American Forest Foundation Applauds Administration on Prioritizing Forests for Climate
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 27, 2021) – The American Forest Foundation (AFF), a national conservation organization, that works to deliver meaningful conservation impact through the empowerment of family forest owners, responds to President Biden’s Executive Order on Climate.
American Forest Foundation (AFF) President and CEO, Tom Martin said:
“The American Forest Foundation is energized to see the Biden Administration prioritize tapping into forests and other lands as a natural climate solution.
In addition to the wildlife habitat, clean water and wood supply our forests support, U.S. forests also sequester and store roughly 15% of America’s emissions annually. More importantly, they have the potential to more than double this with right investments. Family forest owners, owning the largest portion -36%- of our forests, are a crucial demographic that must be brought to the table if we want these forests to truly make a dent in our climate crisis while also supporting rural Americans and rural economies.
AFF is excited to see the Administration focused on collaborating, and bringing all stakeholders to the table, to determine the best solutions that can empower landowners to adopt climate-smart practices. Already successful voluntary options such as the Family Forest Carbon Program, are igniting action and creating verifiable carbon reductions and creating new income streams for rural Americans. AFF looks forward to working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to advance these and other solutions this year.”
Contact: Elizabeth Greener; (202) 253-1096; egreener@forestfoundation.org
About the American Forest Foundation
The American Forest Foundation (AFF), a forest conservation organization, works on the ground with families, partners, and elected officials to promote stewardship and keep our forests healthy. America's family forests are vital for producing clean water and air, wildlife habitat, and sustainable wood supplies. AFF's signature program, the American Tree Farm System® is the country's largest sustainable woodland program with a network of more than 70,000 family forest owners managing nearly 19 million acres of forestland. Learn more: www.forestfoundation.org
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