A national forestry initiative aimed at helping small landowners generate income and strengthen rural economies has reached a major milestone in Alabama, with the American Forest Foundation (AFF) announcing the planting of its millionth tree through its Fields & Forests afforestation project.
The AFF’s milestone planting took place on land owned by Portia Fulford near Montgomery, highlighting Alabama’s role in a program designed to bring new economic opportunities to family landowners while supporting long-term timber production and conservation efforts.
Launched in 2024, Fields & Forests works with landowners to convert underused acreage into managed forests, allowing participants to diversify income streams while maintaining full ownership of their land and retaining future timber profits. The program is available in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, with a minimum enrollment requirement of 30 acres.
According to the American Forest Foundation, the project’s first million trees have been planted across nearly 2,000 acres in the U.S. South. Those plantings are projected to produce approximately 100 million board feet of timber over the next three decades and have already resulted in more than $1.7 million committed to participating rural landowners.
AFF officials say the initiative is intended to help family landowners strengthen the financial sustainability of their properties while contributing to forest conservation and economic resilience in rural communities.
The Montgomery-area milestone planting was celebrated alongside partners including the Alabama Forestry Commission, Alabama Forestry Foundation, Arbor Day Foundation, Help for Landowners, and Funga.
Fields & Forests operates under the broader Family Forest Carbon Program, which launched in 2021 and has since enrolled approximately 1,300 landowners covering 180,000 acres across 20 states. The program enables landowners to generate revenue through sustainable timber production and carbon-related conservation efforts while continuing to actively manage their forests.
The project has received support from both public and private sources. Initial funding came through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Landowner Support Program, while additional expansion funding has been provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Netflix has also contributed through a carbon credit prepayment agreement that helped provide upfront financing for the project’s growth.
The American Forest Foundation, which administers the program through its subsidiary the Family Forest Impact Foundation, said initiatives like Fields & Forests are designed to ensure family forest owners can continue managing their land productively while strengthening rural economies across the South.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
