What do you think of when you think of Earth Day? Clean-ups at the local park? Recycling events? A peaceful walk? Pleas for donations? All of the above? 

For many of us, Earth Day involves one or more of those things. And rightly so. They are all good for the planet and, importantly, for bringing more of us into the realm of environmental stewardship. 

Family forests can shape the future of our planet before Earth Day, after Earth Day and every day in between. That’s why we’re not waiting until tomorrow. The opportunity and the impact are too great.

It is true that when you pick up a piece of litter on your way home from work, or you donate to an environmental organization, you play a big part in caring for our Earth.

But — what if I told you that you could do something bigger.

Something more wide-reaching. Something global. Something that would not only benefit you and your local community today, but something that would benefit your family for generations to come. Your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The land they inherit. The air they breathe.

Sound like marketing mumbo jumbo? Well, what if I also told you that this isn’t theoretical. That we have the science and the numbers to prove that this level of impact is not only possible but practically guaranteed.

As family forest owners, we know you work hard to care for your land. In fact, families and individuals care for the largest portion of forests across the United States, more than the government or corporations.

We also know that when it comes to fighting climate change, our forests are our nation’s largest terrestrial “carbon sink,” continuously taking carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it in our trees and products.

Even so, studies suggest that the percent of carbon currently being stored in our forests could be nearly doubled. Part of the reason for this is that less than 1% of current carbon projects in carbon markets are on properties under 1,000 acres, the size range of our many family-owned forests.

Enter the Family Forest Carbon Program, an initiative that pays small-acreage forest holders upfront to implement climate-smart forestry practices that go above and beyond what is otherwise common practice — and offers lots of professional expertise and support along the way.

It’s a voluntary, incentive-based program that gives you an opportunity to earn income from your land, improve the overall health of your forest, help fight the global climate crisis (by increasing the carbon we capture and store) and provide economic support for your local community. In fact, we anticipate that by 2030 the Family Forest Carbon Program will unlock roughly $1.8 billion every year for family forest owners and local American economies.

For many landowners, your land is your legacy. What better way to secure that legacy than to participate in a program that not only benefits the land today but also the Earth your great-grandchildren will inherit.

Family forests can shape the future of our planet before Earth Day, after Earth Day and every day in between. That’s why we’re not waiting until tomorrow. The opportunity and the impact are too great.

If you’re a family forest owner in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or select counties in Maryland,* and your land covers at least 30 acres, please connect with us to learn more.

*Stay tuned, more states and regions are being added throughout the year.