Harrisburg, PA - April 11th, 2025
Today, Audubon Mid-Atlantic reported the results of the first year of its Forester Endorsement Program, a free forestmanagement training program designed to create and maintain healthy forest ecosystems across Pennsylvania. The program, which partners with and trains professional foresters, promotes forest management practices that increase forest health and benefit priority bird species. Audubon also works to connect endorsed foresters with private landowners interested in deploying these practices in their forests.
Josh Rittenhouse, Forest Program Manager at Audubon, said “We are excited to announce that Audubon has endorsed seven foresters since starting this program last spring. Four joined the program in just the last month. This represents a large step forward in growing our ability to assist private landowners and land managers with stewarding and maintaining their forested property. In total, 6,500 acres of private land across Centre County, Huntingdon County, and other locations in Pennsylvania are now under healthy forest management plans thanks to our endorsed foresters.”
Through its Forester Endorsement program, Audubon is building a network of trained professionals who can work to create and implement forest management plans that support biodiversity, improve water quality, enhance recreation opportunities, and sequester carbon. These plans are also compatible with various landowner goals, including timber production, while prioritizing the health of forest ecosystems. In Pennsylvania, where 71% of the state’s 16.7 million acres of forest are privately owned, forest management on private lands is critical for long-term preservation.
The Forester Endorsement program trains foresters to provide expert advice on forest health and best practices that align with Audubon’s conservation goals and requires that participant foresters maintain their endorsement through annual refresher trainings. For more information on how to participate in the Forester Endorsement program, or to connect with a local forester, visit pa.audubon.org or contact our Forestry Program below.
Contact information:
Josh Rittenhouse, Forest Program Manager
Bernard Devlin, Communications Manager
