Northern Forest Center

Developing vibrant rural communities: the Center strengthens the vitality of rural communities and their ability to attract new residents and entrepreneurs seeking quality of life, community, and connection to the natural world. Highlights of FY2023 include: Continuing property redevelopment (through our subsidiary Sustainable Forest Futures) and complementary programming in Lancaster, NH, and Millinocket, ME; assisting the town of Woodstock, ME to create a 646-acre Community Forest; coordinating Maine West, a collaborative of diverse non-profits in Bethel, Rumford, South Paris, and Norway, ME; managing the Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance and providing grants for local recreation projects; implementing the first year of the Attracting New Residents Strategy in the Adirondacks which included supporting projects in Tupper Lake, Elizabethtown, Keene, and Chester, NY; and facilitating the Bike Borderlands collaborative to create quality mountain biking experiences in Gorham, Franconia, Littleton, and Bethlehem, NH; Bethel and Carrabassett Valley, ME; East Burke and Craftsbury, VT; and East Hereford, Quebec. Details are available at www.northernforest.org.

Providing Dynamic Regional Leadership: The Center provides regional leadership, advocates for, and supports thriving communities and healthy forests by increasing federal investment in the region, and developing funding opportunities that meet emerging needs.-The Northern Forest Fund: Secured nearly $9 million in investment commitments to the Northern Forest Fund, an impact fund for new residential and commercial real estate projects.-Collaboration: Raised $240,000 for partners' programs to support forest conservation, broadband expansion, and mountain bike trails and programs.-Advocacy for the future of the Northern Forest: Developed and advocated for innovative approaches to rural development and changes in public policy serving rural communities. Details are available at www.northernforest.org.

Catalyzing innovation in the forest economy: The Center helps create and improve jobs and build local wealth through opportunities that advance a regional land ethic and sustainable use of the forest. The Center's program work focuses in the following three areas:-Wood Heat: The Automated Wood Heat program has, since inception, reduced greenhouse gas impact by 9,400 tons by substituting wood pellets for more than 1.5 million gallons of fossil fuels, generating $8.1 million in positive economic impact for the region.-Wood Products Manufacturing: This program has invested in regional marketing to expand wood heat; engineering for a wood-fired district heating system in Burlington, VT; certified logger programs in NY, VT and NH; new product development in Orono, Ashland, Bingham, and East Millinocket, ME; and a feasibility assessment of using domestic hardwoods in military vehicles, leveraging an additional $2.4-million investment in the region's wood products economy. -Business Assistance: The Northern Forest Board Forum provided CEOs from wood product companies in ME and VT with business coaching throughout the year.-Rural Destination Development: The Center guided communities in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, Coos County of NH, and Oxford County of ME, to manage their assets for sustainable tourism and quality of life for residents through the Rural Tourism Academy. Details are available at www.northernforest.org.

Fees paid for board meetings