Today in our forester series: meet Emily Trent from Pennsylvania! Emily’s forestry expertise is built on a foundation of conservation, environmental biology and education. She has a Bachelor of Science in Ecology, Conservation and Environmental Biology, with a minor in Geography from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She also received a Master’s in Education degree with a concentration in Environmental Education from Slippery Rock University.

As a child, Emily loved animals and still does. She remembers that learning polar bear habitats are diminishing due to climate change as inspiring her to make a difference in the world, and to help animals that were losing their homes. Prior to her time with the Family Forest Carbon Program, she studied in South Africa, becoming particularly interested in South African penguins, another species endangered due to habitat loss. Then at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, she worked with these penguins and educated the public about conservation and climate change. Emily also worked as an interpretive park ranger at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park in Potomac, Maryland. Her time there fostered her love for being outdoors and for educating the public about native plant and animal species, and about how to be good stewards of the land.  

Now as a professional forester with the Family Forest Carbon Program, Emily helps woodland owners reach their own goals and make a meaningful conservation impact. Emily’s favorite part of being on our team is showing landowners that they can make a difference. She loves teaching woodland owners about the species on their property, such as unique wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, and wildlife. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, exploring new places and taking hikes with her family and three dogs. Emily hopes to one day own a forest of her own, and use it to help fight climate change and support wildlife habitats.  

To find out more about how a professional forester like Emily can help you reach your own woodland goals, see https://familyforestcarbon.org/. 

And remember, if you are thinking about enrolling in the Family Forest Carbon Program but want to work with your own forester, they can become a FFCP consulting forester.