GREENVILLE, S.C – November 20, 2023 – The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) announces a Request for Proposals for a new Impact Investing Program, which is intentionally aimed at generating positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.
The program will focus on two areas:
- Community Revitalization: Investments in forest industry-related activities that contribute to the revitalization of forest-reliant communities, particularly in disadvantaged areas, and
- Forest Revitalization: Forest thinning and reforestation activities that contribute to the health and resilience of America’s forest assets.
The program seeks to deploy up to $5 million in 2024 through impact investments in companies, funds, or projects that advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable benefits for the health and vitality of our nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. The Request for Proposals is available here.
“Our Impact Investing Program will allow the Endowment to do more for America’s working forests while also growing our financial resources,” said Pete Madden, the Endowment’s President, and CEO. “We’ll be able to get more financing to our partners while also preserving capital and providing a positive financial return. It complements our traditional grant making. Impact investing is one more way we are using the Endowment’s financial assets to advance our mission.”
The consulting firm Gordian Knot Strategies is supporting the development of the Endowment’s Impact Investing program. There will be an informational webinar about the opportunity in early December; registration information is provided in the Request for Proposal materials.
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.
About Gordian Knot Strategies:
Gordian Knot Strategies (GKS) is a leading consulting firm specializing in strategic climate solutions. We provide advisory and project management services to a global clientele interested in climate finance, impact investing, carbon asset development, and go-to-market strategies. To learn more about Gordian Knot Strategies, please visit gordianknotstrategies.com.
For more information contact:
Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency
(864) 248-4290
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GREENVILLE, S.C – Nov. 17, 2023 – The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) is pleased to announce Fritz Mason, Paul Hossain, and Anna Torma were elected as new directors at the organization’s fall board meeting.
“We are thrilled to welcome Fritz, Paul, and Anna to the Endowment family. Drawing upon diverse backgrounds, they each bring a distinctive perspective and unique vision. We look forward to collaborating with them to further the mission of the Endowment,” said Pete Madden, President and CEO of the Endowment.
Mason is president of lumber for Georgia-Pacific, where he manages the lumber manufacturing portfolio, including twelve sawmills across the United States. Mason brings more than 35 years of experience in various roles across the industry, including leading the lumber team at Georgia-Pacific for the last 16 years. Timber Processing Magazine named Mason “Person of the Year” in 2020, and he holds an MBA from Portland State University and a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Humboldt State University.
“Georgia-Pacific has a rich legacy in responsible forestry practices, serving as a dedicated steward of wood resources. I am honored and enthusiastic to contribute to advancing sustainable initiatives and working alongside the remarkable team at the Endowment,” said Mason.
Hossain is vice president of natural resources and climate solutions for Weyerhaeuser, where he has worked for nearly eight years. He is responsible for Weyerhaeuser’s conventional energy, minerals, renewables, and climate solutions business. Prior to its merger with Weyerhaeuser, he was vice president of renewable energy and supply chain at Plum Creek Timber Company. He is a board-certified environmental engineer, with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Northeastern University.
“I look forward to contributing to the Endowment and supporting its mission to advance systemic, transformative and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests,” said Hossain.
Torma is vice president of public affairs and chief ESG officer for PotlatchDeltic, where she leads ESG, government relations, communications, and community relations. In this capacity, she leads ESG reporting and strategy and participates in international, national, and state industry associations and coalitions to address policies impacting the forestry industry. Prior to PotlatchDeltic, Torma was SVP of Corporate Affairs for Forestar and a paper and forest products equity research analyst for Torma Research and for Merrill Lynch. She has a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Lakehead University in Ontario, an MBA in finance from the University of Western Ontario, and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Western University.
“I am excited to be part of an organization dedicated to the responsible management of timberlands and the well-being of the communities they impact. Together, we can make a lasting difference,” said Torma.
Board and staff recognized the achievements of outgoing board members Mark Emmerson, Kevin Schuyler, and Caroline Dauzat. Emmerson was chairman of the Endowment board in 2022 and is chairman, chief financial officer, and a member of the board of directors of Sierra Pacific Industries. Schuyler is senior managing director of CornerStone Partners and served as the Endowment’s treasurer. Dauzat is a fourth-generation owner at Rex Lumber and has been a member of the Endowment’s board since 2020.
“Mark, Kevin, and Caroline have played pivotal roles in steering our organization toward success. Their dedication and service have left an indelible mark, and we are sincerely grateful for their invaluable contributions,” added Madden.
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 media information, contact:
Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency
wendy@crawford.agency (864) 248-4290
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GREENVILLE, S.C – September 21, 2023 – The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) acknowledges the significant findings of the California-focused report released by the California Council on Science & Technology (CCST) and Blue Forest, which sheds light on the vital role of forest management in mitigating the harmful impacts of wildfire smoke on human health and healthcare systems.
The Endowment’s commitment to advancing forest management is exemplified through its funding of this research, made possible by a grant to CCST and Blue Forest via the Innovative Finance for National Forests (IFNF) program, co-managed by the Endowment and the National Partnership Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. By annually contributing to projects like this one, the Endowment continues to fulfill its mission of safeguarding and enhancing our nation’s working forests for the well-being of all.
Titled The Human Health Benefits of Improving Forest Health in California: Investigating the Links Between Forest Management, Wildfire Smoke, and the Health Sector, this report provides valuable insights, including:
- Wildfire Smoke and Health Costs: The report underscores that the health sector is experiencing real impacts from wildfire smoke, affecting people and health sector organizations’ workforces, operations, and ability to provide services. Yet the costs are largely unquantified, despite indications that these costs are conservatively in the billions of dollars. The report calls for more research to work with the health sector to understand the true costs of wildfire smoke.
- Benefits of Forest Management: Increasing forest management in many circumstances reduces the risk of wildfires and lessens population exposure to hazardous smoke, which could also result in improved health outcomes for communities.
- Collaboration for Resilient Forests: The report calls for enhanced coordination among federal, state, and local agencies, along with healthcare partners, to encourage healthier forests and more resilient communities in the face of inevitable smoke events.
“The report’s findings emphasize the critical role of sustainable forest management in safeguarding both our environment and our health,” said Pete Madden, the Endowment’s President and CEO. “The Endowment is dedicated to collaborative efforts nationwide that encourage active management to restore and maintain healthy forests for all the environmental, economic, and health benefits they provide. This research by CCST and Blue Forest is further evidence of the urgent need to educate landowners and the public about the importance of healthy, well-managed forests.”
The Endowment stands aligned with CCST and Blue Forest on the report’s key messages. This project is one in a portfolio of many that emphasizes the Endowment’s core mission to advance systematic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests through:
- Market Development: Developing new and enhancing existing markets for forest products will help drive active forest management at the scale needed to address pressing challenges from wildfire and climate change. The Endowment is committed to seeking innovative approaches to create these markets, ensuring the economic viability of forests while protecting their ecological value.
- Sustaining Forest Owners: Forest owners rely on revenue from their lands to support essential management practices that ensure forest health. Consumer markets play a pivotal role in generating this income.
- Fostering Collaboration: The Endowment actively promotes public-private partnerships to leverage market forces in support of forest health and resilience, benefiting both the environment and communities.
“We commend the work of CCST and Blue Forest in highlighting the intersection of forest management, wildfire smoke, and human health, and we look forward to engaging in further discussions and collaborative efforts to address these critical challenges,” added Madden.
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org
About CCST:
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature in 1988. CCST responds to the Governor, the Legislature, and other State entities who request independent assessment of public policy issues affecting the State of California relating to science and technology. CCST engages leading experts in science and technology to advise state policymakers—ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation.
About Blue Forest:
Blue Forest is an innovative climate finance non-profit that addresses pressing environmental challenges by developing ecological investment opportunities. As part of that work, Blue Forest works on research and development to demonstrate the environmental, economic, social, and cultural outcomes of ecosystem restoration interventions, motivates new and traditional sources of funding to implement restoration projects, and finances long-term commitments to increase the pace and scale of restoration. In partnership with the US Forest Service and the World Resources Institute, a particular area of focus is forest restoration in the western U.S. to address the catastrophic wildfire challenge.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, SC and New York, NY – September 6, 2023 – The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and New Leaf Climate Partners are proud to announce the release of their comprehensive Nursery Landscape Assessment, a pioneering effort to examine the investment needs of tree nurseries to increase their production capacity—and meet the growing demand for reforestation. This research explored the financing challenges that different types of nurseries face and determined investment interventions to unlock capacity.
“It’s been a privilege to meet with owners, operators and a host of other nursery practitioners across the country, all of whom were engaged and energized about the future of the industry,” Harry Guinness at New Leaf noted. “Contextualizing the crucial role of nurseries in rural economies and long-term sustainable land use is just the beginning; the real work begins now, to address the massive challenges and opportunities facing the sector.”
“We are thrilled to release this research with New Leaf Climate Partners. The Nursery Landscape Assessment showcases the critical role nurseries play in restoration and reforestation and begins to address how to meet investment needs of the nursery market. The hope is that stakeholders across the value chain can benefit from this work to make informed decisions and investments,” said Delie Wilkens at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.
The Nursery Landscape Assessment report delves into several key topics pertinent to the reforestation supply chain, such as location distribution, seedling volume, forecasted demand, and workforce issues. Furthermore, it highlights region-specific considerations for those interested in reforestation and restoration initiatives.
For an Executive Summary of the Forest Nursery Landscape Assessment, please click here.
To download the full Nursery Landscape Assessment report by New Leaf Climate and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, please click here.
About New Leaf Climate Partners
New Leaf Climate Partners is an advisory and asset management company focused on nature. We believe that targeted investments that fix market failures, create efficiencies, and increase regional economic activity will create a more inclusive and effective reforestation and restoration market. Our role is to collect, analyze and present information, advise and empower investors and policymakers and create structures that channel new funding to technologies, products, and services that unlock nature-based solutions. To learn more about NLC’s team and work, please visit www.newleafclimate.com.
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
For more information, contact:
Aleta Rogers, Director of Grants and Contract Compliance at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
(864-233-7646; aleta@usendowment.org).
Preparing Plan B: A Guidebook for Forest Industry-Reliant Communities Facing Economic Transition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, SC – August 21, 2023 – In response to the critical need for proactive strategies in forest industry-reliant communities facing economic challenges, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) announces the launch of Preparing Plan B: A Guidebook for Forest Industry-Reliant Communities Facing Economic Transition. This comprehensive guidebook serves as a beacon of guidance and empowerment, assisting communities heavily dependent on a single dominant employer in preparing for economic shifts and safeguarding their collective well-being.
The Endowment and the F.B. Heron Foundation funded the research behind and production of this guidebook. Based on learnings from a pilot project in Wisconsin, the guidebook focuses on how to identify the early signals of a potential forest industry mill closure and how community leaders might prepare for economic recovery/development using the natural resources in the region.
The “Preparing Plan B” guidebook is the result of collaborative efforts between forest industry leaders, community representatives, and technical advisors. It is intended for community leaders and the broader region and economic sector. It offers practical insights and actionable strategies to help communities recognize signals of potential corporate disruptions, evaluate their readiness for change, and proactively work towards shaping a resilient and desirable future.
Key Highlights of “Preparing Plan B”:
- Anticipating Change: This guidebook equips communities with the tools to identify early signals of disruptive corporate shifts and help navigate the challenges posed by economic transitions.
- Strategic Action: This guidebook highlights long-term actions to engage leadership and community networks, while also offering practical steps for forest-reliant communities to take in the face of impending closures or restructuring.
- Actualizing Success: This guidebook flips the conventional narrative of community deficit into highlighting positive assets and capacity that can steer a community towards success. This encourages communities to create their own prioritized definition of success based on their unique perspectives and needs.
“The Endowment is confident that this guidebook can provide meaningful insights to mill towns and other communities that are heavily reliant on one forest sector industry,” said Alicia Cramer, Senior Vice President at the Endowment. “’Preparing Plan B is a comprehensive resource designed to empower communities with the knowledge and tools needed to proactively shape their destiny.”
To download or view “Preparing Plan B: A Guidebook for Forest Industry-Reliant Communities Facing Economic Transition,” please click here. The Guidebook was based on research and resulting case study produced by NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
For more information, contact:
Aleta Rogers, Director of Grants and Contract Compliance at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
(864-233-7646; aleta@usendowment.org).
Inclusion Council National Action Plan Is Underway
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, SC– June 20, 2023- In the summer of 2022, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (The Endowment) announced the formation of the U.S. Forest and Wood Products Inclusion Council (Inclusion Council), a group whose vision is to create equitable workplaces where people feel valued, safe, and that they belong, so that all people can sustain and benefit from forests.
The council has made significant strides towards inviting the sector into a broader conversation related to attracting new talent, closing workforce gaps, and engaging the opportunities of diversity, equity, and inclusion head-on.
The first goals of the National Action Plan outlined by the Council members include:
- Initiating a research and survey process to understand the workforce and diversity challenges facing the sector,
- Launching a series of Learning Labs this fall (2023) to share diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices from forestry industry leaders, and
- Convening Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practitioners, advocates, and champions from within the sector to build a community of practice around strengthening the sector workforce.
With ongoing financial support from the Endowment, plus a sizable investment from the USDA Forest Service, the Inclusion Council has announced two requests for proposals for partners to contribute to achieving these goals.
“The Inclusion Council’s emerging work is vital to our collective community’s efforts to foster the long-term resilience of the forests and wood products sector, both private and public,” said Angela Coleman, Associate Chief of the USDA Forest Service and member of the Inclusion Council. “The future viability of this sector depends on efforts such as these to sustain healthy and resilient forests. The U.S. Forest Service is excited to be an active participant in this endeavor.”
For more details about the two proposals, please visit https://www.usendowment.org/funding-opportunities/.
Members of the Inclusion Council include:
Al Davis | Texas A&M Forest Service
Alejandro Barbero | Rayonier
Alicia Cramer | U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Council Co-Chair)
Angela Coleman | U.S. Forest Service
Asia Dowtin | Michigan State University
Bettina Ring | The Nature Conservancy
Brandi Colander | Enviva
Brian Boland | Billerud
Cody Desautel | Intertribal Timber Council
Colin Moseley | Green Diamond Resource Company
Deb Hawkinson | Forest Resources Association
De’Etra Young | Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS)
Jennie Stephens | Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation
Kate Gatto | National Alliance of Forest Owners
Rita Hite | American Forest Foundation
Sam Cook | North Carolina State University
Shannon McCabe | Association of Consulting Foresters of America
Terry Baker | Society of American Foresters (Council Co-Chair)
Tiffanie Starr | Timberland Investment Resources
Media Contact
Aleta Rogers, aleta@usendowment.org, 864-233-7646
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
ForesTrust Announces Leadership Council with Industry Leaders to Pioneer Transparency in Forest Supply Chain
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, SC– June 14, 2023- ForesTrust, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, is proud to announce its groundbreaking venture with industry leaders in the forestry sector. The newly formed Leadership Council of ForesTrust includes Domtar, Wakefield Biochar, Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Enviva, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, with technology support from Chainparency.
ForesTrust is a revolutionary blockchain network that utilizes cutting-edge technology to register transactions in an unchangeable digital ledger. Through a consensus protocol, each transaction’s veracity and data integrity are ensured, providing a secure and streamlined forest product and fiber supply chain.
The forest sector has long been committed to responsible forest management, and ForesTrust empowers it to showcase sustainability through real-time supply chain data and verifiable carbon accounting. By tracking the movement of wood and fiber from origin to the consumer, the blockchain ensures transparency while maintaining anonymity through hashed blocks. This information can be accessed for compliance, auditing, certification, requests for information, and administrative management purposes. Additionally, ForesTrust can capture data supporting ecological benefits such as water quality, biodiversity, and stored carbon accounting, highlighting the positive environmental contributions of forestry.
ForesTrust’s Leadership Council brings a wealth of expertise and industry knowledge to the collaboration. Domtar and Wakefield Biochar, renowned for their commitment to sustainable practices, join forces with Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, a trusted provider of high-quality wood products. Enviva, a leading global energy company specializing in sustainable wood bioenergy, also contributes its expertise. Together with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and Chainparency, these organizations form a strong alliance dedicated to advancing forest product supply chain sustainability and transparency.
ForesTrust is poised to transform the forestry industry by harnessing the power of blockchain technology. The formation of the Leadership Council between these industry leaders, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, and Chainparency marks a significant step toward a more transparent and sustainable future for our forests and the communities that rely on them.
Media Contact
Aleta Rogers, aleta@usendowment.org, 864-233-7646
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
For more information about the organizations that make up the Leadership Council, please see their respective websites:
$2.2 million in Grants Boost Creative Financial Approaches to Forest Management and Environmental Challenges
Grantees will focus on developing finance models that seek to leverage public and private sector capital.
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, SC– May 31, 2023- Eleven new grants will support partners and project developers to connect public and private capital to unfunded environmental challenges in National Forests and surrounding landscapes across the United States.
These 11 awards represent the third round of funding from the Innovative Finance for National Forests Grant Program. This partnership is funded and administered by the USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office’s Conservation Finance Program and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment).
“Through the Innovative Finance for National Forests Program the Forest Service is investing in replicable financial solutions that support sustainable land management,” said Associate Deputy Chief of the USDA Forest Service Troy Heithecker. “We are excited to launch a new cohort of projects to pilot, scale, and assess the feasibility of ideas to bring external resources to bear on pressing agency challenges around wildfire risk, watershed health, and recreation infrastructure.”
“These grantees are applying creative solutions to generate funding for pressing forest and natural resource concerns, such as reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and protecting drinking water supplies,” said Pete Madden, the Endowment’s President and CEO. “We commend the National Partnership Office of the USDA Forest Service for their leadership in this program and are pleased to be their partners.”
Additional information on the Innovative Finance for National Forests competitive grant program is available at https://www.usendowment.org/ifnf/.
Innovative Finance for National Forests Spring 2023 Approved Projects
The Innovative Finance for National Forests (IFNF) grant program supports the development and implementation of innovative finance models that leverage private and public capital other than US Forest Service (USFS) annual appropriations to enhance the resilience of the National Forest System (NFS) or adjacent private lands and that seek to deliver commensurate returns to stakeholders. Projects fall into one of three categories:
- Scaling: Projects in this category enable on-the-ground implementation at a larger scale and/or faster pace by expanding previously piloted models.
- Pilot: Projects in this category enable on-the-ground implementation of models or approaches that present innovations in securing capital.
- Feasibility: Projects in this category are early-stage projects that explore an idea via research and development and contribute to new knowledge or tools that could enable novel investment.
Scaling Carbon and Water Benefit Modeling to Attract Forest Investment (Scaling) – Arizona
$500,000 to the Salt River Project (SRP) to attract long-term funding and private investment by quantifying the co-benefits of water and carbon from forest restoration activities in Arizona. SRP will develop a comprehensive project portfolio and finance strategy that packages the water, carbon, and additional co-benefits to help diversify project funding.
Financing Wood Vaults for Forest Resilience (Pilot) – California
$250,000 to Kodama Systems Inc., in collaboration with Blue Forest and The Trust for Public Land, to pilot a new financial approach that leverages the carbon value of wood residue rather than burning it at a cost and emitting carbon, as often occurs. Through this project, potential financial and legal structures will be designed to facilitate the transport of biomass from forest thinning projects to engineered earthen wood vaults where wood is buried in arid environments, sequestering the carbon for centuries. The carbon removal credits generated from the avoided emissions will be sold into the voluntary carbon market to generate cash flows that can be used to cover project costs and/or repay investors.
Scaling the Resilience Fund: Increasing Water Security and Fire Resilience for the Greater Uinta-Wasatch-Cache (Scaling) – Utah
$240,000 to the World Resources Institute to scale the Weber River Watershed Resilience Fund to additional tributaries of the Great Salt Lake, including the Jordan and Bear Rivers. The Resilience Fund pools contributions from public and private entities to leverage state and federal funds for watershed health and wildfire resilience on USFS, state, and private lands and builds an endowment to pay for future maintenance costs. This project focuses on expanding collaboration with partners, including local water utilities Weber Basin Water Conservancy and Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, and increasing the project’s geographic footprint to scale up forest restoration, secure new funders, and generate greater impact for 2.8 million downstream residents. This project builds on Summit County, Utah’s pilot project funded by IFNF in 2021.
Technical Assistance for Wood Utilization Entrepreneurs (Pilot) – California
$225,000 to Blue Forest to provide technical assistance to wood utilization entrepreneurs alongside the deployment of funds through the recently established California Wildfire Innovation Fund, Blue Forest’s private market investment fund for development of the forest restoration sector in California. Technical assistance will support entrepreneurs’ efforts to raise funds, increase capacity, and develop partnerships.
Exemplary Forestry Investment Fund (Pilot) – Maine
$160,000 to Maine Mountain Collaborative to pilot a financial approach that seeks to secure recreation revenues to support management of private timber lands acquired by the Exemplary Forestry Investment Fund. Legal and financial pathways will be established to provide permanent recreational access and infrastructure investment on targeted private timber lands adjacent to the White Mountain National Forest. This project builds on Maine Mountain Collaborative’s 2020 feasibility project funding from IFNF.
Catalyzing Markets for Forestry Co-benefits in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Region (Feasibility) – Great Lakes Region
$150,000 to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers to create a framework to quantify the co-benefits of tree planting projects in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Region with the purpose of attracting impactful private investments. The project team will complete a gap analysis of existing co-benefit models such as watershed health, biodiversity, and recreational access, work with stakeholders to identify co-benefits with investment potential, and create a roadmap for investment structures.
Cosumnes Watershed Outcomes Bank Development (Feasibility) – California
$150,000 to The Freshwater Trust to develop a Watershed Outcomes Bank framework to leverage and coordinate multiple funding sources and help ensure funds are deployed to the projects that most rapidly achieve watershed resilience targets in the Cosumnes River watershed. Rather than the traditional project-by-project funding approach, the Watershed Outcomes Bank will knit together funding sources from the upper and lower watershed to build a coordinated watershed-scale funding approach.
Activating Giant Sequoia National Monument Recreation through Innovative Finance Opportunities (Feasibility) – California
$150,000 to Save the Redwoods League to identify an innovative, long-term financing strategy for recreation infrastructure at current and future areas of the Western Divide Ranger District of Giant Sequoia National Monument. The project scope includes a future USFS land acquisition and current League-owned property, Alder Creek. The feasibility study will develop a financing model for this private inholding with the long-term goals of improving overall access and visitor experience, reducing future operations and management costs for the agency, and relieving pressure on overburdened recreational assets. Alder Creek, with its hundreds of ancient sequoias, including the fifth largest tree on the planet, is comparable to Yosemite’s famous Mariposa Grove and represents a transformational recreation and conservation opportunity.
Accessing Capital Markets to Support Watershed Health and Manage Wildfire Risk (Feasibility) – Colorado
$150,000 to Multiplier, on behalf of WaterNow Alliance, to create a decision tool to facilitate Colorado public utility investments in watershed health projects. Informed by economic and legal analyses, the project team will create a multi-criteria decision analysis tool for utilities to evaluate and prioritize upstream investments in watershed health and protection. The resulting framework will be disseminated as a roadmap for utility investment in nature-based projects and water infrastructure not owned or controlled by local utilities. Project partners include the Water Center at Penn and One Water Econ. WaterNow is a project of Multiplier which serves as its fiscal sponsor.
RiverBANK Loan Fund (Feasibility) – Colorado
$150,000 to Coalitions and Collaboratives to explore the potential to create RiverBANK, a revolving loan fund that will leverage private capital as bridge financing for small to medium-sized organizations implementing forest/watershed health and wildfire resilience projects in Colorado adjacent to the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.
Catalyzing Land Acquisition in National Forests through Finance (Feasibility) – USFS Eastern Region
$125,000 to the Sand County Foundation to assess the viability of an interim financing fund to facilitate acquisition of private inholdings in National Forests in the Eastern Region (Region 9). Acquiring inholdings from willing sellers is desirable to meet the objectives of biodiversity conservation and public access to nature for all communities. Bridge financing is necessary to fill the time gap between when a landowner agrees to sell their land and when public funds are available to close a deal. This project will be conducted by the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (a fiscally sponsored project of Sand County Foundation) and Lyme Timber Advisory Services.
Media Contacts
Sophie Beavin, sophie.beavin@usdsa.gov and Nathalie Woolworth, nathalie.woolworth@usda.gov
About the USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office
The USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office Conservation Finance Program leads the way in positioning the Forest Service to leverage sources of capital other than agency appropriations to support priority projects through public-private partnership models.
Aleta Rogers, aleta@usendowment.org, 864-233-7646
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
View of the Lucky Branch tract recently put under easement in Montgomery County, NC. Photo by Emily Callicutt.
Three Rivers Land Conservancy and The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund Protect Lucky Branch Tract
Three Rivers Land Trust and The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund Protect 80 acres along Little River, Montgomery County, North Carolina
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Greenville, S.C. — May 2, 2023 – The Lucky Branch tract, an 80-acre parcel of bottomland hardwood forest situated next to the Little River and Uwharrie National Forest in Montgomery County, North Carolina, has been conserved, thanks in part to a generous grant provided by the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund. This grant enabled Three Rivers Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement on the property and safeguard the tract, which is part of a larger 520-acre easement, encompassing a variety of habitats.
“Thanks to funding from the NC Land and Water Fund, the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund, and a generous easement donation by the landowner, these 80 acres on the pristine Little River will remain free from development and maintained as a beautiful hardwood forest for the enjoyment of future generations,” said Crystal Cockman, Associate Director Three Rivers Land Trust.
Currently, the site hosts habitat for two threatened species: the Carolina redhorse, and Villosa delumbis, a mussel species also known as the Eastern Creekshell. This stretch of the Little River is classified as the Yadkin/Upper Little River Aquatic Habitat natural area with a very high rating as determined by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program.
“Bottomland hardwood forests provide a wide range of ecological, economic, and cultural benefits to North Carolina, making them an important part of the state’s natural heritage,” said Teal Edelen, Program Officer at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. “The Lucky Branch tract protects a high-quality parcel of this forestland forever, contributing to that legacy.”
“As responsible forest stewards, we are passionate for developing and implementing climate action solutions while also safeguarding precious environments, as are the bottomlands of the Lucky Branch tract,” said Brandi Colander, Chief Sustainability Officer at Enviva. “We couldn’t be prouder of supporting the protection of this important ecosystem, which is thriving with biodiversity and serves as a nurturing environment for many fish and mussel species, while also protecting the area from flooding and other extreme events.”
The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund’s goal is to be a catalyst for investments in forest and habitat conservation in southeast Virginia and North Carolina’s coastal plains. As the fund enters its eighth year of the planned 10-year partnership, 31 projects have been funded with a total commitment of over $3.8 million, including the project announced today. When these projects are completed, the Fund will have helped protect an estimated 36,000 acres of sensitive wetland forests and other habitats.
About the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund: The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund is a $5 million, 10-year program established by Enviva in December 2015 to protect environmentally sensitive bottomland and wetland forests. Administered by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Fund awards grants annually to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for conservation projects. Learn more at http://envivaforestfund.org/
About Three Rivers Land Trust:
Three Rivers Land Trust works to protect and conserve land, natural areas, rural landscapes, family farms, and historic places within North Carolina’s Central Piedmont and Sandhills. Learn more: https://threeriverslandtrust.org/
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
Media Contacts:
Aleta Rogers, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (aleta@usendowment.org; 864-233-7646)
Laura Garner joins U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities as Development Director
For IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 20, 2023)
GREENVILLE, S.C – April 20, 2023 – Laura Garner has joined the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) as Development Director. The Endowment is the nation’s largest public charity dedicated to serving the forestry sector and Garner will use her extensive knowledge to lead its capital resources to keep the nation’s working forests working, ensuring their advancement for generations to come.
“We are thrilled that Laura has joined the Endowment team,” said Pete Madden, Endowment president and chief executive officer. “Her deep background across the natural resources landscape mixed with her business development experience make her a tremendous asset to our team. We look forward to seeing the new ways in which she supports our work to advance transformative change for the health and vitality of our working forests and forest-reliant communities.”
Garner brings more than 30 years of investor relations, business development, and marketing experience to the Endowment. Since 2009, she has been focusing on educating foundations, endowments and family offices about the benefits of investing in the natural resources sector. Prior to joining the Endowment, Garner was director of investor relations for Fleur de Lis Energy and has previously held senior positions at Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup Alternative Investments and Chase Manhattan Bank.
“The work done here at the Endowment is important as many jobs, lives and communities depend on sustainable forestry,” said Garner. “I’m always seeking opportunities to collaborate and build productive relationships. So, I’m eager to join forces with others to help keep forests bountiful and productive for their full range of social, ecological and economic benefits.”
Garner serves on the Board of Trustees for the Animal Medical Center in New York City where she chairs the investment and finance committee, as well as a member of the development committee. Previously, she served as a board member of Milestone Capital Management and as a mentor in the American Corporate Partners Program.
She received her MBA in finance and marketing from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia (UVA) and is a chartered alternative investment analyst (CAIA). While at UVA, Garner was captain of the women’s tennis team, was elected most valuable player and was a three-time ACC champion. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, hiking, reading, volunteering for animal rescue organizations, and is a devoted French Bulldog parent.
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For more information contact:
Aleta Rogers, 864-233-7646, aleta@usendowment.org
About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working 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. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.
