Project News http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news en Conservation Easements: A Good Investment For The U.S. South http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/conservation-easements-good-investment-us-south <p><em>By Logan Yonavjak and Nick Price</em></p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/conservation-easements-good-investment-us-south" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:14:44 +0000 Nick Price 257 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org What Woodland Owners Should Know About Forest Carbon Offsets In The U.S. South http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/what-woodland-owners-should-know-about-forest-carbon-offsets-us-south <p><em>By Logan Yonavjak and John Talberth</em></p> <p>A <a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/issue-brief/forests-carbon-exploring-forest-carbon-offsets-us-south">new issue brief</a>, released today by the World Resources Institute and the Pacific Forest Trust provides an introduction to economic opportunities for southern landowners created by emerging forest carbon offset markets. This new revenue stream can offer real rewards to landowners who steward their forests for climate benefits.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/what-woodland-owners-should-know-about-forest-carbon-offsets-us-south" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 07 Sep 2011 17:42:09 +0000 Nick Price 254 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Development Encroaches on the Southern United States’ Last “Wild” Areas http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/development-encroaches-southern-united-states-last-wild-areas <p><img style="float: left; height: 125px; width: 186px; padding: 0px 8px 8px 0px" src="/files/sff/sff_interstate_forty.jpg" />As a result of rapid development over the last 40 years, the vast majority of land in the southern U.S. has been in some way impacted by humans. Today, only a small amount of land remains in a relatively natural, or “wild”, state.</p> <p>In order to visualize the full extent of human activity in the southern U.S., the Wilderness Society produced a map that reflects the relative “wildness” of ecosystems in the region.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/development-encroaches-southern-united-states-last-wild-areas" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:57:12 +0000 Nick Price 253 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Southern Forests Essay Competition: Winning Essays http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/southern-forests-essay-competition-winning-essays <p>We're proud to present the winners of the first ever Southern Forests for the Future essay contest! With support from Toyota, we asked 9-12th grade students from all over the southern U.S. to answer one of three questions: why is it important to conserve southern U.S. forests, what is threatening the health or extent of southern U.S. forests where you live, and what is a possible solution to help conserve and sustainably manage southern U.S. forests for the future.</p> <p>After reviewing all of the entrants, here are the winning essays!</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/southern-forests-essay-competition-winning-essays" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:49:19 +0000 Nick Price 250 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Property Tax Incentives for Forest Conservation in the U.S. South http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/property-tax-incentives-forest-conservation-us-south <p><em>By John Talberth and Logan Yonavjak</em></p> <p><b>Current use valuation programs can encourage landowners to resist development pressures and leave forest as forest.</b></p> <p>Development pressure on the outskirts of cities throughout the southern United States drives up land values and makes it more difficult for private landowners to keep their forestland. On average, in the South, short term returns for development can be <a href="http://www.wri.org/publication/current-use-valuation-programs">$36,000 per acre</a>. And for private landowners who want to keep their forest, rising property taxes can also provide a perverse incentive, because as the fair market value of the land increases, property tax bills rise. To help pay these increased taxes many landowners often resort to selling at least a portion of their lands despite their intention to keep their forests intact.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/property-tax-incentives-forest-conservation-us-south" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 07 Jul 2011 21:24:55 +0000 Nick Price 249 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Public Ballot Measures Unlock Billions of Dollars for Conservation Nationwide http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/public-ballot-measures-unlock-billions-dollars-conservation-nationwide <p><strong>A new <span class="caps">WRI</span> report explores what makes public ballot measures successful and how they can help conserve forests in the U.S.&nbsp;South.</strong></p> <p>Public conservation ballot measures are a means to secure citizen approval to raise public funds for conservation. They allow people to vote at the state or local level to approve new public funding—from bonds, taxes, lottery proceeds, or other sources—to dedicate to the conservation of natural landscapes, bodies of water, and/or&nbsp;farmland.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/public-ballot-measures-unlock-billions-dollars-conservation-nationwide" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 20 May 2011 22:04:48 +0000 Logan Yonavjak 247 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Online Survey of Southern Woodland Owners http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/online-survey-southern-woodland-owners <p><img style="float: left; height: 125px; width: 186px; padding: 0px 8px 8px 0px" src="http://southernforestsurvey1.org/_i/wri-button3.jpg" />The World Resources Institute and our partners working on forestry issues in your state are eager to hear from you on a number of important issues related to management of small family woodlands. We recently launched an online survey for Southern woodland owners about issues related to management of small family forests.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/online-survey-southern-woodland-owners" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:40:09 +0000 Nick Price 242 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org “Working Forests” – How Land Protection Can Save and Even Make Money http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/working-forests-how-land-protection-can-save-and-even-make-money <p><img style="float: left; height: 125px; width: 186px; padding: 0px 8px 8px 0px" src="/files/sff/wri_forest_at_work.jpg" /> Public support remains high for land conservation, even in the challenging state of today’s economy. However, since it is becoming increasingly difficult to add conservation expenses to public budgets, states, counties and municipalities can benefit from creating “working forests” that save and even make them money.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/working-forests-how-land-protection-can-save-and-even-make-money" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:56:26 +0000 Nick Price 244 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Protecting Forests to Protect Water in the U.S. South http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/forests-water-us-south <p><img style="float: left; height: 125px; width: 186px; padding: 0px 8px 8px 0px" src="/files/sff/sff_water_for_forests.jpg" /><b><em>Investments in forest conservation can save money on providing clean water.</em></b></p> <p>Clean water doesn’t come cheap. Communities and businesses often rely on expensive water filtration infrastructure to ensure their clean water supplies. But what if they could save money by protecting upstream forests instead of building new, costly water treatment infrastructure?</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/forests-water-us-south" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:34:27 +0000 Nick Price 241 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org Beyond Timber: New Economic Opportunities for Southern U.S. Forests http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/beyond-timber-new-economic-opportunities-southern-us-forests <p><img style="float: left; height: 125px; width: 186px; padding: 0px 8px 8px 0px" src="/files/sff/cs_solutions.jpg" />Stretching more than <a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/discover-southern-forests/welcome/diversity">200 million acres</a> from Texas to Virginia and from Kentucky to Florida, the forests of the southern United States provide <a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/discover-southern-forests/benefits/ecosystem">billions of dollars</a> worth of timber and other forest products each year as well as <a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/discover-southern-forests/benefits/ecosystem">hundreds of thousands</a> of jobs in the region. Though they comprise just two percent of the planet’s forest cover, they <a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/discover-southern-forests/benefits/ecosystem">generate more pulp for paper by volume</a> than any nation outside the United States. They also control erosion, ensure clean supplies of freshwater, and offer numerous hunting, hiking, and other recreational opportunities.</p> <p><a href="http://www.seesouthernforests.org/news/beyond-timber-new-economic-opportunities-southern-us-forests" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:51:38 +0000 Nick Price 239 at http://www.seesouthernforests.org