The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) today released a report, “LEAF:  Local Energy for American Fund Pilots, Outcomes, and Lessons,” that assessed results of an effort to enlist private capital in support of converting fossil fuel systems to locally-derived wood-to-energy.

One of the greatest challenges to sustaining the health of America’s forests is the problem of small-diameter, dying and dead trees for which in all-too-many places there are few if any markets. “Without economically viable markets, landowners (both public and private) are left with few options to manage their forests in ways that keep them healthy and thus mitigate against the chances of catastrophic loss from insects, diseases and wildfires,” says Endowment President and CEO Carlton Owen.

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