AFF Congratulates GCSA Advisory Council Appointees
A view of a forest canopy from below
AFF’s EVP of Climate Funding Nathan Truitt to Represent NGO Sector on Council
CONTACT: Kristen Voorhees, Communications Senior Director, media@forestfoundation.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 7, 2025) – Rita Hite, president & CEO of the American Forest Foundation, issued this statement following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s appointments to the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program Advisory Council, in accordance with the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA):
“Forests are increasingly facing a variety of threats, from a changing climate to conversion pressures to shifting markets. The voluntary carbon market is a critical tool for financing much needed forest management improvements, forest conservation and climate mitigation – but these efforts will only be successful if they are high-integrity and include rural family forest owners in the equation. USDA’s establishment of this advisory council is an integral step toward creating the enabling conditions needed to build and scale a market that works for people and the planet. With today’s appointments of experts across the agricultural and forestry industries, the Department can effectively unlock market access for American landowners who are far too often left on the sidelines of our country’s conservation efforts.
“We congratulate AFF’s Nathan Truitt, Executive Vice President of Climate Funding, who will serve on the council as a representative of the nongovernmental industry. We also congratulate Dr. Edie Sonne Hall, Claire Getty, and Bryan Van Stippen – all of whom will greatly contribute to the practical expertise of the council.”
##
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.
Related Articles
February 12, 2026
Fields & Forests Plants its Millionth Tree
AFF celebrated the millionth planting on recently enrolled landowner Portia Fulford’s property near Montgomery, Alabama. AFF was joined by several key partners, including the Arbor Day Foundation, the Alabama Forestry Commission, the Alabama Forestry Association, Help for Landowners, and Funga.
February 2, 2026
AFF Statement on GHG Protocol Land Sector & Removals Standard
The exclusion of forests from the LSR Standard increases the risk of sidelining one of the most mature and impactful pathways for near-term mitigation.
December 16, 2025
Family Forest Carbon Program's First Ever Credits Delivered to REI Co-op
Today, REI becomes the first buyer to receive carbon credits from the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP), a high-integrity forest carbon project designed for small-acreage landowners.