New England Forestry Foundation

New England Forestry Foundation is a non-profit land trust and forestry organization dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of forests across the six-state New England region. Founded in 1944, it is one of the oldest and largest regional forest conservation organizations in the United States, utilizing tools like conservation easements and fee simple ownership to protect working forests. The organization promotes exemplary forestry practices that balance timber production, wildlife habitat protection, carbon sequestration, and public recreation, aiming to keep forests as forests for future generations.

History

The organization was established in 1944 by a group of forward-thinking foresters, including Austin Cary and Henry I. Baldwin, who were concerned about the post-war conversion of forestland to other uses and the need for long-term stewardship. Its early work focused on demonstrating sustainable silviculture on its own lands and providing management assistance to private landowners. A significant early milestone was the 1953 acquisition of the 7,600-acre Pingree Forest in Maine, a landmark partnership with the Pingree family that set a precedent for large-scale, multi-generational conservation. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, it expanded its model, working with families, communities, and other conservation partners like The Nature Conservancy and Appalachian Mountain Club to protect additional critical landscapes across New England.

Mission and activities

The core mission is to conserve and enhance the values and benefits provided by the forests of New England. Primary activities include acquiring land or conservation easements to prevent deforestation and fragmentation, and actively managing its network of Community Forests for ecological health and sustainable wood production. It provides professional forestry services and landowner outreach, advocating for policies that support working forests and climate change mitigation. A key initiative is the promotion of its Exemplary Forestry standards, a rigorous set of guidelines designed to maximize a forest's ecological, economic, and social potential, which are applied on its own lands and offered as a model for others.

Conservation programs

Its flagship program is the acquisition and holding of conservation easements, which are legal agreements that permanently extinguish development rights while allowing for sustainable forestry and traditional uses. The organization also owns over 150 Community Forests across New England, which are managed for public benefit, timber, and habitat. A major landscape-scale effort is the Two Countries, One Forest initiative in the Northern Forest region, collaborating with groups in Canada like the Appalachian Corridor. Another significant program focuses on the Great Mountain Forest in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and it actively participates in carbon offset projects through protocols like the California Air Resources Board to fund conservation through the sale of carbon credits.

Educational initiatives

Education is delivered through workshops, field tours, and publications aimed at private landowners, professional foresters, and the general public. Topics often cover silviculture, wildlife management, maple sugaring, and the principles of Exemplary Forestry. The organization frequently partners with state agencies like the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and universities such as the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Yale School of the Environment to develop and disseminate research-based management techniques. It also produces resources like management plan templates and hosts events at properties like the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.

Notable properties and projects

Among its most significant holdings is the 760,000-acre Pingree Forest Partnership in Maine, one of the largest conservation easements in U.S. history, established in 2001 with the Pingree family and partners like the New Hampshire-based Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Other notable Community Forests include the 3,200-acre Groton Town Forest in Vermont and the Moose Mountain Regional Greenway in New Hampshire. The organization also manages lands within the Quabbin Reservoir watershed, protecting the drinking water for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and holds easements on properties adjacent to iconic locations like Baxter State Park and the Appalachian Trail.

Organizational structure and funding

Governed by a Board of directors composed of conservation leaders, foresters, and business professionals, day-to-day operations are led by an Executive Director and a staff of foresters, land stewards, and policy experts. Funding is derived from a diverse mix of private donations, foundation grants from entities like the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, government programs such as the USDA Forest Service's Forest Legacy Program, revenue from sustainable timber harvests on its lands, and the sale of carbon credits. It also receives support through partnerships with corporations and collaborations with other land trusts within the Land Trust Alliance network.