$20 million will strengthen conservation partnerships and expand access to climate-smart forestry for Rural America  

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 15th, 2024) - The American Forest Foundation (AFF) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the organization $20 million of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds through its Forest Landowner Support (FLS) program. The funds will support bolstering rural American economies by equipping underserved and small-acreage forest landowners to access emerging private markets – like the voluntary carbon market – for climate mitigation and forest resilience.  

“Rural family forest owners play an indispensable role in protecting the health and wellbeing of both our forests and our communities,” said Rita Hite, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation. “This grant enables AFF and our consortium of partners to work together and find the most meaningful market-based solutions that bolster rural economies, centering the voices of underserved, Tribal, and small-acreage landowners in the process.”  

AFF’s award will support several key elements to expand market access and conservation impact throughout rural America, including scaling partnership capacity and engagement, advancing science and technological innovations, and expanding climate-smart forestry practices through the expansion of the Family Forest Carbon Program. The funding will help AFF reach its goal of removing 100 million tons of carbon from the planet by 2030 through the empowerment of family forest owners.  

This award also convenes 10 partners across the conservation, technology, and standards industries to enable iterative learning, future program development and a focus on equitable access to market-based programs like FFCP. Sub-awardees include: The Nature Conservancy, Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation, National Indian Carbon Coalition, Georgia Forestry Commission, Southwest Georgia Project, Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture (AMJV)/American Bird Conservancy, Upstream Tech, Planet Labs, Verra, and Vibrant Planet.  

For more information about the Family Forest Carbon Program, please visit www.familyforestcarbon.org.  

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CONTACT: Kristen Voorhees, Communications Director, media@forestfoundation.org

About The American Forest Foundation 

The American Forest Foundation is a national conservation organization that empowers family forest owners to make meaningful conservation impact. The organization’s flagship program, the Family Forest Carbon Program, helps landowners implement forest management practices to protect the health of their woodlands and help the planet. To learn more about the American Forest Foundation and the Family Forest Carbon Program, visit www.forestfoundation.org/carbon.