Quantifying the contribution of sustainable forest practices to at-risk species and terrestrial and aquatic communities

SFI funded the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI), working along with a coalition of partners through the Wildlife Conservation Initiative to examine multiple species over an extended time horizon in a landscape dominated by SFI‑certified, private forests managed primarily for timber production. The work will involve sampling environmental DNA (eDNA) that is collected from a variety of environmental samples such as soil and water, rather than directly from individual organisms. Target at-risk species assessed from this research include the Alabama map turtle, alligator snapping turtle, gopher tortoise, Red Hills salamander, and eastern diamondback rattlesnake. This project will help quantify the role of sustainably managed forest landscapes in conserving species at risk, listed species, and maintaining aquatic and terrestrial communities. Partners include: Tangled Bank Conservation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Alliance of Forest Owners, Weyerhaeuser, RMS LLC