Blue Forest Monthly: Happy Earth Day! ??

Dear Blue Forest community,

Happy?Earth?Day!????We hope you were able to venture outside and enjoy the outdoors! On our end, we celebrated at EarthX,?the world’s largest green gathering in Dallas, TX?where members of the Blue Forest team participated in the "Combating Climate Change with Conservation" panel. Our team was impressed by the dedication and passion of the attendees and inspired?to see so many individuals and organizations coming together to discuss ways to protect our planet's natural resources and promote sustainability.?

In other news, we are pleased to share that we’re expanding our work with USFS International Programs to explore conservation finance opportunities in Honduras and that our long-time partner?World Resources Institute?has joined us in this effort. Read more about this work and partnership?here.

And while on the topic of international work, we also want to shout out Senior Project Scientist, Tessa Maurer, PhD who’s been traveling through the Lucky Country.??While she continues to be an integral part of our science team, she is also conducting her own research via her travels. She’s shared with us some “Learnings from the Land Down Under” that we hope you’ll enjoy.?

Lastly, this past weekend was the screening of Blue Forest Science Advisor Roger Bale’s documentary film,“California's Watershed: Healing.” The film highlights the crucial role of community engagement in the restoration and conservation of the Sierra Nevada's natural resources. You can watch the trailer?here.

And let’s not forget, that every?day?is?Earth?Day!? ??

- The Blue Forest Team

Featured Blog

Site Visit Recap: Bitterroot Valley in Montana?

Written by: Sabrina Chui

Clear blue skies and stunning snow-covered mountains were the backdrop to a recent Blue Forest visit to Missoula and Hamilton, Montana, to discuss our work developing a cross-boundary Forest Resilience Bond for the Bitterroot Valley. Since 2020, Blue Forest has been exploring conservation finance opportunities in Montana, developing connections with multiple national forests in Region 1.?

In late 2022, the Forest Service R1 Regional Office, Montana Department of Natural Resource Conservation (DNRC) , the Bitterroot National Forest, and Blue Forest decided to focus on the development of a cross-boundary Forest Resilience Bond pilot project that includes parts of the Mud Creek Project on the Bitterroot National Forest as well as private lands in Ravalli County. In January 2023, the Blue Forest team traveled to Montana to meet with U.S. Forest Service staff and Montana DNRC partners, as well as many local organizations. This site visit was an exciting next step to meet partners in person, build trust within the community, and engage more stakeholders in this project.

The Blue Forest team is eager to focus our efforts on this landscape because, according to the?Montana Wildfire Risk Assessment Report?published by DNRC, Ravalli County is at the highest risk for wildfire in the state. Federal lands constitute 73.6 percent of Ravalli County and much of these lands are areas with the highest wildfire potential, particularly in the southern Bitterroot Valley. In order to reduce this high risk to local communities, watersheds, and wildlife, the pace and scale of restoration on both public and private lands must increase rapidly.?

Continue reading?here.

Are you subscribed to our email newsletter?

Subscribe here to stay in the know about all things Blue Forest! ??