Small Acreage Afforestation Forest Project in U.S. South Celebrates Scale
MONTGOMERY, AL (Feb. 12, 2026) — Fields & Forests, an afforestation project developed by the American Forest Foundation (AFF), announced the planting of its millionth tree today. Launched in 2024, the project works with small acreage landowners to plant trees on their underused fields, generating diverse income opportunities to complement existing revenue streams, bringing more resilience to rural economies.
“Family landowners are the backbone of our country’s economy, but they’re too often left out of opportunities to keep their lands healthy and productive and ensure their legacy is protected into the future,” said Christine Cadigan, EVP of Carbon Origination at AFF. “Through projects like Fields & Forests, landowners can hold onto their land and diversify their revenue streams, all while growing thriving forests that help our planet. Planting the millionth tree is the first of many milestones in our efforts to scale meaningful conservation and economic impact for rural America.”
“We have a lot of acreage here, and we just, for years, didn't know what to do,” said Fields & Forests landowner Portia Fulford. “I was like, ‘what can we do to utilize this space, and do some good for the environment as well?’ So, this has been really a godsend program for us.”
Fields & Forests’ first million trees were planted on nearly 2,000 acres of land across the U.S. South, representing 100 million board feet of timber to be grown over the next 30 years and more than $1.7 million committed to rural landowners.
Available in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, Fields & Forests is uniquely designed for small landowners, requiring only a minimum of 30 acres to enroll. While many other carbon projects purchase land, landowners enrolled in Fields & Forests retain full ownership of their property and any profits generated from the eventual sale of timber. The project also allows for active management, with options to thin and harvest sustainably.
The project was made possible thanks to partners across the public and private sectors. Funding through USDA’s Forest Landowner Support Program kickstarted Fields & Forests as a pilot in Georgia, and further support from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has enabled the project’s expansion throughout the U.S. South. Netflix’s purchase of carbon credits through a prepayment agreement has given Fields & Forests the upfront financing needed to scale.
Fields & Forests is a project under the Family Forest Carbon Program, administered through the Family Forest Impact Foundation, a subsidiary of AFF. Launched in 2021, the Family Forest Carbon Program has enrolled 1,300 landowners and 180,000 acres in 20 states.
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