Holden Forests & Gardens last week announced that it received $1.8 million from the USDA Forest Service to connect forest landowners with emerging climate markets.

As part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the grant is coming out of $145 million Inflation Reduction Act  funds—marking the largest climate investment in history.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to President Biden, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswomen Shontel Brown, and the U.S. Forest Service for their generous support of $1.8 million, the most significant grant of its kind in our organization's history,” Holden Forests & Gardens president and CEO Ed Moydell said in a statement. “Together, we're forging a brighter, more sustainable future for Northeast Ohio’s forests and communities.”

Strategic Project Zonesthe Holden’s Community Forestry Team will create the Growing Resilient Forests program with the funding. The new program will be aimed at empowering landowners with small woodlots across the Lake Erie Allegheny Region by offering landowners technical assistance, locally adapted native trees, and climate-smart forest management plans. 

“This generous funding allows us to expand our existing award-winning and nationally acclaimed Working Woods Learning Forest—a 67-acre, nationally recognized, publicly accessible demonstration site at the Holden Arboretum at the Holden Arboretum—and Holden’s new Restoration Seed Bank to serve a much broader region at a pivotal time for our forests,” Holden Forests & Gardens director of community forestry Beck Swab said in a statement.

The expanded program will support resilient forests, promote forest management and advance market readiness for landowners with small woodlots in the Great Lakes region by offering three main resources:

Landowner assistance and outreach

The Growing Resilient Forests Program will be committed to supporting landowners with small woodlots (ranging from 30 to 2000 acres) in the Great Lakes region. In the Lake Erie Allegheny eco-region, Holden will provide essential assistance and outreach. A team of consulting foresters will collaborate with landowners to develop and execute climate-smart forest management plans tailored to their specific needs and goals.

A source for locally adapted trees

Holden will launch a seed bank initiative to address the crucial need for genetically diverse and locally adapted seeds and plants. By increasing the availability of these resources, landowners will be empowered to engage in forest plantings that are better equipped to thrive in their specific environment. This initiative not only contributes to the resilience of individual forests but also supports the overall health and biodiversity of the Great Lakes region.

Forest management education

Holden will provide comprehensive education on climate-smart forest management practices that equip landowners with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively manage their forests. It will also offer pathways for participation in carbon and non-timber forest product (NTFP) markets. By promoting sustainable forest management practices and facilitating market participation, Holden is attempting to create a win-win scenario for landowners and the environment.