Ecotrust

Results: Our work spans 50 collaborative projects with 160 partnerships across California, Oregon, Washington, and Southeast Alaska. For example, we are: Supporting climate-smart forest management and restoration on nearly 380,000 acres in our region through forest mapping, technology development, community engagement, and more. We are increasingly focused on collaborations with tribes across the bioregion to center Indigenous knowledge and stewardship practices; Providing technical support for the development of nature-based businesses, such as a sustainable seaweed and kelp farm in the Tlingit village of Keex’ Kwaan in Southeast Alaska, where we work collaboratively to advance food sovereignty and support emerging opportunities for economic development for Alaska Natives; and Creating career pathways to green sector jobs for Portland's Black and Native community through the Green Workforce Collaborative and supporting BIPOC food systems leaders through the Viviane Barnett Fellowship, which together have graduated 69 participants. No one person can accomplish this work alone. We need determined partnerships and the momentum that comes from collective action to create the kinds of changes this moment demands of us. Together, we are committing to a bold vision for a more equitable, prosperous, and climate-smart future for our region, and beyond.

Target demographics: People working in natural resource sectors, like foresters, farmers, ranchers, and fishing communities. We also work closely with school districts, Native and First Nation communities, forest land owners, and public agencies making resource management decisions.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 500,000 school kids; 85 farmers, ranchers, and food producers; 700 forest managers; and the countless community members who benefit from the 1+ million acres we've helped preserve since our founding.

Geographic areas served: Northwest communities from Alaska to Northern California

Programs: Fisheries, Food and Farms - In partnership with community leaders who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), our Food Systems team leverages our capacities, resources, and power to change how food is grown, harvested, processed, packaged, bought, and sold throughout the region. Our work takes an equity-centered approach, guided by our value of humble, respectful collaboration. We are focused on supporting connections and shared learning among a growing network of food system leaders committed to transformation and healing—from urban and rural producers to school nutrition service staff; encouraging climate-smart land management through education and transitioning ownership to Black, Indigenous, and people of color producers; and leveraging food system infrastructure (including Ecotrust’s food infrastructure and event campus, the Redd on Salmon Street) to catalyze and equip this shift. Forests and Ecosystem Services - The Forests and Ecosystem Services team advances climate-smart forestry by centering tribal stewardship and Indigenous ways of knowing. Ecotrust creates the tools, the structures, and the research to support climate-smart forest management, demonstrating that forests can store more carbon, provide high quality habitat for native fish and wildlife, offer recreational and economic development opportunities, and produce clean and abundant water, all while supporting a robust and reliable forest products industry. We work with partners to elevate their perspectives about forests and the role they play in maintaining the health and wellness of our communities and economies. Indigenous Leadership - Since our founding in 1991, Indigenous peoples from Alaska to California have been involved with Ecotrust, as members of our board and staff, and as partners to advance the environmental, cultural, economic, and social conditions of their communities. We continue to support First Peoples’ steadfast efforts to exercise their right of self-determination and to protect their homelands and waters. We support and celebrate Indigenous leadership, increase education opportunities for Native people through scholarships and fellowships, and provide a platform for Native people to share their stories and issues. We also share our knowledge in forests and ecosystems, fisheries and marine planning, salmon and watershed restoration, and food systems to restore and strengthen Native communities. And we provide our technical expertise in GIS analysis, mapping and cartography, economic impact assessments, software and tool development, and data collection and management to help Indigenous leaders make informed decisions. Knowledge Systems - Our Knowledge Systems team delivers decision-support tools, analyses, maps, and data visualizations that support more resilient communities, economies, and ecosystems. Ecotrust’s approach is designed to help our staff, partners and clients visualize the ecosystem in a social and economic context, create a participatory approach to incorporating community knowledge, and implement management decisions at appropriate scales. Ecotrust Investments - For nearly 30 years, Ecotrust has harnessed the potential of a working endowment in concert with private investments to create economic, social, and environmental well-being in our region. Ecotrust Investments is both a values-aligned funding source for Ecotrust’s transformative work, and a catalyst that brings triple bottom line projects to life at a scale of broader impact. Through our own experiences leveraging catalytic capital, we are able to learn from the challenges and identify opportunities to pursue triple-bottom-line outcomes, invite new partners and partnerships, build financial resiliency, and engage in mission-propelling projects. Ecotrust Investments continues to transform our portfolio to fully embody our vision of resilience, creativity, intergenerational wealth, and community.