Payments for ecosystem services opportunities for southern forests

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Inflation Reduction Act Landscape Scale Restoration program (CFDA 10.731) to the Southern Group Of State Foresters, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. The grant, with a performance period from January 13, 2025 to January 12, 2030, is designed to provide cost-sharing, technical assistance, outreach, and education to help private, non-industrial forest landowners in the southern United States access emerging environmental markets, such as carbon offset and ecosystem services programs. The grant aims to increase climate change adaptation, support forest health, and facilitate market access for underserved and historically marginalized landowners in the region. The Southern Group Of State Foresters plans to leverage this funding to collaborate with state forestry agencies, like the Texas A&M Forest Service, and deliver relevant programs and services to the target private landowner audience.