2022 Enviva Forest Conservation Fund Request for Proposals now open

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) on Dec. 6 released a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund (the Fund). $500,000 funding will be awarded to protect bottomland hardwood and other wetland forests in eastern North Carolina and southeast Virginia.

This is the seventh cycle of a $5 million, 10-year program launched by Enviva Holdings, LP, and the Endowment in 2015. Not-for-profit organizations, government agencies, and tribes are eligible to apply for grants. The deadline for proposals is Jan. 28, 2022. The RFP and additional materials are available on the Endowment’s website.

“The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund was established to conserve sensitive wetland forests that might otherwise be threatened by land conversion, altered hydrology, invasive species, and the impact of climate change. These forests are critical to biodiversity, community resiliency, outdoor recreation, and clean water within Virginia and North Carolina,” said Alicia Cramer, senior vice-president at the Endowment. “Efforts, like those of the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund, in partnership with on-the-ground conservation organizations, will help preserve these special forests for years to come.”

“We are incredibly proud of the work we have accomplished over the last six years thanks to the efforts of multiple conservation organizations that partner with us to preserve southern bottomland and wetland forests,” said Kim DuBose, Enviva director of sustainability. “The long-term impact of these projects is critical for the preservation of these magnificent ecosystems that support water quality, conservation, and habitat restoration.”

Since its inception in 2015, the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund has supported 24 projects with approximately $2.6 million invested. The projects funded to date by the Fund have protected about 31,000 acres across North Carolina and Virginia. These protected forests help provide a clean drinking water source, act as a buffer to infrastructure during storms, and provide critical habitats for many species of wildlife while at the same time providing jobs and economic opportunities for rural families and private landowners.