The American Forest Foundation (AFF), in partnership with The Nature Conservancy 

(TNC), Purdue University, and the Center for Heirs Property Preservation (CHPP), will address the relationship between family forest owners, the forest products industry, and broader climate goals across the eastern US. Funded by USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, EFFICACI will enhance the production of CSC forest products by promoting, recruiting, and engaging family forest owners, especially underserved and rural Americans.  

GOAL

The goal of EFFICACI is to build a region-wide CSC forest program that leverages AFF’s field-tested Family Forest Carbon Program, using an engaged and trusted landowner network as well as the advanced digital forestry tools developed by the Institute for Digital Forestry at Purdue University to engage traditional and underserved partners and advance the production and marketing of CSC forest products. 

Objectives 

EFFICACI will guide and ensure the implementation of CSC management practices by: 

• deploying shovel-ready practices, verifiable by the carbon accounting methodology, 
• engaging end users in coproduction of socially and economically acceptable practices,  
• generating AI-assisted “what-if” scenarios and visualizations as well as outcome-driven optimizations, and  
• providing streamlined financial and technical assistance.