FY2019 Annual Report
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019 TO OUR FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS Even as we expand our staff and programs, we are hen Gifford Pinchot became adapting our approaches. The NFF is piloting conservation the first Chief of the new finance techniques, and we are strengthening a program of Fellows who support our growing collaboration practice. U.S. Forest Service in 1905, We have transformed our marketing and communications W efforts to engage millions of Americans in what are truly he led a period of amazing growth and their National Forests. change for how our country viewed We invite you to join us on a brief journey through these pages. Then join us by staying connected and supporting and managed public lands. this vital work. You have an important place in the growth and change that will ensure our beloved National Forests are Today’s National Forest System is vastly different from healthy and welcoming for the next century. Thank you for those early days, but we find ourselves again in a period of your interest and support! important growth and change. With climate change, rising threat from wildfire, and growing recreational interest in National Forest lands Sincerely, and waters, the NFF is expanding its impact and reach. In this Annual Report, we invite you to explore how we are completing more on-the-ground work across key conservation projects than ever before, and how we are planting, literally, millions of trees each year with the Forest Service and our key partners who invest with us. Mary Mitsos Patricia Hayling Price NFF President & CEO NFF Board Chair We work on behalf of the American public to inspire personal and meaningful connections to our National Forests, the centerpiece of America’s public lands. We believe these lands, and all they offer, are an American treasure and are vital to the health of our communities. NationalForests.org 1 FEATURED ALASKA FOREST FUND PROJECT Partners we worked with: • Alaska Trails • Alaska Geographic • Chatham School District • Sitka Conservation Society • Backcountry Builders, LLC • MobilizeGreen 4 Cabins restored laska has more than 20 million acres of National Forests, between the Tongass and Chugach, the two largest National Forests in the system respectively. These National Forests contribute greatly to the quality of life of Alaskans, and also deliver unparalleled outdoor experiences 41 to tourists, contributing crucial income to the state economy. But the Youth engaged Agrowing demand of outdoor recreation and tourism has outpaced the ability of the Forest Service to keep up with much-needed maintenance and enhancements to recreation infrastructure. To help address this problem, we partnered with the Forest Service to create the Alaska Forest Fund and leverage private investment with federal funding. Through the Fund, we are working to both build capacity for Alaska communities 9.15 and nonprofits and accomplish much-needed work to improve recreation assets Miles of trail restored/maintained and forest health. For the fifth year we supported conservation work by the Angoon Youth Corps in Admiralty Island National Monument and the Kootznoowoo Wilderness. This 155 six-person Alaskan Native youth corps accomplished trail maintenance, campsite Volunteers engaged restoration, invasive species removal and beach clean-up work, all while learning leadership and professional skills. The Iditarod National Historic Trail spans over 2,300 miles between Seward 29 and Nome. We are working on a multi-year project to improve a 180-mile stretch Miles of shoreline on the Chugach National Forest between Seward and Girdwood. We supported cleared of marine debris three volunteer events that helped with trail maintenance to improve tread and clear brush. We also supported a youth conservation corps of seven youth and two leaders who conducted nine days of trail improvements. On the Chugach National Forest, we supported a six-person Alaska Geographic ...we are working to youth crew to conduct a campground restoration and beach clean-up project on Prince William Sound, near Whittier. both build capacity for The shelter that public-use cabins on Alaska’s National Forests offer is an Alaska communities important element for residents and tourists alike to be able to enjoy outdoor recreation activities. We accomplished restoration work on four well-used cabins and nonprofits and on the two Forests. On the Chugach, we improved the Aspen Flats and Paulson Bay accomplish much- cabins. On the Tongass we upgraded the Fred’s Creek and Allan Point cabins. needed work to improve recreation assets and forest health. Aspen Flats before restoration Aspen Flats after restoration 2 National Forest Foundation 2019 Annual Report 5B RESTORATION FEATURED COALITION PROJECT hrough our Conservation Connect program, we connect local Partners we communities to their National Forests. We bring people together to worked with: develop innovative solutions around the management of public lands. In the Northern Rockies, we convene and facilitate a number of local Environmental Resource Center collaboratives, one of which is the 5B Restoration Coalition out of Wood • • Northwest Youth Corps TRiver Valley on the Sawtooth National Forest. Blaine County From public and private land managers to a variety of trail users, this • City of Ketchum collaborative represents broad interests working together to share ideas and find • City of Sun Valley solutions that result in healthy forests, wildlife, rivers and wildlands. Originally • B.L.M. formed in 2015, the group has worked to develop shared priorities, build stronger • U.S. Forest Service private-public partnerships, leverage funding, and encourage community • Sawtooth Botanical Gardens stewardship for sustainable outcomes. • Idaho Conservation League This past year, the groups sights have been set on Bald Mountain (locally know • The Nature Conservancy as Baldy) which includes the area’s iconic ski resort, Sun Valley. The forests on Baldy • Sun Valley Economic Development are dying at an alarming rate from insects and disease. This presents a number of • The Elephants Perch potential risks to the values the community holds dear including local scenery, the • Sun Valley Ski Education economy, recreation, wildlife, and fire resilience and preparedness. • Foundation Local agencies and the ski resort have been working together for decades The Keystone Concept to maintain the health of Baldy but the rate at which the damage is being done is • Ecosystem Sciences and outstripping the efforts. The coalition has taken on this challenge and become a • Ecosystem Sciences Foundation catalyst for the development of a new proposal to address this growing problem at a Blaine County Recreation District much larger scale. • Sun Valley Company While still in the planning phases, the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project will • Salmon Valley Stewardship strive to improve forest health, reduce fire risk, and improve recreation on and • Western Aspen Alliance around the mountain. The coalition is helping to connect the dots in the community • The Community School for the importance of this work, and brining new voices and ideas to this discussion • City of Hailey that will be integral for the long term success of such an ambitious project. 25+ Active coalition members 200+ Voluntees engaged We bring people together to develop innovative solutions around the management of public lands. NationalForests.org 3 FEATURED FIND YOUR FOURTEENER PROJECT Partners we worked with: • Colorado Fourteeners Initiative • Colorado Mountain Club • Friends of the Dillon Ranger District • Friends of the Peak • Get Outdoors Leadville! • Mile High Youth Corps • Rocky Mountain Field Institute • Rocky Mountain Youth Corps • Southwest Conservation Corps • U.S. Forest Service • Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado • Wildland Restoration Volunteers 4,881 Linear feet of trail constructed (in some of the most complex terrain in the country) 226 Youth engaged olorado is home to 54 14,000-foot-peaks, aptly called “fourteeners” by 10.1 Coloradoans, and 48 of these beloved peaks reside on our National Miles of trail maintained Forests. Colorado’s Fourteeners and their alpine habitat are home to rare plant communities, ancient soils, and headwaters that businesses and residents depend on for water supply. CFourteeners also provide outstanding recreational experiences for locals and 17,339 visitors alike. Unfortunately the rising visitation is taking a toll. More than 300,000 Volunteer hours people hike a fourteener annually and that number is growing. A holistic solution to this growing challenge necessarily includes management approaches, education, resource management, and a key element—sustainable trails. Sustainable trails are essential to protect Colorado’s alpine ecosystem while Peaks worked on: providing hikers with a durably constructed, safe trail. However, many fourteeners do not have sustainable trails. Fourteener “routes” were established long ago as early explorers followed the path of least resistance to the summit. These early explorers never dreamed that one day thousands of hikers would attempt to summit the same routes on a single Saturday, literally loving the • Mount Elbert mountains to death. • Pikes Peak As visitor use increases, so too does the need to take action to preserve • Uncompahgre Peak Colorado’s majestic fourteeners and the experiences they provide. As the needs • Wetterhorn Peak mount, only a strategic, collaborative effort among multiple trail stewardship • Kit Carson Peak/ organizations will help make incremental headway.