3 Extra Perks of Enrolling in the Family Forest Carbon Program
FFCP-enrolled landowner Tim Stout looks out over his property in Vermont.
When considering a forest carbon program, it is natural (and wise!) for landowners to weigh the costs and benefits of their options, and what sets one program apart from another.
For more than 40 years, the American Forest Foundation has had a mission of supporting and empowering family forest owners in reaching their conservation and sustainable management goals. When you enroll in the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) you join a community of practice: landowners who are committed to, and recognized for, their excellence in forest stewardship.
FFCP stands alone among carbon programs for family landowners in that we not only help you access carbon markets, but we also become your long-term partner in conservation. In this role, we provide you with customized support to create and sustain the forest you want for the lifespan of your agreement and beyond.
In this post you'll learn about three of the ways we strive to build a relationship that connects you with resources and opportunities that align with your goals, and with other landowners who share similar experiences.
1. A dedicated community manager
Once you have received your first payment from FFCP, a manager from our Community and Sustained Engagement team will be assigned to you. They will be your dedicated point of contact while you are enrolled in the program. As a first order of business, your Community Manager will collaborate with you and an FFCP-approved forester to create a management plan that helps you identify and reach your goals for your forest. Every landowner and every piece of land is unique, and we will help to ensure your plan works for both you and your woods.
Our team of community managers includes people with backgrounds in forest management, forest ecology, landowner assistance programs, education and outreach, naturalism, and customer service! (Photo courtesy of Betty Kuropat)
Already have a plan? We’ll work with you to implement it! We research and select opportunities available to family forest owners (especially educational, technical, and financial assistance programs,) that can help you meet your goals. Have questions about whether an opportunity is right for you? We can help you vet it.
“Working with the Family Forest Carbon Program has been extremely rewarding because of the kindness, professionalism and expertise of the team. Everyone was most patient with my many questions, and each question was responded to in a complete and clear way which helped build support across my family for the program.” — Tim Stout, FFCP-enrolled landowner
2. Opportunities to connect
As a participant in FFCP, you’ll also receive complimentary quarterly issues of AFF’s award-winning Woodland Magazine, an annual FFCP Impact Report that shows the contributions you and other forest owners are making to climate solutions, and an invitation to join us in our private virtual community, The Family Forest. Here you can ask questions and share advice in a supportive environment with landowners and conservation professionals from around the country. You’ll also receive notices from our advocacy team about legislation that has the potential to impact family forest owners, and invitations to participate in advocacy efforts.
A snapshot of the helpful resources you can expect to find in The Family Forest virtual community.
3. Ongoing support and guidance
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, our team is on-hand to help you be successful in implementing practices that sequester more carbon, and to exercise your rights under your contract. We know our landowners are doing their best to act in good faith and that life events come up that you can’t predict. That’s why we are committed to giving you the support you need to be successful over the life of your partnership with us.
Best of all, these services are free, setting us apart from other programs that are purely transactional in nature. The true reward of this program isn’t the check that FFCP sends you. It’s the many benefits – financial, social, and environmental – of a partnership to care for your forest over the long-term.
The Family Forest Carbon Program is now enrolling landowners with 30 acres or more in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Vermont, as well as select counties in Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin. Click here to check your eligibility today.
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