Source: PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
FOREST OWNER CARBON AND CLIMATE EDUCATION PROGRAM (FOCCE)
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1028023
Grant No.
2022-67023-36364
Cumulative Award Amt.
$1,500,000.00
Proposal No.
2021-11192
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jan 1, 2022
Project End Date
Dec 31, 2026
Grant Year
2022
Program Code
[A1721]- Extension, Education & USDA Climate Hubs Partnership
Recipient Organization
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
408 Old Main
UNIVERSITY PARK,PA 16802-1505
Performing Department
Ecosystem Science and Manageme
Non Technical Summary
Forests in the Eastern United States (US) comprise more than 90% of the land sector's carbon sequestration potential and 82% of these forests are in private ownership. The long-term goals of this project are to help private forests adapt and mitigate climate change, prepare minority owners to take advantage of carbon market opportunities, and prepare the forestry extension workforce to better serve their clients in forest carbon and climate issues. The education program will (1) build in forest owners and extension professionals basic literacy in forest carbon economics and climate change issues, (2) provide access to new and existing decision-making tools and resources, (3) foster acceptance of carbon and climate issues by building new communities of practice and, (4) reach under-represented categories of forest owners including African American and women forest owners. Our education approach is grounded in adult education theory, uses mixed methods of delivery and includes stakeholder feedback to adjust actions. Methods include direct learning through online recorded modules and resources, and peer education and professional development training approaches. The scope of the four-year project includes the greater Eastern US and is implemented in collaboration with both the Northern Forests and Southeastern Climate Hubs, over 20 research/extension professionals at 13 land grant universities, and multiple government agencies and private organizations. The establishment of a vertical community of practice will sustain programming into the future, by linking forest owners with leaders and decision-makers to help foster the future co-production of climate smart solutions on private lands.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
6010699302050%
8070430302050%
Knowledge Area
601 - Economics of Agricultural Production and Farm Management; 807 - Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery;

Subject Of Investigation
0430 - Climate; 0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
The proposed education program has five major goals:Goal 1: Facilitate basic literacy in forest carbon and climate issues, with a special focus on incentive opportunities, such as forest carbon markets and government programs.Goal 2: Provide access to new and existing tools and resources to help guide planning and structured decision-making, including on cutting-edge tools and technologies of which most landowners lack awareness of (e.g., remote sensing carbon assessments).Goal 3: Foster community around carbon and climate topics so participants continue to build knowledge through collaborative learning and collective engagement.Goal 4: Reach under-represented categories of forest owners who are less likely to participate in the carbon economy, including African American and women forest ownersGoal 5: Advocate for more diverse and inclusive carbon incentive strategies by presenting outcomes to industry and government leaders.To ensure successful knowledge transfer, trainings will be delivered using mixed-methods approaches.Approach 1. A series of strategically designed online recorded training modules (the primary deliverable of this project) that will deliver science-based content to self-directed learners (4 to 6 hours of training). The modules will be complemented with a series of live expert panel discussions to facilitate collaborative learning outcomes (i.e., reverse classroom approach) and a website-based clearinghouse of new and existing tools and resources to help guide planning and structured decision-making.Approach 2. A peer education approach will train forest owners to connect with peers to deliver the content they learned through the online program. This approach leverages shared values in order to reach owners who otherwise may not become involved in forest carbon and climate change issues (e.g., minority forest owners). The peer education approach will be advanced through the National Woodland Owners Association and target minority landowners through the Women Owning Woodlands program and Tuskegee University Extension Services, a historically black land-grant university in Alabama.Approach 3. A professional development training program established in coordination with the National Extension Climate Initiative and the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals. The program will prepare extension professionals to serve their clients interested in addressing forest carbon and climate change issues. As a result of this program, certified extension educators will have confidence to follow emerging research, have a common language on the subject matter, have incorporated forest carbon and climate change issues into their programs, and have strategies for communicating to diverse audiences.
Project Methods
Program Activities: Our education approach is grounded in adult education theory and psychology of learning theory. Implementation involves mixed methods of delivery and stakeholder feedback to adjust actions (i.e., advisory board).In the establishment period we will (1) appoint an outreach coordinator at both the Northern Forests and Southeast Climate Hubs, and (2) establish communications systems and program leaders for different pieces of the project. With the support of the coordinators in each region, curriculum development will be led by appointed leaders and a curriculum committee. The curriculum committee is made up of project collaborators and partners who will help develop and deliver the educational content, building on the Forest Carbon Markets 101 curriculum. When appropriate, modules will be customized for different bioregions so that information about forest carbon and managing forests under climate change is directly relevant to participants in those regions. The primary platform for program delivery will be through an assortment of short (20 min) web-based recorded training modules on specific topics (20+ topics) that can be assembled into a customized training program. The modules will cover a range of topics including climate change policy and impacts, carbon markets structures, forest management under climate change, contract design and tax implications. The content of the modules will also be offered in digital text form (via extension articles) and articles and videos will have a Spanish translation option. All digital resources will be offered free of charge.In addition to the modules, trainings will be supplemented with new and existing resources and decision-support tools. Some resources will be directed towards forest owners, such as a new decision-making tool developed by Penn State and the Forest Landowner Association (FCMAP). Some resources will be directed towards extension professionals who want to curate information to supplement or expand their programsDuring the program delivery period, the FOCCE curriculum, tools and resources will reach forest owners in at least one of three ways: (1) through self-directed learning by clients accessing the modules and resources made available online (2) through peer education programs and (3) affiliated extension professionals and their programs.The training of peer educators in this program will occur through the self-directed modules describe above. The assigned program leaders will arrange the training of select landowners who volunteer to be peer-educators, and Hub coordinators will oversee program activities. Additional trainings may be offered on professional development topics such as trust-based leadership and strategic communication. After completing their training, peer educators will be asked to submit an outreach plan that describes their target audience, their outreach approach and which impact indicators will be measured. Peer educators can request a stipend of $500 to $1,000 to help support program costs and will report outreach impacts to the Hub coordinator. The key to success in this area will be helping peer-educators create a useful outreach plan and the continued shepherding of the peer-educators to implement their plan.Educators will be trained using the same online learning modules and reverse classroom approach proposed above. Similar to most continuing education training opportunities, educators will select from a list a required modules and assignments and elect when to take the training (i.e., self-directed). Supplemental trainings may also be provided through a companion proposal for this same NIFA call titled, "Elevating, Amplifying, and Accelerating Extension Climate Change Actions". Training opportunities and resources will be marketed through ANREP and the eXtension website. After completing their training, extension educators can submit a proposal describing how they plan to include the FOCCE content into their programs in order to qualify for a stipend of $500 to $2000 to help support program delivery costs.We look to build a vertical community by launching a quarterly FOCCE newsletter with a national scope that will target landowners, project partners, participants, industry leaders and policy makers. The development of the digital newsletter will be led by the hub coordinators and delivered by email to curated lists (starting with project participants). It will contain information about new training programs, expert panel sessions, stories from peer-educators, and extension programs as well as updates on science, resources, policies, and programs that are relevant to, or may impact forest landowner decision-making. The FOCCE newsletter will also serve as a marketing tool that can direct new audiences to the FOCCE website. Newsletter content and procedures will be subject to review by the advisory/review board. We will also work to expand the reach of existing climate working groups and collaborations to better include landowners and extension professionals. Through a collaboration with Michigan State University's Forest Carbon and Climate Program, project leaders and participants will have access to the Forest Climate Working Group (FCWG) and their newly established Learning Exchange Series (LES). The FCWG coalition is a diverse network of members speaking with one voice to federal policy makers seeking to make an impact on the climate crisis. To help support landowner engagement, select presentations at the FCWG and LES will be condensed into easy-to-understand briefs which will be circulated through the FOCCE newsletter. We aim to present program outcomes to the FCWG and the Forest Landowner Association (who have representatives in Washington DC) in order to advocate for more diverse and inclusive carbon incentive strategies. Finally, we will continue to work with NECI to advance professional development training opportunities for forestry extension in forest-climate issues.An advisory/review board will be established to review projetc activties. Evaluation procedures will be used to verify short and long-term impact in key areas, namely the preconditions supporting long-term program goals. Some of the impact assessment strategies described in this proposal have already been developed and tested in the pilot project. Methods are also based on procedures recommended for measuring impact in extension programming advanced in a technical guide written by PI Melissa Kreye (Kreye, 2020).

Progress 01/01/24 to 12/31/24

Outputs
Target Audience:Different catagories of private forest landowners, extension educators, forest industry professionals, carbon market representatives, academic experts, college students, private lands association representatives, state and federal agency representatives, and public. Changes/Problems:One challenge in this project has been a delay in recruiting a program coordinator for the southeastern region. A program coordinator was hired at the beginning of 2025. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Key to reaching the extension audiences served by this project, is a training program for extension professionals in forest carbon topics. In Fall of 2024 we developed the " Teaching Forest Owners about Carbon Incentives: A Training Series" http://https://extension.psu.edu/educator-training-course-carbon-incentives-for-forest-owners. This course prepares extension educators to answer three critical questions most forest owners have about carbon markets: (1) how do I manage forest carbon? (2) what is a fair price for forest carbon? and (3) what do I need to consider before signing a carbon contract? The course will be offered at least once a year and includes ten modules delivered over five weeks. Activities include assigned readings and live discussions with experts in forest carbon each week. Included in the program is a guide book (~100 pages) reviewing existing extension materials, teaching tips, a list of 60+ keywords and links to over 35 tools and resources https://sites.psu.edu/focce/resources/ offered by partnering organizations, including USDA agencies. Participants can receive a certificate of completion, continuing education credits, and the opportunity to apply for a FOCCEgrant. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To help provide access to new and existing decision-making tools, resources and events, an online library of FOCCE resources was established at this project website. https://sites.psu.edu/focce/. Core library materials include a selection of extension articles that help support basic literacy and decision-making in forest carbon topics. Topics include managing forest carbon, forest carbon incentives, and estate planning. Other content on the website are links to over 35 tools and resources offered by partnering organizations. Visitors to the site engage by reading any article of their choice, and following a series of prompts they can visit other articles related to their needs and interests. A growing number of extension articles have been posted since Fall of 2022 (33 total) and the articles have been viewed over 160,000 times. Visitors to the site are also able to learn about upcoming FOCCE events and are invited to sign up for the FOCCE newsletter, which will help, in part, support our goal of fostering community around carbon and forestry topics. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Launch a pilot for the, "Teaching Forest Owners about Carbon Incentives: A Training Series" online program in July 2025. Evaluation data will be collected to determine impact and help improve the program.. Continue to expand the FOCCE library of resources to include new articles as they are produced by experts in the FOCCE network. This includes the production of more Spanish language articles. Establish a quarterly newsletter to disseminate news about FOCCE activities and resources. Continue engaging in discussions about peer education programs and other strategies with extension faculty at other universities. Develop programs that reflect the interests, needs and conditions of a variety of landowners.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To help facilitate basic literacy in forest carbon issues in the target audience, we hosted 29extension talks and short courses delivered online and in person.By using the Penn State Extension platform and taking part in forest landowner association and forest industry meetings, we were able to reach over 2,000 stakeholders throughout the United States. The presentations provided an introduction to how forests store carbon, how carbon markets work, and described the new extension resources provided through the FOCCE program.A growing number of extension articles have also been posted at the FOCCE website (7additonal articlesfor a total of 33in 2024). The articles in the library have been viewed over 160,000 times since 2022. Across the series the evaluation surveys provided valuable insight about the target audience, and the value of the courses. On average about 5% of the participants completed the surveys. The majority of participants (50-55%) were forest landowners or foresters. Wefound58% of participants are either "very likely" or "absolutely will" implement ideas or practices included. An additional 30% reported they were moderately likely to implement the practices. Evaluation data from the Educator Training webinar series reveals that on average around 40% of participants "strongly agreed" that they were more confident in teaching about carbon offsets after the presentations. Data from the "Land Transition" series displays that on average 56% of participants gain either "a lot" or a "great deal" of information from the series. Evaluation survey Comments: "Wonderful balance of presenting highly scientific and complex topics in an accessible way." "Because the presenters in the series were so good, even information I already knew was helpful to hear in the context of their presentations. So even though I may have said I gained a moderate amount in some cases, it is because it is hard to quantify how the reinforcement or repetition helps . " The project reports delivered to the FOCCE advisory board have so far been the primary way of advocating for more innovative carbon incentive strategies. Advisory board members include representatives from major carbon market programs and registries, as well as state and federal agencies. By engaging in the FOCCE program, board members have been able to learn more about landowner information needs and concerns about private forest management. Feedback from the board, recorded in the meeting minutes, show that many are positive and supportive of the activities conducted at FOCCE.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Short Course, Co-director and Instructor, Classroom, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education Program, Goddard Chair in Forestry and Environmental Resource Conservation, 60 participant(s), External to Penn State. Fall (October 16-17, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Workshop, Co-instructor, On-Line, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education Program, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, 35 participant(s), External to Penn State, Professional. Fall (October 15, 2024). Keep Penns Woods Healthy Workshop
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Director and Instructor, Classroom, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education Program, National Forest Stewardship Program, Frederick, MD, 100 participant(s), External to Penn State. Fall (September 11, 2024). Engaging Landowners.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Co-instructor, On-Line, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education Program, Pennsylvania Forest Seminar, 60 participant(s), Fall (November 12, 2024). Opportunities in Forest Carbon Markets.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Director and Instructor, Classroom, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education, Westmoreland Woodlands Improvement Association, Greensburg, PA, 25 participants, Fall (October 17, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Short Course, Director and Instructor, On-Line, External to Penn State, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education, The Drawdown Georgia Business Compact Team , 90 participants, Summer (June 14, 2024),
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Field Talk, Instructor, Classroom, External to Penn State, WPSU Television Station, State College, PA, 25 participants, Spring (April 2, 2024), WPSU carbon-forest walk.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Team Instructor, On-Line, External to Penn State, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education. Penn State Extension, 100 participants, Spring (March 20, 2024), Advice from the Woods.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Co-Director and Instructor, On-Line, External to Penn State, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education, Penn State Extension, 60 participants, Spring (March 18, 2024), Open House for Forests and Climate Change: Peer Education Strategies for Landowners
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Short Course, Co-Director and Instructor, On-Line, External to Penn State, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education, Georgia Technical Institute, 25 participants, Professional. Spring (February 9, 2024)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Workshop, Keynote Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, US Endowment for Forests and Communities and Dovetail Partners, Nashville, TN, 50 in attendance, Summer (June 18, 2024), Engaging and Supporting Private Forest Landowners in Ecosystem Service Markets, Collaboration on Carbon: A Workshop to understand downstream impacts and the future of US forest carbon markets.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Panel, Panel Member, Penn State Climate Consortium, University Park, PA, 100 participants, Spring (May 14, 2024) "Harnessing the Potential of Forests as Nature-Based Solutions Through Carbon Forestry,"
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Webinar Series, Invited Speaker/Co-host, On-Line, External to Penn State, Michigan State University, 150 participants, Winter (December 12th, 2024), Building Forest Carbon and Market Decision Capacity Webinar Series: Cost-benefit of Voluntary Carbon Projects.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Webinar Series, Invited Speaker/Co-host, On-Line, External to Penn State, Michigan State University, 150 participants, Fall (September 26th, 2024), Building Forest Carbon and Market Decision Capacity Webinar Series: Introductions to Forest Carbon Markets and Payment Programs.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Short Course, Invited Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, New York Farm Show, Onondaga County, 2 talks, 30 participants, Winter (February 22, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Keynote Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Southeast Green Industry Meeting, Duluth, Georgia, 100 participants, Winter (January 6, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Invited Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Southeast PA Green Industry Forum, Temple University, Ambler PA, 65 participants, Winter (February, 26, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Invited Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Green Build Event: We Sought the Woods, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 30 participants, Summer (July, 22, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Invited Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP), Hershey Pennsylvania, Summer (June 6, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Panel, Invited Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Roundtable with (Former) USDA Chief, Erie Pennsylvania, Spring (May 23, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Presentation, Invited Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Society of American Foresters Convention, Loveland Colorado, Fall (September 17-20, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Short Course, Speaker, On-Line, External to Penn State, Forest Management and Carbon Webinar, Spring (March, 22nd 2024).
  • Type: Other Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Poster Presentation, Speaker, Classroom, External to Penn State, Society of American Foresters Convention, Loveland Colorado, Fall (September 17-20, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Short Course, Invited Speaker, On-Line, External to Penn State, Pennsylvania Forest Seminar, Fall (November 12, 2024).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Kreye, M., Norman, C., Fern�ndez, M., Neupane, K. On- Line, External to Penn State, Teaching Forest Owners about Carbon Incentives: A Training Series, 10 webinars, 60 participants, Fall (August - September, 2024). This course prepares extension educators to answer three critical questions most forest owners have about carbon markets: (1) how do I manage forest carbon? (2) what is a fair price for forest carbon? and (3) what do I need to consider before signing a carbon contract? The course was offered in the fall and it included ten modules delivered over five weeks. Activities include assigned readings and live discussions with experts in forest carbon each week. Training materials also include links to over 35 tools and resources offered by partnering organizations, including the USDA Climate Hubs and US Forest Service. Participants can receive a certificate of completion, continuing education credits, and the opportunity to apply for a Forest Owner Carbon Climate Education (FOCCE) grant.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Kreye, M., Norman, C., Fern�ndez, M., Neupane, K. On-Line, External to Penn State, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education (FOCCE) Online Series for Landowners, 6 webinars, 150 participants, Fall (August- September, 2024). This course was a six-session informational program designed to help family forest owners in the United States explore carbon incentive opportunities. It ran from September 2 to September 18, 2024, and participants represented landowners from 24 states, DC, and Chile. This series provided essential insights into forest carbon markets, carbon storage, and sustainable management practices. The series began with an introduction to Private Forest Lands covering carbon budgeting, forest carbon stocks, and their economic value. Participants then explored Forest Carbon Offset Projects, including the fundamentals of carbon credits, nature-based solutions, and project development processes. The third session focused on Carbon Markets, explaining different market structures, credit transactions, and supply-demand dynamics. This was followed by a session on Resilient Forestry, which highlighted sustainable management practices, forest carbon pools, and the role of smart wood products. In the fifth session, Managing Forest Carbon, landowners learned how carbon stocks are measured, strategies for maintaining forest health, and how improved forest management impacts carbon sequestration. The series concluded with Deciding about Forest Carbon Incentives, which guided participants through values-based decision-making, economic trade offs, contractual obligations, and the risks and benefits of participating in carbon programs.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: C. Norman, On-Line, External to Penn State, Land Transition Webinar Series, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education (FOCCE), 6 webinars, 233 participants, Spring 2024. This course was a six-session informational program designed to help landowners understand the importance of estate planning. The course provided landowners with an understanding of what estate planning is and why it matters in the context of carbon offset programs. The course empowers landowners to make informed decisions about their estates. The program reached 233 participants in 32 states and DC.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: C. Norman, On-Line, External to Penn State, Climate Smart Forestry Webinar Series, Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education (FOCCE), 5 webinars, 300 participants, Spring (February-March, 2024) This course was a five-session informational program designed to provide an overview of resilient forestry strategies. The course covered an overview of the science behind these management practices, and examples of how landowners can incorporate this into their land. The course highlighted multiple silviculture topics as well. The program averaged 300 participants a session with participants coming from states across the country.
  • Type: Websites Status: Accepted Year Published: 2024 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Developer), Course, "Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education- Library of Resources." (December 2024). http://https://sites.psu.edu/focce/resources/ The FOCCE online library of resources was maintained in 2024 to support self-directed learning experiences for landowners. The librarys core materials include extension articles that help support basic literacy and decision-making in forest carbon topics. Five additional extension articles were added to the FOCCE website in 2024. A partnership with Argentina Forestal was conducted to produce three spanish articles. Users engage by following a series of prompts to visit articles and resources related to the learners needs and interests. Core themes include, Managing Forest Carbon, Forest Carbon Incentives, and Planning for Resilient Forestry.


Progress 01/01/23 to 12/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Forest landowners,including women and African American landowners, extension educators, forest industry profressionals, carbon market representatives, academic experts, college students, private lands associations, state and federal agency representatives, and the public. Changes/Problems:Approach 1: Not all the articles planned in 2022 were published in 2023. Staffing shortages in FOCCE and among project collaborators were likely the reason for the slowdown. The articles yet to be published are intended to introduce climate change adaptation topics and how they complement mitigation strategies. The Penn State Extension website has significant market reach, signaling that it is an important platform for delivering FOCCE content. However, there were a number of challenges. The Penn State extension article format did not allow us to list authors not affiliated with Penn State as lead authors. Analytic information made available by Penn State Extension included number of views, but not the number of unique visitors to article page, or place of origin. Plans to submit articles to the USDA Ag Data Commons library and securing a DOI# have been stalled. When we contacted the USDA, they requested that we wait until they launch a new platform for submitting public education materials (expected in 2024?). To our knowledge very little extension information on carbon markets are published in the Spanish language. The high number of views to our single article in Spanish suggests that Spanish speaking audiences found FOCCE and are interested in this information. To date we have identified two qualified translators who can help with this goal. Extension videos were not created in year 1 or 2. Delays were largely associated with delays in curriculum development in year 1 and staffing shortages within FOCCE and Penn State Marketing. The marketing case for producing videos also needs to be completed before production begins. Approach 2:Even though participants received meaningful learning benefits from being part of the discussion groups, comments collected during the evaluation suggests that participants still had difficulty connecting their personal values with forest management and climate change. The most significant barrier was the pace the program, which allowed participants only two weeks to review materials, engage in discussions and complete the assignments. Future programs should consider a longer time frame in order to allow participants the time needed to reflect on the information. The pilot program was delivered completely online, including the discussion groups. Future programs should consider the benefits of arranging in-person trainings and in-person small group discussions in order to support sustained investment in the program, motivation to reflect on the information, and the possibility for richer relationships when formulating new social networks. Approach 3:Originally, we proposed to use Penn State Extension platforms to host events and use a reverse classroom format which would pair select extension articles with panel discussions involving subject matter experts. While we hosted a few talks, we also received a flood of speaker invitations from private industry groups, public and private associations and universities. The finding that groups external to FOCCE were already arranging these events negated our need to advertise and organize all the events ourselves. One of the benefits of being invited by different organizations to speak at their private events was our ability to reach audiences that would perhaps not attend a FOCCE event. This means that our evaluation data could be more representative of the landowner community more broadly and not the traditional extension audience, which tends to already be more informed and positive about the subject matter. In terms of the panel discussions, being invited also helped us avoid the appearance of bias which could have occurred if we had hosted events and selected which speakers would be on the panel. There were a number of challenges in being an invited speaker, however. Data was more complicated to collect, especially if the organizer was already collecting their own evaluation data and most data needed to be collected using paper surveys. Since the other invited experts were curated by the host, our ability to involve FOCCE collaborators was also limited. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Approach3: In Spring 2023, we developed and piloted an online course called "FOCCE Educator Training Course: Carbon Incentives for forest Owners". The target audience for this training program was Extension educators and professionals who support forest landowner decision-making. The platforms used to advertise and deliver this program include Penn State Extension and Google classroom. The course contained four modules and was delivered online over 4 weeks using a reverse classroom format. Each week participants completed the assigned readings from the digital guidebook and took a short assessment to measure comprehension of the materials. Each Wednesday they took part in live discussions with 2-3 experts about the materials covered. The weekly discussions were also used to demonstrate a new method for delivering educational content called "Peers and Pro's 360?" . This method supports collaborative learning experiences which promotes both learning and fostering community around an issue. Expected Outcomes Educators are prepared to answer landowner's basic questions about forest carbon markets. Educators have access to the library of FOCCE extension articles, which they can share with their clients. Educators are directed to resources developed by the USDA Climate Hubs and FOCCE collaborators, which they can use to inform their curriculum. Educators learn an easy new method for program delivery, called the "Peers and Pro's 360? Method" which involves guided group discussions with clients and experts. Educators who complete the program have the opportunity to apply for a FOCCE grant to support educational programs on climate-smart forestry for forest owners. Program Materials Educator Guidebook (100+ pages) Teaching philosophy and FOCCE values for extension programming List of over 60 key terms and phrases List of over 40+ online resources developed by the USDA Climate Hubs, USFS and other FOCCE collaborators. Select extension articles that cover core concepts (11) Case studies of landowners who enrolled in carbon markets (5) Questions landowners should ask before enrolling in a carbon program. "Peers and Pro's 360?" teaching methodology Evaluation survey tool Short Term Impacts:A total of 92 participants from multiple states registered for the training program. About a third of participants were educators, private industry professionals, and state and federal agency employees, respectively. Top reasons for enrolling were to learn more about carbon markets and to help answer landowner questions, however, most participants indicated that only a few of their clients were interested in carbon markets at this time. A more complete description of the evaluation data can be found in Appendix B. Just over half (n=54) of those who registered completed all four modules and assessments and received a certificate of completion. A fair number (n=34) requested continuing education credits for professional foresters. Pre and post testing indicate a significant change in confidence in delivering educational content on forest carbon market topics (Table 5). At the beginning of the program almost half (44%) reported that they were not confident at all and after the program 79% were somewhat confident and 16% were very confident. Broader Impacts:Those who participated in the training program reported that they work with over 130,000 landowner clients who own up to 3 million acres of private forest land in the US. Four participants came from three HBCU's. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A comprehensive program report detailing ouractivites in 2023 was sent to FOCCE collaborators and the Advisory Board. In december 2023, we hosted two livedicussion groups on zoom to discussFOCCE activites and make plans for next year. Advisory Board American Forest Foundation Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Forest Carbon Works Forest Landowners Association University of Minnesota, Dept. of Forest Resources The Nature Conservancy National Woodland Owners Association Natural Capital Exchange Pennsylvania Forest Products Association Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Pinchot Institute for Conservation Southern Regional Extension Forestry USFS Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Program University of Kentucky, Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resources Verra Registry Women Owning Woodlands Collaborators Curriculum Committee Curtis Vanderschaaf, Extension Specialist, Ph.D. Mississippi State University Shaun Tanger, Extension Specialist, Ph.D. Mississippi State University Bruno Kanieski da Silva, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. Mississippi State University Tamara Cushing, Extension Specialist, Ph.D. University of Florida Mysha Clarke, Extension Specialist, Ph.D. University of Florida Damian Adams, Associate Dean for Research, Ph.D. University of Florida Andres Susaeta, Assistant Research Scientist, Ph.D. University of Florida Rajan Parajuli, Extension Specialist, Ph.D. North Carolina State University Tatyana Ruseva, Associate Professor, Ph.D., Appalachian State University Tammy Kowalczyk, Professor, Ph.D., Appalachian State University Puskar Khanal, Extension Specialist, Ph.D. Clemson University Gamal El Afandi, Research-Extension Associate Professor, Ph.D. Tuskegee University Kyle Clay, Associate Director FCCP, Ph.D., Michigan State University Patricia Leopold, Climate Adaptation Specialist, National Institute for Adaptation Climate Science Todd Ontl, Climate Adaptation Specialist, National Institute for Adaptation Climate Science Allyson Muth, Director, Center for Private Forests, Pennsylvania State University ? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Action Items for Approach 1 Continue to respond to speaker invitations, when possible. Produce a webinar series (4-6 events) with FOCCE collaborators about climate-smart forestry, management practices, and economic considerations. Host 1-2 events on topics relevant to African American landowners including Heirs properties and managing degraded forests. Continue to collect evaluation data to measure program impacts, with a special focus on underserved landowner audiences. Host a graduate student forum where graduate students can present their research that pertains to climate-smart forestry and related topics. Action Items for Approach 2 Modify program procedures based on feedback from participants in 2023. Host 3- 6 more small in groups in other states and through collaborations with HBCUs Follow up with participants from 2023 to determine if expected intermediate impacts occurred. Continue to collect more evaluation data to measure evidence of short-term impact. Action Items for Approach 3 Publish educator guidebook on Penn State Extension website Set up procedures for a small grants program for last year's educator participants. Follow up with program graduates to (A) assess the use of FOCCE training materials, and (B) solicit applications for the educator grant. Conduct a needs assessment that can help inform a more targeting marking campaign. Review comments and other evaluation data from 2023 and make improvements to content, approach and delivery procedures. Deliver the training program again in Spring 2024 but using Penn State online course platforms (not google classroom). Goal is 100 graduates in 2024 and 50 in 2025. Set up evaluation procedures that are better at tracking impacts on professional educators compared participants where education may be a secondary role.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Approach 1: In 2023, we published a total of 23 extension articles. Mostwere designed to address three basic questions landowners have about carbon incentives (1) "How do I manage forest carbon?", (2) "What is a fair price for forest carbon?" and (3) "what do I need to consider before signing a carbon contract?" All new articles underwent external technical review with 2-3 subject matter experts before publishing. In 2023, the articles housed on the Penn State Website received a total of over 43,000 views. Most articles received an average of about 1,500 views, with the exception of the article titled, "How Forests Store Carbon" which received over 20,000 views.A majority (80%) of educators we surveyed (n=52) agreed that the articles provided them with new information and that the information was valuable. We also collected written feedback on the articles (12,000+ words) which were used to make specific improvements to the articles and other FOCCE materials. Our intention was to also produce recorded lectures and live expert panels, however, we received a flood of speaker invitations from private industry groups, public and private associations and universities. In 2023 we gave a total of 19 extension talks reaching over 1,700 landowners and professionals nationwide. Most talks ranged from 20 to 40 minutes in length and were given live, either in person or by zoom, and questions were addressed at the end. Topics covered include the carbon cycle/forest carbon pools, definitions for climate-smart forestry, forest carbon offset lifecycle, carbon market conditions and drivers, and benefits for family forest owners. Audiences were also directed to relevant extension articles and the FOCCE website for more information. Events reaching underserved audiences include the 3rd Annual Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention (SFLR) Joint Regional Conference, hosted by Prairie View A&M University and the Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) hosted by Tuskegee University. Both events were the result of collaborations with faculty at the host institutions and had approximately 600 participants total.Melissa Kreye was also invited to give a keynote address at the Forest Landowner Conference in Tennessee and the Forest Carbon Management in Central Appalachia conference in West Virginia.Calvin Norman spoke to an international professional audience through an accepted talk given at the International Union of Forest Researchers (IUFRO) Extension and Knowledge Exchange (EKE) Working Group Meeting in Pauda, Italy. Evaluation data: A total of 144 evaluation surveys were collected in 2023 (5% of all participants). Most respondents were forest landowners (n=89) followed by graduate students (n= 30) and professionals, which included forest managers and educators (n= 25). A majority of landowner respondents owned less than 200 acres, with half owning between 50 to 200 acres (Table 3). Half of landowner respondents (49%) had received assistance from a state and federal program in the past. Only a small handful of participants reported that they were currently enrolled in a forest carbon incentive program. A majority of landowners (80% to 90%) agreed that the presentation was well organized and managed, and they learned something new. Between 60% and 70% of respondents agreed that the information presented was valuable, they felt more positive about managing forest carbon, more confident in considering a carbon payment program, and more comfortable about talking to their peers and professionals about the topic of forest carbon management and offsets. Short Term Impacts:Findings suggest that landowners with smaller properties and who are engaged in active forest management were the most common type of participants at the talks. Customer satisfaction data suggests that information transfer was largely successful, which is in line with our goal of facilitating basic literacy in forest carbon and climate issue. The topics discussed were also relevant for informing management decisions.Moderate improvements in attitudes suggests that the extension talks provided compelling information about what they could do with their forest to address climate change. Moderate improvements in confidence about considering a carbon payment program suggests that the extension talks provided more clarity on how to engage as an economic actor in carbon markets, if they chose to do so. Finally, moderate improvements in in willingness to talk to peers and professionals suggests the extension talks were also helpful in shepherding a sense of community around carbon and climate issues. Approach 2:In collaboration with extension professionals at Penn State Extension, Clemson Cooperative Extension and the University of Florida IFAS Extension, we designed a peer-education program that combined legacy planning topics with climate change/carbon markets topics. The program creates a safe place for women landowners and their families to learn by training community members to be informed companions for small landowner groups. The way the program is currently arranged it allows community leaders volunteer to be informed companions for small groups and host small group discussions. Extension professionals host leadership trainings for the group leaders and provide educational materials to support small group discussions. Forest owners and families take a forest management priorities quiz to help identify areas of interest and management need for the forest visioning assignment. Forest owners and families experience collaborative learning benefits in a safe social setting. At the end, forestry professionals are given introductions to members of the small groups and offer to help support future forest management planning needs. Expected Short-term outcomes: Learners establish values and priorities for forest management. Learners feel invited to be part of the forestry community. Learners understand how climate-smart forestry and legacy planning can help them achieve their management goals. Participants in the Pilot Program:In summer of 2023, we used the program to initiate two groups of women landowners in South Carolina (n=10; 5 women in each group). The forestry professionals who met with the groups after group discussions include faculty and educators from Clemson Cooperative Extension Service and the South Carolina Forestry Commission. Evalution data and Impacts: Participants reported a wide range of experiences with forest management and forestry professionals. Two participants reported they rarely reached out to anyone for advice about forest management. They were also more likely to say that they were curious and wanted to explore possible options. In contrast, two other participants frequently reached out to a wide variety of people for advice about forest management. They were also more likely to say that they were looking for answers to specific questions. The professionals more likely to be contacted were forestry consultants, extension services and internet searches. Participants rarely turned to family, friends and loggers for advice about forest management. All participants agreed that they experienced the benefits of a collaborative learning environment when discussing legacy planning issues and climate change topics (Tables 7 and 8). Participants also experienced positive changes in knowledge and attitudes across all topic areas (Tables 9 and 10). Some of the largest impacts were associated with a better understanding of legacy planning topics, more enjoyment learning about climate change topics, skills needed to better communicate with families and friends, and skills needed to communicate climate change solutions with their community. Intermediate impact data has not been collected yet. Approach 3: (see next field)

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State, Southern Allegheny Woodlands Owner's Association, Bedford, PA, 45 participants. Spring (March 11, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Lecture, External to Penn State, Virginia Tech Symposium on Forest Carbon, Williamsburg, VA, 75 participants. Spring (March 3, 2023).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, On-Line, External to Penn State, Pennsylvania North Central Woodland Owners Association, 28 participants. Spring (February 23, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, On-Line, External to Penn State, Florida Forest Service CFA Meeting, 35 participants. Spring (February 14, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Balawejder, K. (Author - Undergraduate Student), & Kreye, M. M. (Editor, 10%) (2023). What Can Trees Tell Us About Climate Change? (pp. 2). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/what-can-trees-tell-us-about-climate-change
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: El Afandi, G. S., & Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 50%) (2023). Climate Regulation and Change: What is Causing it? (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/climate-regulation-and-change-what-is-causing-it
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tanger, S., VanderSchaff, C., Sueseta, A., Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 30%), & Norman, C. (2023). Carbon Accounting in Forest Management. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/carbon-accounting-in-forest-management
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author, 80%), Kowalczyk, T., Khanal, P., & Sharma, S. (2023). How Much Should I be Paid to Manage Forest Carbon? (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/how-much-should-i-be-paid-to-manage-forest-carbon
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author, 50%), VanderSchaaf, C., Kowalczyk, T., & Clay, K. (2023). How to Manage Forests for Carbon: An Introduction for Family Forest Owners. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-manage-forests-for-carbon-an-introduction-for-family-forest-owners
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tanger, S., VanderSchaff, C., Susaeta, A., & Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 25%) (2023). Long-Term Financial Planning for Timber and Carbon. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/long-term-financial-planning-for-timber-and-carbon
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author 100%) (2023). The Economic Value of Private Forests and Climate Change Mitigation. (pp. 5). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/the-economic-value-of-private-forests-and-climate-change-mitigation
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Cushing, T., Norman, C., Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 25%), & Tanger, S. (2023). What Should I Think About Before Signing a Forest Carbon Contract? (pp. 5). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/what-should-i-think-about-before-signing-a-forest-carbon-contract
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author, 50%), Norman, C., & Sharma, S. (2023). Case Study 2: Three Landowners' Experiences with Climate Smart Forestry Programs. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/case-study-2-three-landowners-experiences-with-climate-smart-forest-programs
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Tanger, S., Vanderschaff, C., Susaeta, A., & Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 25%) (2023). Conversions Commonly Used When Comparing Timber and Carbon Values. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/conversions-commonly-used-when-comparing-timber-and-carbon-values
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: VanderSchaaf, C., Susaeta, A., Norman, C., & Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 25%) (2023). Forest Carbon Pools: Where are they? (pp. 3). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/forest-carbon-pools-where-are-they
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: VanderSchaff, C., Tanger, S., Susaeta, A., Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 20%), & Norman, C. (2023). Methods for Estimating Carbon Within Forests. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author 100%) (2023). Resources for Family Forest Owners: Carbon Markets and Climate-Smart Forestry. (pp. 2). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/resources-for-family-forest-owners-carbon-markets-and-climate-smart-forestry
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Norman, C., & Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 30%) (2023). Case Study 1: Two Landowners' Experiences with Carbon Payment Programs. (pp. 4). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/case-study-1-two-landowners-experiences-with-carbon-payment-programs
  • Type: Books Status: Under Review Year Published: 2024 Citation: : Kreye M., C. Norman, and K. Brooks (Eds.) (2023). Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education. Educator Guidebook. Part 1: Carbon Incentives for Forest Owners (Pre-press version). The Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education Program, Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State, University Park, PA. https://sites.psu.edu/focce/resources/resources-for-educators/
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, On-Line, External to Penn State, Professional Agricultural Workers Conference, Tuskegee University, 300 participants. Fall (October 30, 2023). Accepted speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye & Norman, C., Classroom, External to Penn State, Society of American Foresters National Convention, Sacramento, CA, 35 participants. Fall (October 28, 2023). Forest Carbon Markets: Extension Programs and Resources. Accepted speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: C. Norman & M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State. International Union of Forest Researchers (IUFRO) Extension and Knowledge Exchange (EKE), IUFRO EKE Working Group Meeting, Padua, Italy, 35 participants. Fall (October 9, 2023). Accepted speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State, Forest Carbon Management in Central Appalachia, 300 participants. Fall (September 25, 2023). Invited keynote speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State, VA Forest Products Annual Meeting, Hot Springs, VA, 40 participants. Fall (September 25, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: C. Norman & Kreye, M., Classroom, External to Penn State, PA Forest Stewards Training, Ligonier Pennsylvania, 25 participants. Fall (September 9th, 2023) Climate, Carbon, and Forests. Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, On-Line, External to Penn State, the 3rd Annual Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention (SFLR) Joint Regional Conference, Prairie View A&M University, 300 participants. Summer (August 25, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State, Three Rivers Land Trust, Mooresville, NC, 50 participants. Summer (August 11, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, On-Line, External to Penn State, Conservation Forestry, 15 participants. Summer (July 25, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State, Forest Landowner Conference, Nashville TN, 300 participants. Summer (June 20, 2023). Invited keynote speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, Classroom, External to Penn State, Virginia Forestry Summit on Climate Change and Forestry, Williamsburg, VA, 125 participants. Spring (May 27, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye, On-Line, External to Penn State, Wisconsin Farm Bureau, 33 participants. Spring (April 12, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye & Norman C., Classroom, External to Penn State, Pennsylvania Forest Landowners Conference, State College, PA, 35 participants. Spring (March 25, 2023). Invited speaker.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: M. Kreye & Norman C., Classroom, External to Penn State, Pennsylvania Northwest Woodland Owners Association, Erie, PA, 48 participants. Spring (March 18, 2023). Invited speaker.


Progress 01/01/22 to 12/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Forest landowners, extension educators, forest industry professionals, carbon market representatives, academic experts, college students, private lands association representatives, state and federal agency representatives, public, and underserved landowners living in the eastern United States. Changes/Problems:One challenge in this project has been a delay in recruiting a program coordinator for the southeastern region. Revisions to the job description, salary range and recruitment activities have been made and are expected to result in a program coordinator by the end of next year. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Key to reaching the extension audiences served by this project, is a training program for extension professionals in forest carbon topics. In Fall of 2022 we developed the "Educator Training Course: Carbon Incentives for Forest Owners." http://https://extension.psu.edu/educator-training-course-carbon-incentives-for-forest-owners. This course prepares extension educators to answer three critical questions most forest owners have about carbon markets: (1) how do I manage forest carbon? (2) what is a fair price for forest carbon? and (3) what do I need to consider before signing a carbon contract? The course will be offered twice a year and includes four modules delivered over four weeks. Activities include assigned readings and live discussions with experts in forest carbon each week. Included in the program is a guide book (~100 pages) reviewing existing extension materials, teaching tips, a list of 60+ key words and links to over 35 tools and resources https://sites.psu.edu/focce/resources/ offered by partnering organizations, include the USDA Climate Hubs and US Forest Service. Participants can receive a certificate of completion, continuing education credits, and the opportunity to apply for a Forest Owner Carbon Climate Education (FOCCE) grant. The pilot for this course will be launched in March 2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?To help provide help access to new and existing decision-making tools, resources and events, an online library of FOCCE resources was established at this project website. https://sites.psu.edu/focce/. Core library materials include a selection of extension articles that help support basic literacy and decision-making in forest carbon topics. Topics include managing forest carbon, forest carbon incentives, and planning for climate-smart forestry. Other content on the website are links to over 35 tools and resources offered by partnering organizations, such as the USDA Climate Hubs and US Forest Service. Visitors to the siteengage by reading any article of their choice, and following a series of prompts they can visit other articles related to their needs and interests. A growing number of extension articles have been posted since Fall of 2022 (14 total in March 2023) and the articles have been viewed by over 6,000 visitors between January 2022 and March 2023. Visitors to the site are also able to learn about upcoming FOCCE events and are invited to sign up for the FOCCE newsletter, which will help, in part, support our goal of fostering community around carbon and climate topics. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Launch a pilot for the, "Educator Training Course: Carbon Incentives for Forest Owners" in March 2023. Evaluation data will be collected to determine impact and help improve the program.. Continue to expand the FOCCE library of resources to include new articles as they are produced by experts in the FOCCE network. This includes the production of Spanish language articles. Establish a bi-annual newsletter to disseminate news about FOCCE activities and resources. Continue engaging in discussions about peer education programs and other strategies with extension faculty at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and other representatives. Develop programs that reflect the interests, needs and conditions of underserved landowners.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? To help facilitate basic literacy in forest carbon and climate issues in the target audience, we hosted 12 extension short courses delivered online and in person. By taking part in forest landowner association and forest industry meetings, we were able to reach over 850 stakeholders throughout the United States. The course provided an introduction to how forests store carbon, how carbon markets work, and described the new extension resources provided through the Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education (FOCCE) program. Evaluations surveys were collected from 10% participants, and the majority of respondents were landowners (n=85). Eighty-six percent of respondents agreed that the presentation was well organized, 88% agreed that they learned something new from the talk, 77% agreed that the information presented was valuable to them, 62% agreed that they were interested in talking to their peers about what they learned, and 62% agreed that they were now comfortable talking to a professional about this subject, 55% agreed that they now felt more positive about managing for forest carbon, and 58% agreed that they felt more confident about considering a forest carbon incentive program in the future. Evaluation survey comments: "Fantastic information. Well delivered and understood for a tricky topic. You are helping a LOT of people making better management decisions." "Great scope and depth of information. Most of us landowners are novices in the carbon-storage arena. We want a healthy forest and want to contribute to a healthy climate; we don't know how that fits with carbon regulations and contracts. You did a great job of making this material easier to understand while also warning us of the complexity involved." To help identify strategies to reach under-represented categories of forest owners, Project Director Melissa Kreye has started to engage in discussions with extension faculty at partnering historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and representatives from the Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Network (SFLR). The goal of these discussions is to build a bridge between the programs and products made available by FOCCE with landowners and communities who have been underserved by extension. Peer education programs are expected to be a favored pathway for engaging underserved audiences. The project reports delivered to the FOCCE advisory board have so far been the primary way of advocating for more diverse and inclusive carbon incentive strategies. Advisory board members include representatives from major carbon market programs and registries, as well as state and federal agencies. By engaging in the FOCCE program, board members have been able to learn more about landowner information needs and concerns about private forest management. Feedback from the board, recorded in the meeting minutes, show that many are positive and supportive of the activities conducted at FOCCE.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sharma, S. (Author - Graduate Student), & Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 50%) (2022). Forest Owner Willingness to Accept Payment for Forest Carbon in the United States: A Meta-analysis. Forests, 13(9).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 50%), & Norman, C. (2022). C�mo los bosques almacenan el carbono. Penn State Extension. (pp. 3). https://extension.psu.edu/como-los-bosques-almacenan-el-carbono
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author, 50%), & Norman, C. (2022). What do Forest Carbon and Sequestration and Storage Mean? (pp. 2). Penn State Extension. https://extension.psu.edu/what-do-forest-carbon-sequestration-and-storage-mean
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author), Norman, C. (September 25, 2022). Conference Presentation. "Forest Owner Carbon and Climate Education Program," Society of American Foresters Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD, 50 in attendance, Accepted.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Sharma, S., Kreye, M. M. (Co-Author), Kreye, J. (September 22, 2022). Conference Presentation. "Willingness to Accept (WTA) payment for carbon sequestration among private forest landowners in the USA: A meta-analysis.," Society of American Foresters (SAF) National Convention, Society of American Foresters (SAF) National Convention, Baltimore, MD, 60 in attendance, peer-reviewed/refereed.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Kreye, M. M. (Author and Presenter). (April 21, 2022).Conference Presentation. "Designing a co-creation process for climate change related curriculum," Association of Natural Resource Professionals, Online, 35 in attendance, Accepted.