public, and serve as a tool for sound land-use planning in Otsego County.