Who We Are

Why Family-Owned Forests & Carbon Markets?

Forests across the United States currently reduce overall U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 12% each year. Studies show that this number could be more than doubled with the right actions. Families and individuals collectively own the largest portion of America’s forests, making them essential players in the fight against climate change.

Carbon markets can help forest owners finance practices that improve forest health and address climate change. But historically, these markets have only been accessible to forest owners who own several thousand acres or more. This is mostly due to high upfront costs needed for carbon inventories, program complexity and 100-year contracts, preventing forest owners with smaller acreages from getting involved.

Combining their joint expertise in carbon sequestration science and connections to family forest owners across the country, American Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy developed the Family Forest Carbon Program as an innovative solution to these challenges.

We believe that carbon markets should and can benefit landowners from all walks of life. The Family Forest Carbon Program takes a unique and credible approach so that family forest owners with properties as small as 30 acres can participate and earn income for implementing climate-positive practices.

What We Do

The Family Forest Carbon Program works with family and individual landowners to manage their forests in ways that meaningfully increase the amount of carbon sequestered and stored, and partners with businesses who are working to confront climate change and achieve vital social, economic and environmental outcomes.

Our work is made possible thanks to expertise and involvement from scientists, foresters, landowners and local organizations who work together to ensure the program is meeting the needs of family forest owners, companies and the planet.

The Family Forest Carbon Program is not a government-run program. It is funded through philanthropic donations, grants and contracts with corporations purchasing verified carbon credits, and its finances are administered through the Family Forest Impact Foundation, an affiliate of the American Forest Foundation.