Transcript Bringing America’s Forests Home

National Forest
Foundation
Investing Through
Stewardship Funds
Protecting America’s Backyard
The National Forest Foundation
Formed by Congressional charter in 1991, the
National Forest Foundation engages America
in community-based and national programs
that promote the health and public enjoyment
of the 193-million-acre National Forest System.
Protecting America’s Backyard
The Many Values
of America’s National Forests
At 193 million acres, America’s National
Forests and Grasslands provide treasured
natural lands and critical resources for the
entire nation.
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Drinking water for 66 million Americans
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Habitat for 10,000 species of plants and
3,000 species of fish and wildlife.
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Carbon sequestration to help mitigate
climate change and clean pollutants from
our air.
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Recreation for 400 million visits by
outdoors enthusiasts and tourists
annually
Our Shared Accomplishments
Working through a combination of on-theground conservation initiatives, grant
programs and technical assistance, Since
2001, NFF and our partners have:
• Completed more than 1,500 conservation and
stewardship projects.
• Repaired and improved more than 14,000
miles of hiking trails.
• Restored more than 117,000 acres of wildlife
habitat and treated 80,000 acres of noxious
weeds.
• Engaged over 120,000 volunteers, valued at
more than $33.5M
• Planted more than 4.3 million trees and
shrubs.
Protecting America’s Backyard
Success through Partnership
America’s National Forests are the
people’s lands. Therefore, the NFF focuses
on bringing people together to ensure the
future of all the values and benefits these
public lands provide.
From ranchers to anglers, community leaders to skiers,
we all have a stake in the future of our National Forests.
Protecting America’s Backyard
To accomplish our mission, the NFF engages:
• Communities
• Grassroots organizations
• Local government
• U.S. Forest Service
• Volunteers
• Corporate partners
Adding Value
We bring added value to our
conservation work by always striving
to fill unmet stewardship needs as
we:
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Unite diverse stakeholders
Restore ecosystems
Engage Americans in conservation
Sustain community-based stewardship
Protecting America’s Backyard
Unite
The NFF’s non-advocacy nature allows us to
bring diverse stakeholders together to reflect
on their values and work toward zones of
agreement, resulting in lasting restoration
and stewardship strategies.
The NFF unites through:
• funding for collaborative conservation
initiatives
• expert facilitation and training for
community-based stewardship
Protecting America’s Backyard
Restore
The NFF believes in the power of on-theground conservation to restore our National
Forests and Grasslands acre-by-acre and
stream-by-stream.
The NFF restores through:
• Grant programs – Last year, we
granted out nearly $4M for local forest
stewardship
• Tree-planting – The NFF conducts
large-scale tree-planting to revitalize
forests, watersheds and wildlife
habitat after impacts of wildfire,
insects and more
• Carbon Capital Fund – While
replanting damaged forests, this
program ensures measurable,
verifiable carbon offsets
Protecting America’s Backyard
Engage
Our National Forests and Grasslands depend
upon enduring public appreciation and
participation in stewardship.
The NFF engages Americans through:
• Volunteerism: Partner projects and our
own Friends of the Forest Days
(including events with corporate
partners) offer hands-on opportunities in
the outdoors
• Ski Conservation Fund: Skiers make
voluntary contributions that support
projects near their favorite ski hills
• Forest Stewardship Fund: Visitors and
residents in forest-dependent
communities support projects in the
community
• Community-based conservation:
Encouraging local involvement
• Improving recreation opportunities:
Enhancing trails, access, wildlife and
fisheries habitat, and more
Protecting America’s Backyard
MillerCoors and Coca-Cola employees
during Friends of the Forest volunteer
days
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Sustain
The NFF values community organizations
and recognizes that building their capacity
is key to sustaining stewardship on the
National Forests and Grasslands.
We sustain conservation at the local level
through:
• Capacity-building support for grassroots conservation organizations
• Technical assistance, training,
mentoring and workshops
• Developing sustainable funding
mechanisms
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Expanding Our Reach
Treasured Landscapes,
Unforgettable Experiences
Conservation Campaign
The NFF has expanded its programs to
address the critical forest and watershed
restoration needs across millions of acres
nationwide.
Campaign Goals:
• Nurture more resilient ecosystems
• Restore landscapes damaged by
wildfire, insects, disease and other
disturbances
• Invest in the strength of communities
• Help the American public to appreciate
all that National Forests offer, building
lasting connections with these lands
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Treasured Landscapes Sites
The NFF has selected campaign sites across
the nation based on restoration need and
ecological values.
Collaborative conservation with communities,
agencies and corporate partners is taking
place at each location.
Hayman Fire
Pike National Forest,
Colorado
Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie,
Illinois
Coconino National Forest,
Arizona
Protecting America’s Backyard
Camp Hale
White River National Forest,
Colorado
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Stewardship Funds
An opportunity for recreation-based
businesses to invest in the lands they
depend on
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NFF partners with forest-dependent
businesses
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Businesses collect micro-donations
from guests and patrons
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Funds are pooled together and
awarded to accomplish on-theground stewardship
A Perfect Fit for NFF
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Our Approach – Unite, Restore,
Engage, Sustain
NFF Stewardship Programs
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Ski Conservation Fund
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Forest Stewardship Funds
WRNF Ski Conservation Fund
Highlights
Established in 2006
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Partnership with Vail Resorts, Copper
Mountain, and A-Basin
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Over $3M invested in the WRNF
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Over 75 stewardship projects completed
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Grants to 19 separate nonprofit organizations
Protecting America’s Backyard
2013 Project Partners
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Blue River Watershed Group
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Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
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Colorado Mountain Club
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Colorado Natural Heritage Program
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Eagle River Watershed Council
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Friends of the Dillon Ranger District
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Friends of the Eagle Nest Wilderness
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Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers
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Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
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Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
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Student Conservation Association
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Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
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Walking Mountains Science Center
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Wildlands Restoration Volunteers
The Summit Fund
An opportunity for Summit County
businesses
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Invest in their local National Forest and their
tourist industry
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Demonstrate their commitment to stewardship
and the environment
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Expand their marketing opportunities
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Support community organizations and
volunteerism
An opportunity for local nonprofits,
residents, and visitors
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Increased stewardship activities
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Greater opportunities for volunteerism and
engagement
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Enhanced recreation opportunities
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A chance to give back
The Summit Fund
How it Works
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Business collect micro-donations from visitors
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Donations are pooled together by NFF
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Funds are awarded to local nonprofit
stewardship groups and the US Forest Service
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Partners use local staff and volunteers to
accomplish measurable, on-the-ground results
High-Priority Work on the Dillon Ranger
District
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Grants will be used to accomplish a defined
scope of work
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Projects will include a broad array of stewardship
activities
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2014-15 – Upper Swan River Watershed
Landscape Restoration Project
Considerations
What does it take to make a stewardship
fund work?
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Scale – how many visitors?
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Efficiencies – how many different businesses
service visitors?
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The right collection mechanism – how are
funds collected? Opt-in or Opt-out?
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Does the sponsor have capacity to establish
the fund and market the partnerships?
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Is there sufficient non-profit or agency capacity
to implement projects?
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Do businesses recognize the value of the
forests?
How are funds used?
Protecting America’s Backyard
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Non-competitive grants that accomplish a
defined scope of work
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Competitive grants – who makes the decision?
For Further Information
For more information about the National
Forest Foundation, please contact us:
Marcus Selig
Director, Colorado Program
720-437-0290
[email protected]
Or
Mary Mitsos
Executive Vice President
406-830-3351
[email protected]
THANK YOU!
Protecting America’s Backyard