Funding through Inflation Reduction Act Invests in Rural America

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 9, 2024) - The American Forest Foundation (AFF) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service has awarded the organization $5 million of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds through its Forest Landowner Support (FLS) program. The funding will directly support improvements in the health and productivity of rural family landowners in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee through the Family Forest Carbon Program, while unlocking access to the voluntary carbon market and bolstering rural economies.

“Rural families, owning nearly 40% of America’s forests, are critical stewards of our country’s woodlands,” said Rita Hite, president & CEO of AFF. “They hold the power to create game-changing conservation impact from our forests that fuels local economies and improves the planet – but only if they have access to the tools to unlock that power. This funding further equips these landowners, who too often are left on the sidelines of conservation efforts, to help reach their own goals all while improving the health and value of America’s forests.”

Through this award, AFF will coordinate with USDA, state forestry agencies and local partners to reach historically underserved and underrepresented landowners, providing them with financial and technical support to access markets and sustainably manage their working forests. The practices financed with these funds support the many benefits of a healthy forest, including biodiversity, air and water quality, climate mitigation, soil health, building generational wealth, and increased value to timber stands.

Privately-owned forests are an environmental and financial asset for rural communities and our country. Family forest owners, who steward the biggest portion of lands in the U.S., are already struggling with cost of living, inflation, shifting timber markets, and keeping their land in the family. These families are also seeing the effects of extreme weather impacts on their lands, especially this year in the U.S. South with Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Without access to resources to invest in forest improvements and new forests, especially as forest products markets are shifting, families are struggling to leverage their lands as an asset for future generations. Funding like this award through USDA invests directly in rural America and the future of our woodlands.

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