Abby Kingsmore, Author at U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, Inc.

Photo credit: Mac Stone

Morgan Franklin joins U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities as Program Coordinator

GREENVILLE, S.C. – April 23, 2024 – Morgan Franklin has joined the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) as program coordinator. The Endowment is the nation’s largest public charity dedicated to serving the forestry sector and Franklin will manage program activities and support grant and contract management.

“We are thrilled to have Morgan join us,” said Delie Wilkins, program officer for the Endowment. “Her experience in project management and grant administration, coupled with her passion for active forest management and environmental stewardship, brings a valuable skillset that aligns perfectly with our mission of keeping working forests working.”

Prior to the Endowment, Franklin specialized in grant administration and forestry at Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods. There, she managed grant funding, analyzed lumber production and oversaw assets. Her work led her to collaborate with the Endowment’s ForesTrust initiative, where she helped pilot a tracking and tracing program that tracks logs from the forest through the supply chain. This experience fueled her passion for sustainable forestry, advocating for active management and environmental stewardship while prioritizing local initiatives and supply chain stability. Additionally, she worked with the University of Tennessee Extension, focusing on farm, nursery and home garden education.

“I’m excited to join the team and contribute to their vital work,” said Franklin. “My background allows me to bring a unique perspective to this role, and I’m eager to help ensure the Endowment’s programs continue to have a positive impact.”

Franklin received a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Middle Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil sciences from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Outside of work, she enjoys camping outdoors, visiting national parks and exploring small mountain towns with her husband and son.

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity collaborating with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.

For more information, contact:
Brooke Miller
brooke@crawford.agency
(864) 248-4259

Photo credit: Mac Stone

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Initiates the Steps for a National Forest System Land Regional Risk Assessment

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. (The Endowment) has gained approval from the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) for their proposed methodology and sponsorship of a Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) for national forests. The scope of the assessment includes the national forests in the lower (contiguous) 48 states, and the USDA Forest Service is a key partner for the project.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) is a procurement and traceability standard that assures biomass is sourced from legal and sustainable sources. The SBP is not a forest certification standard—i.e., the standard applies to those purchasing material, not to the landowner or manager—and the completion of an SBP RRA process does not result in certification of any specific lands or forests. The scope of the SBP RRA includes identifying and mitigating risks associated with sustainable sourcing of fiber. Sustainable sourcing includes compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, biodiversity protections, ecosystem functions, and maintaining carbon stocks. If the RRA evaluation identifies any mitigation actions necessary to address potential risks, those mitigations would be the responsibility of biomass producers, not the Forest Service.

In February 2021, a preliminary gap analysis was completed by The Endowment to evaluate alignment between the Forest Service management framework and the SBP. This 2021 gap analysis provided a high-level assessment of the potential for biomass producers to source feedstock from the national forests in conformance with established international sustainability standards for woody biomass.

Results from the 2021 gap analysis indicated a reasonable probability that timber sourced from national forests can be shown to conform with SBP standards. In light of these results, a more comprehensive and thorough investigation was warranted, resulting in this formal SBP Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) for national forests in the lower 48 states.

The Endowment wishes to support the advancement of a formal risk assessment of biomass feedstock sourced from forests administered by the Forest Service in accordance with the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) Procedure and SBP Standard 1: Feedstock Compliance. The goal is to support biomass market opportunities for wood sourced from national forests.

The Endowment has assumed oversight responsibility for development of the RRA as well as facilitating the process required to complete the RRA. The Endowment is a not-for-profit public charity established in 2006 and works collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. The Endowment has contracted with INCOS Strategies and Cambium Consulting to coordinate the assessment and complete the RRA process. Dovetail Partners is engaged in the public consultation activities for the process. The RRA will be developed and submitted to SBP in accordance with the applicable SBP rules, standards, and procedures.

National forests in the contiguous U.S. include forests in 38 of the 48 states, spanning from ocean to ocean, and border to border. National forests in the lower 48 states are part of 8 regions and include 152 national forests covering over 164 million acres. Forest Service lands are managed according to federal laws and regulations, as well as agency directives, policies, and procedures. The sampling strategy used for the Forest Service RRA is applied at the regional and forest levels and follows the SBP standard and requirements for approved sampling methodologies.

Upon formal approval by SBP, a Forest Service RRA will be made publicly available to all biomass producers in the US. A single, comprehensive risk assessment will result in improved transparency, consistency, and efficiency among biomass producers throughout the lower 48 states.

The RRA development process is expected to be completed in 2024.

For more information, to receive project updates, or to join the project contact list, please contact: Dovetail Partners, info@dovetailinc.org, 612-333-0430 or visit: http://www.dovetailinc.org

About The Endowment:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is committed to keeping working forests as forests and advancing family-wage jobs in forest-rich rural communities. Through strategic and deliberate investment, we support research and development in traditional forest product markets, ensuring that forests and forest-based economies grow and thrive. https://www.usendowment.org/

About the SBP:
The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) is a certification scheme designed for woody biomass used in industrial, large-scale energy production. SBP has developed a certification scheme to provide assurance that woody biomass is sourced both legally and sustainably allowing companies in the biomass sector to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, as a minimum. Our certification scheme is designed as a clear statement of standards and processes necessary to demonstrate such compliance. We seek to avoid duplication and to be consistent with standards that have overlapping scopes, while not limiting innovation and improvement. https://sbp-cert.org/

About INCOS Strategies:
Specialized in forest certification, INCOS stratégies offers services to organizations wishing to become certified or maintain their forest management (FM) and chain of custody (COC) certificates. INCOS Strategies experience across the forest supply value chain is invaluable in finding the right solutions for organizations. INCOS Strategies offers concrete solutions to its clients by collaborating with internal and external resources. https://www.boiscertifies.ca/solutions

About Cambium Consulting:
Providing tailored consulting services on issues relating to sustainability of natural resources, supply chains and climate. Expertise includes strategy and policy development, risk analysis, third-party certification and assurance, standards development, forest management, stakeholder engagement, project management and impact analysis. https://consultcambium.com/

About Dovetail Partners:
Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental management, including consumption choices, land use decisions, and policy alternatives. Dovetail provides a highly skilled team that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors through collaboration to develop unique concepts, systems, models, and programs. Dovetail excels at solving complex problems and helping responsible organizations succeed. We also help define programs that increase the job creation and the job quality of resource-based industries. https://dovetailinc.org/

For more information please contact:
Brooke Miller
brooke@crawford.agency
(864) 248-4259

Photo credit: Mac Stone

U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Receives $20 Million in Funding to Support Underserved Forest Landowners

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mar. 15, 2024 –The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment), along with its key partners Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Network (SFLR), Khuba International and mano-Y-ola, LLC, proudly announces the receipt of a $20 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. This award will support underserved landowners in gaining equitable access to emerging markets while creating landscape-scale impact.

“This funding represents a significant milestone in efforts to support underserved forest landowners and reinforce our Communities strategy work,” said Alicia Cramer, senior vice president of the Endowment. “We are excited to collaborate with our partner organizations who have demonstrated experience in outreach to underserved landowners, forestry and farming expertise and a proven track record in overcoming barriers to land ownership and accessing federal funding.”

The funding announced by the USDA Forest Service will allow underserved and small-acreage forest landowners to implement climate-resilient practices, access information about market opportunities and support the capacity building of the partners to better serve our forest landowners.

When looking at new market development, a key consideration is the ability to provide the resources, including raw materials, necessary to stand up the emerging market required for long-term sustainability. Having an ample fiber supply in a state of readiness will be imperative to serving emerging markets. Healthy working forests are critical to rural economies and will play a pivotal role in mitigating the effects of climate change.

“We are grateful for the support of the USDA Forest Service and other partners who share the commitment of advancing the role of underserved landowners in emerging markets. In emerging markets, trusted knowledge is critical. Much like an experienced navigator in unfamiliar terrain, you need trusted entities with insight into the supply chain, culture, barriers to entry and regulatory environment. Our partners bring this expertise and trusted assistance needed to support wood markets,” added Cramer.

The Endowment, along with our generous philanthropic partners, such as The JPB Foundation who made an early lead investment to support this work, will further amplify the impact with an additional $7 million in funding, complementing the generous award from USDA Forest Service.

There is additional funding available from the USDA Forest Service and proposals up to $2 million are still being accepted until August 21.

About SFLR:
The SFLR Network was launched in 2012 with assistance from the Endowment in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the USDA Forest Service. Their goal is to create a sustainable system of support for African American forest owners that significantly increases the value of African American owned forests, land retention, community stabilization, and asset development for Black families in the U.S. South. Since then, additional supporters focused on redressing Black land loss have included the American Forest Foundation, Inc., JPB Foundation, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, and Doris Duke Foundation. More information: www.sflrnetwork.org

About Khuba International:
Khuba International is a black-led non-profit organization that seeks to integrate youth education, sustainable agriculture, and community development through hands-on programming and inclusive partnership-building. We are based in Tompkins County, N.Y. Our activities particularly seek to engage and empower community members impacted by racism, redlining, and colonization, and families from disadvantaged backgrounds. We support black community members of Central New York that wish to access land and farm. Areas of focus include: BIPOC farming, black-led land access, food sovereignty, literacy, and sustainable agriculture outreach.

About mano-Y-ola:
mano-Y-ola, a minority-and female-owned consulting firm, focuses on supporting minority and immigrant farmer communities, particularly Hispanic landowners. They specialize in providing tailored guidance and resources for overcoming challenges in land ownership, agricultural practices, and accessing resources. Through their commitment to empowering Hispanic landowners, mano-Y-ola promotes equitable opportunities for all.

Media Contacts:

Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency (wendy@crawford.agency ; 864-248-4290)

A U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities’ Grant Funds Research by Dovetail Partners in Collaboration with Cambium Consulting

Concept Paper Examines Forest Carbon Market Impact on Forest-Dependent Communities and Forest Health

Greenville, S.C. – January 23, 2024 – A newly released concept paper outlines key questions to be answered by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities’ (Endowment) backed research into the forest carbon offset market, which is expected to surge from $2 billion in 2020 to $250 billion by 2050.

The paper considers the potential economic, ecological and social implications of increased offset demand on other forest-based products, habitats, and the local communities that rely on forests for jobs, tax revenue and quality of life.

Already, banks and joint ventures have purchased millions of acres of timberland as demand for offsets grow, which could lead to unknown impacts downstream for forest-dependent communities and forest health.

To maximize positive outcomes and minimize negative ones, the Endowment issued a grant to Dovetail Partners in collaboration with Cambium Consulting to conduct research into the impact of escalating offset demand.

“Carbon offsets allow businesses to take near-term action to meet long-term sustainability goals,” said Pete Madden, President and CEO, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. “While positive in many ways, this research seeks to create a shared understanding of the potential impact on matters like wood availability and sustainable forest management.”

“Our goal with this paper is to create an opportunity for more dialogue, and to inform the next three phases of research: surveying stakeholders, developing mapping strategies and conducting a workshop later this year,” said Kathryn Fernholz, President, Dovetail Partners. “Once research is complete, we will have a much clearer idea of what is already working well, and what needs to change to benefit both forests and the communities that rely on them.”

Key questions addressed in the paper include:

Where there are forests with overlapping objectives, are there existing or potential conflicts in value attainment, and what tools can be developed to help identify competing priorities and balance trade-offs?

Are the existing forest carbon offset protocols sufficient to ensure rural communities and biodiversity are appropriately addressed in the design and implementation of forest carbon projects?

Are we missing opportunities to share perspectives, elevate awareness, and integrate critical thinking (and action) among the full spectrum of stakeholders?

Dovetail Partners is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental management, including consumption choices, land use decisions, and policy alternatives. Dovetail’s highly skilled team fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors through collaboration to develop unique concepts, systems, models, and programs. We also help define programs that increase the job creation and the job quality of resource-based industries. Learn more at dovetailinc.org.

For media information, contact:

Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency

Wendy@crawford.agency (864) 248-4290