Beyond Business-as-Usual: Practical Strategies to Engage Family Forest Owners

Recently published tools support forestry professionals to expand their outreach and engagement with family forest owners who remain outside of traditional networks. Hear from a panel of experts who contributed to these resources as they share practical tools, partnership models, and field-tested outreach approaches that strengthen trust and improve engagement. Panelists include:

• Esther Adams, MPA, Director of Community Engagement, Center for Heirs' Property (pending confirmation)
• Trinity Barnes, Climate Smart Forestry Program Specialist, Greening Youth Foundation
• Courtney Columbus, Director of Communications and Education, Asekia
• Sam Cook, Executive Director of Forest Assets, VP of the Natural Resources Foundation, NC State University, College of Natural Resources
• Delie Wilkens, Director, Communities, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities

Learning Objectives:
After the webinar, participants will be able to:

• Analyze their own outreach programming and enhance their ability to meet the needs of traditionally unengaged landowners.
• Apply relationship-centered engagement strategies to improve trust and participation among underrepresented landowners.
• Integrate new partnership approaches into their forestry programs.