2009 Annual Report - American Farmland Trust

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Project Profile Ecosystem Markets: Pioneering Solutions for Farms and the Environment In the fragile ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest and around the country, farmers and ranchers are supplying critical environmental services— from flood control and water quality to preferred habitat for endangered species of plants and animals. In Washington state, for instance, more than 17,000 Trumpeter Swans migrate from summer breeding grounds in Alaska to warmer winter climates in the Pacific Northwest. The swans prefer to roost on farm fields with water. Farmers like Jay Gordon, a dairy farmer in Elma, Washington, provide critical feeding habitat for the rare birds. “We need to keep the farmland. There’s a reason the frogs and birds are there,” Gordon says. Working with American Farmland Trust and partners, Gordon placed an easement on his farmland, sheltering swans displaced from an area further north along the Olympic Peninsula. Gordon is just one of many farmers and ranchers participating in emerging “ecosystem markets” that compensate them for ecological benefits provided by farmland, from biodiversity to water quality improvement to carbon sequestration. American Farmland Trust is working to establish such ecosystem markets through pilot projects around the country, from California and the Pacific Northwest to the Midwest and the Chesapeake Bay. “If we don’t get ecosystem markets in place, regulation will become inevitable,” says Don Stuart, AFT’s Pacific Northwest director. “But if farms are regulated out of business, we lose all the environmental benefits they provide.” In the Pacific Northwest, American Washington dairy farmer Jay Gordon Farmland Trust’s efforts provided by agriculture,” to develop ecosystem says Neelima Shah. “We markets that protect believe these markets sensitive waterways, will engage farmers and wildlife and working lands ranchers in reducing are supported in part greenhouse gases and with generous funding protecting and restoring from the Boeing Company natural resources. We Charitable Trust. commend American “Boeing is pleased Farmland Trust for to support American forging new partnerships Farmland Trust’s efforts between the agriculture to create markets for community, business and ecosystem services government.” 16
A bald eagle soars over farmland near the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. American Farmland Trust’s work to create innovative ecosystem markets around the country would also not be possible without the generous support of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. “We are grateful for the foundation’s support,” says Jimmy Daukas, director of AFT’s Agriculture & Environment initiative. “The Packard Foundation recognizes the important role that farmers and ranchers play in improving the nation’s environment through its support for agricultural conservation programs and farmers’ adoption of environmental practices, including those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.” “We commend American Farmland Trust for forging new partnerships between the agriculture community, business and government.” — Neelima Shah, Boeing Company
Page 1 and 2: A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 9
Page 3 and 4: Contents 1 From the Leadership 2 Ag
Page 5 and 6: The Susquehanna River flows past fe
Page 7 and 8: Achieved the conservation promise o
Page 9: Successes In 2009, American Farmlan
Page 12 and 13: Farm and Ranch Land Protection T hi
Page 14 and 15: A Colorado ranch at sunrise
Page 16 and 17: Supporters Making Our Mission Possi
Page 20 and 21: continued from page 15 Astrid Delaf
Page 22 and 23: Project Profile Wisconsin: A Model
Page 24 and 25: continued from page 19 Elmina B. Se
Page 26 and 27: Supporter Profile Two Farms, Four F
Page 28 and 29: “We discovered that people were i
Page 30 and 31: The mission of American Farmland Tr
Page 32: National Office 1200 18th Street, N

2009 Annual Report - American Farmland Trust

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