the conservation fund partners in land and water conservation the increasing role of conservation...
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The Conservation FundThe Conservation Fund
Partners in Land and Water ConservationPartners in Land and Water Conservation
The Increasing Role of Conservation Organizations in Forestland Conservation
770-414-0211
Conservation MissionConservation Mission
The Conservation Fund forges partnerships to conserve America’s legacy of land and water
resources. Through land acquisition, sustainable programs, and leadership training, the Fund and its
partners demonstrate sustainable conservation solutions emphasizing the integration of economic
and environmental goals.
Conservation ResultsConservation Results
Acres Protected Since 1985: 5.4 MillionAcres Protected Since 1985: 5.4 Million
Fair Market Value: $2.9 BillionFair Market Value: $2.9 Billion
Purchase Price: $2.1 BillionPurchase Price: $2.1 Billion
One of the Nation’s Top Rated NonprofitsOne of the Nation’s Top Rated Nonprofits
1%1% Fundraising Cost Fundraising Cost
96%96% Program Allocation Program Allocation
““A+”A+” Grade for Unsurpassed Effectiveness Grade for Unsurpassed Effectiveness and Efficiency-and Efficiency-American Institute of American Institute of PhilanthropyPhilanthropy
““Four star”Four star” rating for exceeding industry rating for exceeding industry standardsstandards --Charity NavigatorCharity Navigator
Rated one of America’s Rated one of America’s Top 100Top 100 Charities Charitiesby by WorthWorth and and Forbes Forbes MagazinesMagazines
Partners in ConservationPartners in Conservation
Public AgenciesPublic Agencies
FoundationsFoundations
CorporationsCorporations
NonprofitsNonprofits
IndividualsIndividuals
Conservation ProgramsConservation Programs
Land ConservationLand Conservation:: Assists government agencies and Assists government agencies and nonprofit organizations to acquire and conserve land across nonprofit organizations to acquire and conserve land across the country.the country.
Sustainable ProgramsSustainable Programs:: Demonstrates market-based solutions Demonstrates market-based solutions for challenging environmental issues.for challenging environmental issues.
Leadership TrainingLeadership Training:: Through courses, workshops and Through courses, workshops and seminars, serves as a national resource for land conservation seminars, serves as a national resource for land conservation professionals.professionals.
Working ForestsWorking Forests
Since 1985, the Fund has conserved more than Since 1985, the Fund has conserved more than 800,000 acres of working forests, including:800,000 acres of working forests, including:
Champion Forest, NY, VT, NHChampion Forest, NY, VT, NH 300,000 acres 300,000 acresEdisto River, SCEdisto River, SC 7,200 acres 7,200 acresCumberland Forest, TNCumberland Forest, TN 75,000 acres75,000 acresGlatfelter Forest, MDGlatfelter Forest, MD 25,000 acres25,000 acresMiddle Neches River, TX Middle Neches River, TX 33,000 acres 33,000 acres Chesapeake Forest, MD, VA, DE Chesapeake Forest, MD, VA, DE 76,000 acres76,000 acresAdirondack State Forest, NYAdirondack State Forest, NY 257,000 acres 257,000 acresGarcia River Forest, CAGarcia River Forest, CA 24,000 acres24,000 acresOkefenokee, GAOkefenokee, GA 16,000 acres16,000 acres
Results in GeorgiaResults in Georgia
16,000 acres16,000 acres at Okefenokee donated by DuPont to at Okefenokee donated by DuPont to TCF, timber and recreation rights reserved by TCF, timber and recreation rights reserved by International Paper, timber sustainably managedInternational Paper, timber sustainably managed
Over 15,000 acresOver 15,000 acres in the East Gulf Coastal Plain at in the East Gulf Coastal Plain at the Georgia-Florida border in partnership with Doris the Georgia-Florida border in partnership with Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Tall Timbers Research Duke Charitable Foundation, Tall Timbers Research Station, othersStation, others
With GFC, TCF protected With GFC, TCF protected 2,500 acres2,500 acres at Callaway at Callaway Gardens through the first Forest Legacy Conservation Gardens through the first Forest Legacy Conservation Easement in Georiga.Easement in Georiga.
Through partnerships, over 60,000 acres have been acquired to assure their continued natural
value.
Importance of Forestlands in Georgia
Functioning Ecological SystemsWatershed ProtectionWater QualityAir QualityWildlife HabitatRecreationQuality of LifeForest ProductsEconomic Impacts
Threats to forestland:
Growing population and development Growing population and development pressurepressure
Rising Value of landRising Value of land Property taxes based on “highest and best” Property taxes based on “highest and best”
useuse Disposition of Industrial timberland tractsDisposition of Industrial timberland tracts FragmentationFragmentation Loss of markets and competing marketsLoss of markets and competing markets
© 2004 R.B. Hammer and V.C. © 2004 R.B. Hammer and V.C. RadeloffRadeloff
Project conducted by Roger B. Project conducted by Roger B. Hammer and Volker C. Radeloff at Hammer and Volker C. Radeloff at the University of Wisconsin-Madisonthe University of Wisconsin-Madison
For more information contact Volker For more information contact Volker C. Radeloff at:C. Radeloff at:– [email protected]@wisc.edu– 608-263-4349 608-263-4349
Where we face conversion is where it hurts the mostWhere we face conversion is where it hurts the most 60 %60 % of the nation’s and of the nation’s and 18%18% of the world’s industrial of the world’s industrial
roundwood outputroundwood output Over Over 1.5 million1.5 million jobs jobs billionsbillions of dollars to the South’s economy of dollars to the South’s economy (SFRP)(SFRP)
http://sfrponline.net/http://sfrponline.net/
Forests are the dominant land use in the south 215 million acres
From 1980 to 2000, From 1980 to 2000, 28 million acres (13%)28 million acres (13%) of Southern of Southern forest changed hands forest changed hands (SFRP)(SFRP)
From 1996 to 2004, From 1996 to 2004, 18 million acres18 million acres of Southern forest of Southern forest passed out of industry ownership passed out of industry ownership (SFRP)(SFRP)
88% of forests are in private ownership88% of forests are in private ownership 59% are family-owned forests59% are family-owned forests
Forest Service researchers forecast an additional net Forest Service researchers forecast an additional net loss loss of 23 million acres of forest land by 2050of 23 million acres of forest land by 2050
Changes in Ownership in the South
GeorgiaGeorgia 24.2 million total acres 24.2 million total acres
of forestof forest
22.3 million acres, 92% 22.3 million acres, 92% is in private ownershipis in private ownership
Once sold, large Once sold, large forestlands often forestlands often become fragmented become fragmented and often converted to and often converted to non-forest usesnon-forest uses
What this means for the future What this means for the future of Working Forestsof Working Forests
Collaboration is needed!Collaboration is needed!• TraditionalTraditional• Non-traditionalNon-traditional
Important role for public landsImportant role for public lands
Important role for private landsImportant role for private lands
Many opportunities among challengesMany opportunities among challenges Diverse conservation toolsDiverse conservation tools Vast opportunities for collaborationVast opportunities for collaboration Public land protection continuingPublic land protection continuing Expanding conservation activities with Expanding conservation activities with
private landownersprivate landowners A growing pool of environmental A growing pool of environmental
supporterssupporters
The Upside
Copyright 2004 – The Conservation Fund
Methods for Conserving Methods for Conserving ForestlandForestland
Fee Simple- the outright purchase of land Fee Simple- the outright purchase of land including the title and the rights.including the title and the rights.- Often utilized by public agenciesOften utilized by public agencies
Conservation Easements- conveys specific land Conservation Easements- conveys specific land rights to another partyrights to another party- Voluntary and permanent legal agreement between a Voluntary and permanent legal agreement between a
landowner and a qualified organizationlandowner and a qualified organization- Landowner retains ownership and many uses of the Landowner retains ownership and many uses of the
propertyproperty- Appropriate tool for private landowners Appropriate tool for private landowners
Other less than fee simple transactionsOther less than fee simple transactions
Champion Northern ForestChampion Northern Forest
11stst large implementation of working forest large implementation of working forest easement and ecological preservation in a easement and ecological preservation in a market transaction in multiple statesmarket transaction in multiple states
Transferred most ecologically sensitive Transferred most ecologically sensitive areas to public ownership and sold areas to public ownership and sold remaining forestland to private forest remaining forestland to private forest investors subject to conservation easement.investors subject to conservation easement.
New York, New Hampshire, Vermont300,000 acres, $76 million in 1999300,000 acres, $76 million in 1999
Chesapeake ForestChesapeake Forest
collaboration with a TIMOcollaboration with a TIMO
Hancock Timber Resource Group, the State of Hancock Timber Resource Group, the State of Maryland and the Richard King Mellon Maryland and the Richard King Mellon Foundation Foundation
sustainable forest plan for 30,000 acres on sustainable forest plan for 30,000 acres on Maryland’s Eastern ShoreMaryland’s Eastern Shore
balance of objectives – protecting wildlife balance of objectives – protecting wildlife habitat, enhancing water quality and habitat, enhancing water quality and fostering sustainable economic developmentfostering sustainable economic development
DE, MD, VA76,000 acres, $44 million in
1999
Cumberland ForestCumberland Forest
First large use of divided surface rights and timber First large use of divided surface rights and timber rights.rights.
TCF bought the surface estate and transferred it to TCF bought the surface estate and transferred it to State of Tennessee to be managed as a wildlife State of Tennessee to be managed as a wildlife management areamanagement area
Another party bought the timber rightsAnother party bought the timber rights
Shared-Use Agreement directs management of propertyShared-Use Agreement directs management of property
Timber management must meet BMP and SFI Timber management must meet BMP and SFI standards; extra wide SMZ’sstandards; extra wide SMZ’s
Eastern Tennessee75,000 acres, $ 10 million in 2002
TCF Owned ForestlandsTCF Owned Forestlands
Management of Management of 64,000 acres64,000 acres of working of working forest:forest:
10,000 acres10,000 acres in Eastern North Carolina at the in Eastern North Carolina at the Palmetto-Peartree PreservePalmetto-Peartree Preserve– Red Cockaded Woodpecker mitigation bank for Red Cockaded Woodpecker mitigation bank for
NCDOTNCDOT– Active timber harvesting and ecotourism programActive timber harvesting and ecotourism program
9,000 acres9,000 acres in Virginia in Virginia – Active timber harvesting and watershed protectionActive timber harvesting and watershed protection
Carbon Sequestration:Carbon Sequestration: From Fallow Fields to Fertile ForestsFrom Fallow Fields to Fertile Forests
TCF in cooperation with several partners has protected TCF in cooperation with several partners has protected 24,000 acres24,000 acres through our carbon sequestration program through our carbon sequestration program
Partners include:Partners include:EntergyEntergy (Red River NWR, LA) (Red River NWR, LA)Detroit EdisonDetroit Edison (Red River NWR, LA) (Red River NWR, LA)Chevron TexacoChevron Texaco (Lower Mississippi River Valley) (Lower Mississippi River Valley)American Electric PowerAmerican Electric Power (Catahoula NWR, LA) (Catahoula NWR, LA)Reliant EnergyReliant Energy (Old Sabine Bottom WMA, TX) (Old Sabine Bottom WMA, TX)CinergyCinergy (Obion Creek WMA, KY) (Obion Creek WMA, KY)PowerTree Carbon CompanyPowerTree Carbon Company (Lower Mississippi River Valley) (Lower Mississippi River Valley)
Many opportunities here: help us expand this effective programMany opportunities here: help us expand this effective program
What made these projects What made these projects successful?successful?
•Compelling arguments for funding (function of conservation values and political\context)
•Collaboration with private investment partners
•Price and funding leverage; all included state funds
•Willingness to compromise and creativity in developing protection strategies
•Understanding of resource management issues
•Ability to complete complex transactions
General Principles for Successful General Principles for Successful Landscape Scale Sustainable Landscape Scale Sustainable
ForestryForestry Seek common ground; focus on areas of agreementSeek common ground; focus on areas of agreement
Seek permanent protection of working forestlands Seek permanent protection of working forestlands
Seek partnerships, including non-traditional partnersSeek partnerships, including non-traditional partners
Consider non-timber values and importance of Consider non-timber values and importance of forestlandsforestlands
Keep large forestland tracts intactKeep large forestland tracts intact
Be open-minded and creative; split legal interests Be open-minded and creative; split legal interests will continue to be one model to pursuewill continue to be one model to pursue
General Principles for Successful General Principles for Successful Landscape Scale Sustainable Landscape Scale Sustainable
ForestryForestry Focus on connectivity and watershedsFocus on connectivity and watersheds
Real Estate keys are location, location, locationReal Estate keys are location, location, location
Sustainable forestry keys are collaboration, Sustainable forestry keys are collaboration, collaboration, collaborationcollaboration, collaboration
Involve local communitiesInvolve local communities• They are the beneficiaries of the jobs, water They are the beneficiaries of the jobs, water
quality protection, wildlife habitat, etc; they quality protection, wildlife habitat, etc; they need to better understand and support need to better understand and support sustainable forestrysustainable forestry
As forestlands are lost, everyone loses - foresters, As forestlands are lost, everyone loses - foresters, tree-huggers and wildlifetree-huggers and wildlife
