Family Forest Blog
November 22, 2021
Meet Tony and Debbie Wambaugh of Pennsylvania
When the time to retire came, Tony and Debbie Wambaugh were excited to be able to move to their family's land. Their main focus was on farming but they hadn't considered the potential of the 126 forested acres. An ad from the Family Forest Carbon Program changed all that.
October 20, 2021
Family Forest Carbon Program Opens Enrollment Across Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland
The American Forest Foundation and the Nature Conservancy announce expansion plans for their Family Forest Carbon Program, which empowers America’s rural family forest owners to improve forest health while addressing climate change.
October 14, 2021
Tackling Climate Change with Your Spare Change: A Collaborative Partnership with IvyCo
A new partnership between the American Forest Foundation and technology startup IvyCo gives family forest owners and others a new tool to help increase the potential for their forests as a natural climate solution.
October 5, 2021
Family Forest Owners Empowered to Address Climate Change with New Partnership between REI Co-op, the American Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy
REI commits to 6-year contract to purchase verified carbon credits from the Family Forest Carbon Program, an innovative and impact-focused forest carbon project.
October 4, 2021
Empowering Rural American Forest Owners to Take Climate Action
In the U.S., forests serve as the nation's largest terrestrial carbon sink, offsetting 15% of our nation’s annual emissions. More importantly, studies suggest this could be nearly doubled - through reforestation and improved forest management of our existing woodlands.
September 30, 2021
Long-term Offtake Agreements for a Lasting Natural Climate Solution
Long-term offtake agreements are a tool to help unlock conservation finance and scale conservation initiatives. For companies, they mean solidifying long-term planning and getting ahead of the rise in demand and prices of carbon credits. Find out more.
September 2, 2021
Determining a True Carbon Benefit Part 3: From Intention to Action
When measuring additionality many carbon projects ask, “Is the carbon generated from a forest carbon project because of the project or would it have happened absent the particular project or intervention?” While intention does play a role, it is often misinterpreted by those unfamiliar with the needs and behaviors of forest owners. Rather, to create a true carbon impact, a forest carbon project should factor intention into program design, yet measure real-life behavior.
July 20, 2021
Loan Guarantees to Help Scale Carbon Projects for Small Forest Holders
Capitol Hill has been buzzing with conversations, hearings, and round tables on how rural America can help address climate change. One such opportunity is via carbon markets for small forest holders.
July 6, 2021
Branching Out to Fight Climate Change
If you launch a new initiative during the biggest public-health crisis in a century and it nevertheless gains traction, you might really be onto something. That was the takeaway for the American Forest Foundation (AFF) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) after their joint venture, the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP), met with initial success.
June 28, 2021
Launching an Innovative Collaboration Between Landowners and Consumers for Climate Change
The American Forest Foundation (AFF) and IvyCo are launching an innovative collaboration to fight climate change by bringing together family forest owners and individual consumers. AFF, a national conservation organization, works to empower family forest owners across the U.S. to make a positive impact on their land.
May 26, 2021
Determining a True Carbon Benefit Part 2: Baselines
The Family Forest Carbon Program has created a new methodology, including an innovative approach to setting a baseline, similar to what is done in medical trials.
April 13, 2021
Determining a True Carbon Benefit Part 1: Additionality
Of all the concepts in the world of carbon credits, perhaps the most difficult to understand, yet critically important is ‘additionality.’ Ensuring carbon additionality is essential to ensure a company’s climate investment is making a true, positive difference. Christine Cadigan, Senior Director of the Family Forest Carbon Program, further explains the concept.
March 30, 2021
Meet the Hartman Sisters of Pennsylvania
For the Hartman sisters, Chestnut Farm is a family heirloom. Like a handmade rocking chair, or well-used quilt, it has a feeling of home and memories.
February 25, 2021
How Companies Can Help Scale Carbon Markets for Small Forest Owners
Earlier this month, the Task Force for Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets released its final report outlining various steps that project developers, carbon standards, investors, companies and governments can take to help scale the voluntary carbon market. We've provided a summary of the findings and recommendations on how companies can utilize these recommendations, including – among other things – working with and through the Family Forest Carbon Program to achieve their climate goals.
October 21, 2020
Climate Change, Wildfires and Sustainable Forest Management
The Western United States is experiencing one of the worst wildfire years on record. In California alone, more than 4 million acres have burned. As global emissions continue to rise and the risks associated with climate change continue to intensify, the answer to reducing forest fires and the other negative environmental impacts from climate change could in fact lie within the forests themselves.