Kentucky's Family Forest Carbon Program

Supporting Conservation and Forest Owners

The program supports TNC’s conservation goals in the Appalachian Mountains, a continentally critical migratory corridor for wildlife as the climate changes, and the globally significant home to some of the last temperate hardwood forests in the world. Connectivity is vital to protecting these mountains. To increase that connectivity, since its inception, the program has been extended beyond the Appalachian Mountains and now enrolls landowners throughout Kentucky.

During the program’s 20-year commitment period, the owner must abide by the forest management plan, which could include sustainable timber harvest as well as traditional forest protection.

For Sean Bowers, Appalachians conservation forester for TNC, bringing this opportunity to Kentucky is all about giving landowners new choices. Investing in small forest owners while improving the health of the state’s natural resources is a win for people and nature.

“This is definitely a step in the right direction for underserved landowners,” Bowers says. “Most have not had the opportunity to manage their forests in a way that will sequester more carbon and provide additional benefits for wildlife and connectivity in this landscape.”

Enroll your family forest by visiting Family Forest Carbon Program. For any additional questions, email Sean Bowers, sean.bowers@tnc.org

Building a resilient network

Since the program launched in Kentucky in 2024, 115-plus landowners representing more than 16,000 acres of forested land have enrolled.

Resource and knowledge-sharing across borders is a hallmark of how TNC works, and that holds true for this program. “A regional approach maximizes our impact,” says Sean Bowers,  “We learn something new with every property we enroll, which allows us to continuously improve our ability to meet the needs of landowners and nature.”

The program provides economic opportunity throughout Kentucky, including an area of Appalachia that needs a more diversified economy, as coal has declined. 

Meet the Family Forest Enrollees

Donovan Furr, a family forest owner who has 369 acres in Wolfe County, Kentucky, enrolled in the Family Forest Carbon Program. When asked his thoughts on the program, he said, “As a steward of family-owned woodlands, I deeply value how the Family Forest Carbon Program empowers landowners like me to enhance forest health while generating income. Before enrolling, I had never heard of a Forest Management Plan. Now, I have a clear, actionable roadmap that helps me manage my land sustainably, protect wildlife habitat and positively impact the local environment.”

Another Kentucky participant in the program is Chris Woodring of Bell County, Kentucky, who has 427 acres enrolled, said, “For the three generations living on our farm, through the flux of school, health, and job challenges, the FFCP provides a certainty of income that, come what may, our little mountain forest will pay for itself, every year, and we sleep well knowing that. The forest becomes that little engine that could, and the 20-year commitment becomes a pivot point, subtly changing our perspective.”

John E. Baker, a co-trustee of 104 acres of land enrolled in the Family Forest Carbon Program, said, “My cousin, Tim Baker, and I are trustees for trusts established by our dads, John Baker and Benjamin Rose Baker, and the Kentucky property we enrolled with FFCP is jointly owned by the two trusts. Our dads grew up in Hazard, Kentucky, and had careers in the Army and Air Force, respectively. The trust properties include interests in Kentucky Coal and natural gas inherited from their parents and others, so it is particularly gratifying that we’re partnering with an outfit committed to the protection and balancing of carbon interests by preserving forested land in the United States, including our small property in Eastern Kentucky!”

The Family Forest Carbon Program is making a lasting impact on both Kentucky’s forestlands and the communities and species that depend on them. We are deeply grateful to our participants, whose commitment helps protect Kentucky’s natural lands—one acre at a time. By enrolling more landowners, we aim to expand these efforts, connecting vital habitats and ensuring that wildlife reliant on healthy forests continue to thrive.