WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 28, 2024) - Rita Hite, president & CEO of the American Forest Foundation, a conservation organization that empowers family forest owners to create meaningful conservation impact, released the following statement the White House’s announcement of their policy and new principles for responsible participation in the voluntary carbon market: 

“The new guidance from the Biden-Harris Administration is a welcome acknowledgment of the value of climate-smart forestry and the importance of scaling the voluntary carbon market to give rural family forest owners the tools to take meaningful climate action. These family landowners are on the front lines of climate change every day, facing real-time impacts. They want to do what’s best for their land, but too often, they can't afford it.  

The voluntary carbon market has the potential to drive billions of private investment into rural American economies and to scale climate smart practices that will maximize our forests’ climate mitigation potential. But to unlock that potential, we need clear rules and guidelines around the voluntary carbon market, and we need USDA programs that make it easier and less risky for small and underserved landowners to participate.  

Our forests, especially our family-owned lands, are critical natural climate solutions. Unlocking their power through the voluntary carbon market is key to scaling their impact to benefit both people and the planet.”

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CONTACT: Kristen Voorhees, Communications Director, media@forestfoundation.org

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.