Across Appalachia, numerous nonprofit initiatives are making significant strides in preserving private forestland. These efforts range from providing carbon credits to private landowners to promoting agroforestry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's recent news release highlights the substantial investment of nearly $335 million from the Inflation Reduction Act. This funding is aimed at managing and cultivating privately-owned forests across the country, with some awardees focusing on Appalachian states like Kentucky.
Secretary Vilsack's Perspective
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack emphasized in a statement that the outgoing Biden administration is committed to providing resources to ensure that working forests continue to thrive. By doing so, future generations of Americans can enjoy the numerous benefits that forests offer. This investment is a crucial step in safeguarding these valuable natural resources.LiKEN's Contribution
The Lexington-based nonprofit Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN) will utilize a $2 million grant. This funding will enable them to connect small acreage landowners with agroforestry products that enhance forest resilience. In addition, they will continue their watershed restoration efforts and assess the landscape-scale impacts of forest management. Agroforestry, as defined by the USDA, involves the intentional integration of trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to create multiple benefits.The Appalachian Carbon Exchange's Initiative
The Appalachian Carbon Exchange, a nonprofit carbon credit program initiated by a land trust in Tennessee, plans to use slightly less than $2 million from the USDA. This funding will help them connect underserved private forest landowners in Kentucky and West Virginia to carbon credit markets. Carbon credits serve as a means for industries emitting heat-trapping greenhouse gases to offset their emissions by entering into agreements to preserve carbon-absorbing landscapes. Forest preservation is a common target for such programs, as evidenced by Oregon's recent agreement to enter an entire state forest into a carbon market.Other Grant Recipients in Kentucky
Other grant recipients in Kentucky are also looking to expand carbon credit programs through forest preservation. The American Forest Foundation, City Forest Credits, and Ducks Unlimited are among the organizations actively involved. These initiatives play a vital role in promoting sustainable forestry practices and addressing climate change.READ MORE