Ecoforesters Inc

ECOFORESTERS IS A NONPROFIT GROUP THAT STRIVES TO CONSERVE AND ENHANCE THE RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF APPALACHIAN FORESTS.

ECOFORESTERS CONTINUES TO SEEK SOLUTIONS FOR HELPING PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND PUBLIC LAND MANAGERS FUND IMPORTANT FOREST RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP. THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FOREST MANAGEMENT ARE CONSISTENTLY THE TOP REASON FOR INACTION AND ECOFORESTERS HAS MADE CREATING AND FUNDING FOREST STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES A PRIORITY. THE FOREST FUND WAS CREATED IN 2021 TO FILL THIS NEED WITH LOCAL LAND TRUSTS AND WAS AVAILABLE TO LOCAL CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP MANAGERS AS A COST SHARE MATCH THAT INCLUDED PROFESSIONAL PLANNING AND FOREST RESTORATION. THOSE PROJECTS CONTINUED IN 2022 WITH FIVE PROJECTS ON PERMANENTLY PROTECTED AND ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE FORESTS. OUR SANDY MUSH FOREST RESTORATION PROJECT WAS CONTINUED AND EXPANDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS CONSERVANCY, THE NC FOREST SERVICE, NC FORESTRY EXTENSION, AND THE FOREST STEWARDS GUILD, PROVIDING LANDOWNER WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING TO THIS RURAL COMMUNITY. THIS PARTNERSHIP RESULTED IN 2 FREE LANDOWNER WORKSHOPS, INVASIVE PLANT CONTROL ON

CONSERVATION PROPERTY AND STATE GAME LANDS. THIRTEEN FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANS WERE ALSO WRITTEN AND FUNDING WAS USED TO RESTORE FORESTS THROUGH THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE'S EQIP PROGRAM ON 7 PROPERTIES. WE HAVE RECEIVED FULL FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT FOR 2023 AS WELL. THE SUCCESS OF THIS PILOT PROJECT RESULTED IN AN EXPANSION INTO A TOTAL OF 3 PROJECT AREAS COVERING 12 RURAL COUNTIES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THIS EXPANSION WAS SUPPORTED BY USDA GRANT FUNDING FOR LANDSCAPE SCALE RESTORATION PROJECTS AND IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA FOREST ACTION PLAN. OBJECTIVES FROM THIS EXPANSION INCLUDE REACHING OVER 25,000 LANDOWNERS AND IMPACTING OVER 8,000 ACRES. THIS PROJECT WAS AWARDED IN JULY OF 2022 AND CREATED A PROJECT MANAGER POSITION THAT WILL IMPROVE OUR ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND EXPAND OUR REACH.

IN 2022 ECOFORESTERS PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL FORESTRY CONSULTING SERVICES TO OVER 100 FORESTLAND OWNERS COVERING 14,000 ACRES. ACROSS WESTERN NC, ECOFORESTERS' STAFF WROTE 41 COMPREHENSIVE ECOLOGICAL FOREST STEWARDSHIP PLANS COVERING 3,000+ ACRES, INCLUDING THOROUGH FOREST STAND IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY, WILDLIFE HABITAT, CONTROLLING INVASIVE SPECIES, RESTORATIVE TIMBER MANAGEMENT, RECREATION, AND AESTHETICS. WE DID GENERAL ECOLOGICAL FORESTRY CONSULTING FOR ANOTHER 15 CLIENTS COVERING OVER 1,500-ACRES TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND AND IMPROVE THEIR FORESTS. ECOFORESTERS ALSO CONDUCTED 3 SUSTAINABLE AND EVEN ECOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL TIMBER HARVESTS - INCLUDING CONVERTING A PINE PLANTATION TO A MIXED OAK FOREST AND FINALIZING A GOLDEN WINGED WARBLER HABITAT HARVEST FOR A REGIONAL LAND TRUST - TO MEET THE LANDOWNERS' GOALS WHILE CONSERVING THE FOREST FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TOO. ECOFORESTERS EXPANDED ITS ON-THE-GROUND IMPACTS AND COMPLETED OVER 65 INVASIVE PLANT TREATMENT PROJECTS COVERING MORE THAN 500-ACRES, INCLUDING WORK FOR THE EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS, THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS HIGHLANDS CONSERVANCY, CONSERVING CAROLINA, THE FOOTHILLS CONSERVANCY, WILDLANDS ENGINEERING, AND NC GAME LANDS. THESE PERMANENTLY PROTECTED FORESTS ARE NOW IN MUCH BETTER HEALTH MOVING FORWARD TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE NATURAL BENEFITS. WE ALSO DID 2 PLANTING PROJECTS TO EXPAND FORESTS AND INCREASE CARBON SEQUESTRATION WHILE IMPROVING WATER QUALITY. OUR STAFF'S WORK ADVISING THE US FOREST SERVICE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE 1-MILLION-ACRE PISGAH AND NANTAHALA NATIONAL FORESTS CULMINATED WITH THE PLANS RELEASE. ALONG WITH DOZENS OF PARTNERS LIKE THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, THE TIMBER PRODUCTS INDUSTRY, THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY, AS WELL AS RECREATIONAL AND WILDLIFE ADVOCATES, ECOFORESTERS ADVOCATED FOR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION THAT WILL IMPACT FOREST MANAGEMENT FOR THE NEXT 15-20 YEARS. TO ASSIST IN HELPING THE USFS IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN AND MAKE WISE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, ECOFORESTERS ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE USFS TO RESTORE FORESTS AND CONTROL NON-NATIVE INVASIVE PLANTS. STAFF ALSO REMAIN INVOLVED THROUGH THE USFS ALL LANDS STRATEGY GROUP AND THE COLLABORATIVE FOREST LANDSCAPE RESTORATION PROJECT. THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE VITAL TO ACCOMPLISHING MUCH NEEDED RESTORATION ON PUBLIC LANDS. WE CONTINUED TO PUBLISH TWO NEWSLETTERS PER YEAR AND PRESENTED AT MULTIPLE WEBINARS TO REACH AN AUDIENCE FAR AND WIDE. A SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR WAS HIRED TO ENHANCE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE RESULTING IN AN INCREASE IN POSTS, LIKES, SHARES, AND PEOPLE FOLLOWING ECOFORESTERS. ECOFORESTERS IS COMMITTED TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR FORESTS THROUGH BOTH EDUCATION AND BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND WORK.