Posts in category “NFF”

Before I moved to Northwestern Washington to serve in a year-long AmeriCorps internship for the National Forest Foundation, I had visited the Seattle area a few times. Each time, the weather had been a typical overcast day, with showers ranging from a light sprinkle, to a heavy downpour. Having grown up in Central Oregon, where there are about as many sunny days as there are in Hawaii, I knew that it would take some time getting used to the cloudy, heavy grey skies. The first time I... (Read more…)

I am married to a supernova outdoor sportsman, who has exposed me to some wonderful experiences, hiking, hunting, boating, and fishing. I never would have tried these outdoor adventures without him, but thanks to my husband I’ve had some powerful and unforgettable experiences in the great outdoors.  For instance, there was the time when Scott drew a special extended-season elk permit. We drove three long, icy hours to the Gallatin National Forest , near Gardiner, Montana, in... (Read more…)

Here at the NFF, we work to engage Americans in the stewardship and care of their National Forests on a daily basis. From our grant programs, which fund local conservation organizations conducting community restoration, collaborative efforts, and local engagement efforts, to hosting dozens of Friends of the Forest ® Days on National Forests across the country, to sharing news and resources regarding National Forests through our bimonthly tree-mail™ , engagement is one of our... (Read more…)

Over the summer of 2011 the Appalachian Mountain Club 's Professional Trail Crew worked on the Falling Waters Trail in Franconia Notch thanks to a Matching Awards Program Grant from the National Forest Foundation. They spent 9 weeks installing structures to mitigate serious erosion and provide trail definition and enhanced safety for hikers on the very popular trail. The Falling Waters Trail is located in the scenic Franconia Notch leading from the Parkway, I-93, to the... (Read more…)

An important part of the National Forest Foundation’s mission is to support communities and the Forest Service in their efforts to steward our National Forests & Grasslands. People with different perspectives are coming together in their local areas across the country to identify their common interests and find agreement, all with the objective of restoring and caring for public lands. Our program, Conservation Connect: A Learning Network for Collaboration, is... (Read more…)

While collaborative groups and processes around natural resource management have come a long way since the birth of the Applegate Partnership in 1992, it is still surprisingly easy to feel like you’re struggling through the wilderness of collaboration alone, tucked away into your own little corner of the country. In truth, there are collaborative groups tackling ecological, social, and economic issues across the U.S., from the south to southeast Alaska – sometimes it can... (Read more…)

Hi! My name is Hannah, and I am a new staff writer and development assistant at the National Forest Foundation in Missoula. Born and raised in Michigan, I grew up amongst farm fields rather than tree-covered mountains. Since my first trip out west when I was 12 though, I always knew the mountains were calling me.  Besides being outside, two of my favorite things are reading and writing.  So, this past May, after I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree... (Read more…)

The subject of invasive  plants, what they are, and what they do to the environment can get quite technical, which makes talking about them to young kids a little tricky. Words such as allelopathy, monoculture, biodiversity, and niche can be difficult concepts for adults to understand, let alone kids whose primary educational experiences have been in languages other than English.  Last week, at a stewardship learning event, the National Forest Foundation and the US... (Read more…)

Dear Friends of NFF and National Forests, As the first Director of NFF’s Colorado Program I am excited to be working for NFF and the National Forests and communities that have been such a big part of my life from the time I was a young child. Having experienced first-hand the recent and dramatic changes in Colorado’s forests due to drought and the beetle infestations, working for NFF is one of the most powerful ways I can “give back” to the places that sustain me while making a... (Read more…)

Dear Blog Readers, I am thrilled to be greeting you as the NFF’s new Conservation Awards Associate, a post I took on March 1st here in Missoula.  I currently lead dual lives, one at NFF and the other at the University of Montana where I am currently finishing my MS in Environmental Studies.  My research has focused on Wilderness stewardship partnerships between non-governmental organizations and federal land management agencies, drawing me deep into the world of... (Read more…)