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Farmers combat climate change
American Farmland Trust is committed to making U.S. agriculture climate neutral. To do so, we are elevating the role of farmers and farmland in adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change. From policy leadership, coalition building, and training, to research and on-the-ground demonstration projects, we are working to scale up the adoption of regenerative and soil health-promoting agricultural systems…
Community forest, close to home
By conserving the Sanford Community Forest, Three Rivers Land Trust has protected one of the largest remaining natural areas within city limits from development. Land conservation like this safeguards ecological health, and ensures the availability of land for public recreation and traditional uses long into the future. The Community Forest also provides vital water quality protection in the Salmon Falls River watershed and carbon storage in its extensive forests, to slow down climate change…
Key initiative: Climate change
Responding to the profound challenge of climate change is built into Woodstock Land Conservancy’s core mission: “We will adapt to climate change and learn to live sustainably. We will support local communities to do the same through outreach and education, local policy initiatives, and by operating by example.” (Vision 2020)
As a land trust, our protected lands, many of them forested, help absorb CO2 and offset greenhouse gases. Our conservation work can also reduce flooding impacts caused by the “new normal” of extreme weather events in our region…
Eastern Wildway, an effort to create a wildlife corridor from the Gulf of Mexico to eastern Canada
The Allegany Wildlands is home to a spectacular diversity of plants and animals, including black bear, bobcat, rare orchids, and even some of the last surviving American Chestnut trees. As an ever-increasing number of species goes extinct in a changing climate, saving intact forests like the Allegany Wildlands becomes critical to sustaining life as we know it in Western New York.
New: Climate Action Plan
The Mississippi Valley Conservancy has developed an integrated climate action plan that is both community-oriented and action-based. They have taken a leadership position by recognizing their work will need to include nature-based solutions and renewable energy, to make a significant impact. This plan could be replicated by other land trusts.
Best practices in local review of community solar in rural areas
Community solar projects have numerous novel features, compared to other types of development. During this session, Adriana Beltrani, an Environmental Planner with the firm Nelson, Pope, Voorhis will present what to look for in a complete site plan application package and explore ways for local planning boards to ensure that information about important resources and other local priorities are considered during the site design and review.
The session seeks to provide attendees with the tools to appropriately investigate, avoid, and mitigate potential impacts from solar projects…
How the Community Forest Program works
“The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program) of the Forest Service offers a unique opportunity for communities to acquire and conserve forests that provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products…”
Community Forests: A path to prosperity and connection
“Community forests are protected forestlands that contribute to healthy, flourishing communities. Importantly, they offer residents and community members a direct say in how these lands are stewarded over time…”
New special report on the benefits of community forest
The Trust for Public Land announced the release of a special report, “Community Forests: A Path to Prosperity and Connection,” in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and with generous support from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. The report, and accompanying handouts, takes a case-study approach to understanding and exploring the numerous economic benefits provided by community forests created through the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP).
Producing energy while protecting the land
“Part of our work as a community land trust is to help reframe the energy debate and build community energy resiliency.
…[W]e flipped the switch on our first solar energy array and as of today more than 50% of the energy we use to run Taos Land Trust is generated by our new solar panels. The 2kW photovoltaic array sitting on our downtown Taos property was installed through a generous grant from the PPC Solar Photovoltaic Donation Program. This is a huge move for us…”