How FFCP Consulting Forester Katie Wilding is Making a Difference for Kentucky Family Forests
Katie Wilding always knew that she wanted to work outside in nature, so when the University of Kentucky Dean of Students introduced her to the forestry school, it was a perfect match.
“My safe place has always been in the woods outside with my dogs,” she explained. This deep connection to the land that Katie describes is what makes her a star consulting forester for the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) Katie is a Kentucky local who understand what technical and financial resources the forests, community, and landowners need, informed by their expertise and lived experiences.
FFCP relies on both staff and consulting foresters, both of whom have a strong knowledge of the region in which they work, from the types of trees that grow there, to the invasive species that threaten them, to communities’ needs for healthy and thriving forests. Foresters meet with prospective FFCP landowners, talk about their personal goals and challenges for their land, and help write a 20-year forest management plan that's tailored to each enrolled landowner's property.
Katie in a wildflower patch
But Katie’s love for nature didn’t start when she joined forces with FFCP. Her first position after graduation was re-establishing Peregrine falcons at the Red River Gorge inside of Daniel Boone National Forest. She then spent 17 years with the Kentucky Division of Forestry under the Forest Inventory Analysis program and also worked as a crew boss for Wildland Fire.
Katie described her time with the program:, “It's the gruntiest of the grunt of all forestry jobs. But I loved it. I loved the adventure. I didn't mind the travel. I would travel all over the State. I trained multiple people and had great partners.”
Katie on a timber survey
Katie became the first female consulting forester in the state of Kentucky when she decided to join the Association of Consulting Foresters, and she’s been sharing her knowledge and experience with forest owners across the state since 2019. She teaches a master logger class, educating participants about sustainable forestry. By sharing her 25 years of forestry experience, she can draw attention to details that loggers might not typically notice while harvesting. Her goal is to restore loggers’ credibility within the forest space, ensuring that they complete their jobs in a way that balances the economic and environmental value of the land.
Family forest owners want to do what’s right for their land, their families, and the community. But far too often, they don’t have access to the technical and financial assistance needed to improve the health and value of their forests. That’s where FFCP comes in. The program works with staff foresters and consulting foresters alike to broaden our reach to landowners who otherwise wouldn’t have access to revenue sources through programs like FFCP that could support the goals of their land. Similar to the loggers, Katie equips landowners with important details about their forests so they know the best way to take care of them and keep ithem sustainable and productive for years to come.
Katie believes that the biggest issue facing our forests today is education. Loggers need education on sustainable practices, and landowners need education on all their options for keeping their land healthy. As a contractor with the Family Forest Carbon Program, she can share these opportunities with landowners. “I like to offer as many ways as possible for passive income to try to get these people to keep their woods as woods,” she said.
Katie also has her own 10-acre property that she is restoring from fields to a thriving ecosystem. On top of planting a variety of trees, she is creating an orchard as well as a garden and pollinator area.
A large Cypress tree
“The biggest thing that I want to do with my property is truly make it an example of what somebody can do on a small scale,” she shared.
FFCP is proud to work with passionate and knowledgeable individuals like Katie who are making a difference in their communities and promoting healthier forests and a better planet.