$10 Million Awarded to Support Climate-Smart Forestry Practices in New Hampshire and Western Maine

The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire (TNC) announced today that it has been awarded $10 million from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to administer a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to support Climate Resilient Forest Management in New Hampshire and Western Maine. This significant funding, matched by approximately $1 million in partner contributions, will support efforts to tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change through innovative forest management practices. The project will build on the successful Climate Resilient Forest Management (CRFM) project that has been led by TNC, the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, and the University of Vermont since 2022.  

The RCPP, managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural and forest lands. This year, the USDA announced a historic $1.5 billion investment in 92 partner-driven conservation projects through the RCPP, demonstrating the power of public-private partnerships in delivering results for agriculture and conservation.

The project aims to provide financial assistance to landowners to plan and implement climate-smart forest management practices. These practices will address degraded forest conditions, enhance forest resilience to climate change, and mitigate the impacts of forest pests and pathogens. The project will be led by a diverse group of partners, including The Nature Conservancy, University of Vermont (UVM), Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS), University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, New Hampshire Audubon, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF), and Greater Lovell Land Trust (GLLT). The project will primarily focus on several large landscapes in New Hampshire and western Maine.

“This funding is critical to helping keep the forests of New Hampshire healthy in the face of changing climate and weather patterns,” said Rachel Rouillard, State Director for TNC in New Hampshire. “By expanding our Climate Resilient Forest Management Project, we can directly assist landowners and communities to ensure that our forests continue to provide the economic, recreational, and human-health benefits that we all depend on.”

What the Award Will Fund:
•    Financial Assistance for Landowners: Support for updating forest management plans and implementing climate-smart forest management practices.
•    Workshops and Training: Host workshops to support landowners and managers with planning tools that can help to identify and address climate impacts.
•    Technical Assistance: Hire additional personnel to provide technical assistance and project management.
•    Outreach and Engagement: Expand and replicate landscape networks to engage more resource managers and landowners.
•    Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement a comprehensive monitoring plan using field-based and remotely sensed data to measure project outcomes and support the continued refinement and development of sound forest stewardship practices to address climate impacts.

“This project will harness the power of partnerships to share expertise and work together on finding the best path forward,” said Jeff Lougee, Director of Land Management for TNC in New Hampshire. “By bringing together land management organizations, private landowners, foresters, and others we can share knowledge and tools that help identify climate vulnerabilities and implement climate-smart forest management approaches.”

In all, The Nature Conservancy is receiving $102.5 million for conservation projects across six states. For more information about the Climate Resilient Forest Management Project and TNC’s work, please visit nature.org/newhampshire.