Sustainable Forestry

Rural Action’s Sustainable Forestry Program works with private landowners, government agencies, and other non-profit organizations to develop innovative strategies that promote the sustainable production, management, and marketing of forest resources.

By providing resources for woodland owners we have been able to effectively train landowners and partner agencies to identify alternative income opportunities, like forest farming of ginseng, goldenseal, and other forest botanicals, as well as how to conduct land restoration projects with native plants, and mitigating the impacts of non-native invasive species that can adversely effect forest health and diversity.

Recently the Sustainable Forestry Program has partnered with MACED and Appalachian Sustainable Development to introduce the Appalachian Carbon Partnership. This program is designed to encourage land owners to better manage their land while earning income through carbon offsets.

Don’t hesitate to let us know how we can work with you!

Current Programming & Resources

Appalachian Carbon Partnership

The Appalachian Carbon Partnership (ACP) was formed to connect private forest landowners in Central Appalachia to the resources and financial assistance they need to practice sustain¬able forest management and participate in the carbon offset market. Learn More

GRO Wood Products

The Green and Regionally Oriented (GRO) Wood Products Program provides business opportunities for primary and secondary forest products companies in the Appalachian regions of Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.
Click here to learn more

Forest Botanicals

The Appalachian region is a valuable source of non-timber products that may offer alternative income opportunities for land owners. This page provides land owners with information about economically important species that can be cultivated in the forest understory. Learn More

Look Before You Lease

The Look before you Lease (LB4UL) group began looking at oil and gas issues facing landowners in Ohio, particularly around newer technologies such as horizontal hydraulic fracturing or “hydrofracking” and private landowner leases. Click here to learn more

Planting Stock Program

Rural Action has been offering high quality Stratified American Ginseng seed and Goldenseal Rootlets for planting since 1999. Learn More

Woodland Owners Toolkit

For many landowners, managing and restoring the land you have bought or inherited is a primary goal. Often times, how to start this process isn’t clear. Our goal is to help put you in touch with the resources you need to appropriately manage your land to increase aesthetics, value, and biological activity for many years to come
Click here to download the Woodland Owners Toolkit

Sustainable Forestry Staff

Susi Rankis,Sustainable Forestry Program Administrator at Rural Action is responsible for the smooth functioning of the Sustainable Forestry Program and its three program areas (The Appalachian Carbon Partnership, Green and Regionally Oriented (GRO) Wood Products, and Landowner Education including: Forest Botanicals and Oil and Gas Lease Education). She also serves as the primary contact for the Appalachian Carbon Partnership in Ohio. Prior to coming to Rural Action, as AmeriCorps Vista volunteer in 2008, she was a store trainer and educator for Whole Foods Market for 5 years. Ms. Rankis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois and currently lives in Vinton County Ohio where she loves exploring the outdoors, geocaching, and gardening. susi@ruralaction.org

Tanner Filyaw is the Forest Botanicals Specialist and Educator. From 2005 to 2008 Mr. Filyaw worked as an Americorps VISTA with the Rural Action Sustainable Forestry program conducting landowner education and outreach around sustainable forestry, land stewardship, and Non-Timber Forest Products. Since accepting a staff position with Rural Action in March 2008, Tanner has continued to act in this capacity, and has conducted many workshops, presentations, and other educational programs for Ohio landowners to help develop sustainable and income strategies from forested lands. He graduated from Ohio University in 2005 with a B.S. in Environmental Geography, with a minor specializing in Environmental and Plant Biology. tanner@ruralaction.org

Richard (Rick) Bush II joined Rural Action in 2010 as the Sustainable Forestry Wood Products Specialist. Prior to joining Rural Action, Rick has been in the building products and lumber related industry for 32 years, serving in both sales and purchasing, at the management level. As a graduate of The Ohio State University, he has a Bachelor’s of Science in Forest Industries Management, with a minor in Business Administration. His love of the outdoors combined with his enjoyment of working with people allows him to “experience the best of both worlds” as he serves in his current position here at Rural Action. Rick lives and works out of Holmes County. rick@ruralaction.org