Bayfield Conservation Group Establishes Forestry Conservation Project
The Bayfield Regional Conservancy, with the Living Forest Coop, has set up a new forestry conservation project for educational and outreach purposes. The project allows individuals to contribute a tax-deductible donation to a conservancy fund in support of education initiatives led by the forest cooperative.
The Living Forest Coop is a for-profit cooperative that provide the public with forestry services and management plans with an eye toward conservation. The coop operates as a small business, charging clients for services — but there’s little to be earned from education and outreach, said Bayfield Regional Conservancy Executive Director Ellen Kwiatkowski.
According to the groups, the Bayfield Regional Conservancy forestry fund will change that.
While the Bayfield Regional Conservancy focuses on land protection, it doesn’t have the resources or expertise to promote forest stewardship, according to a news release about the partnership between the organizations. Kwiatkowski said the Living Forest Coop helps fill that stewardship role.
Donors have already contributed more than $700 to the forestry fund since it began in June. The fund will help the Living Forest Coop provide information to landowners at no charge.
“When it comes to planning for the future of their forest land, landowners have various funding sources, tax considerations, and environmental complications to consider,” said Living Forest Coop General Manager Charly Ray. “For years people have been asking for a way to make tax-deductible donations to our educational activities — this provides them that opportunity.”
The Lake Superior Binational Forum recognized the Living Forest Coop last year with a Lake Superior Stewardship Award as a business that provides leadership in protecting Lake Superior through practicing ecological forestry with private landowners.
In 2010, the Bayfield Regional Conservancy and the Living Forest Coop held a series of workshops for landowners on strategies for land conservation. Together, the organizations prepared a booklet with resources for landowners interested in conserving land or getting assistance planning or practicing good land stewardship.
“It fits with BRC’s mission to conserve forest land,” Kwiatkowski said. "We view LFC’s work as a way to advance that cause because they foster healthy forests and supporting healthy forests is part of what we do.”
For more information on the Bayfield Regional Conservancy visit www.brcland.org. For more information about the Living Forest Coop visit www.livingforestcoop.com.