Your land stewardship can contribute to our carbon solution.

Our current 2023 - 2024 Carbon Farming and Forestry Planning Cohort is underway (between November 2023 and June 2024). If you are interested in future opportunities, please register below and we will follow up when the next opportunity is available.

Participation is recommended for all individuals and families who are seeking support for conservation and climate-smart activities on the land you steward. This program will provide you the opportunity to connect with other land stewards, help you to make decisions, and guide you to take action related to climate resilience for your land and community.

Carbon Farming and Forestry Cohorts are peer-to-peer learning experiences for small groups of land stewards in Northwest Lower Michigan that focus on land-management practices that (1) reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and (2) sequester and store carbon. The program includes peer-advising farm tours and six workshops focused on planning and implementation of climate-smart practices.

To qualify, you must manage land for agricultural purposes (including forestry and conservation) in one of the following counties: Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Misaukee, Otsego and Wexford.

Potential participants in this program commit to the following:  

• To the best of my ability, I will attend six learning discussions and at least six tours on the properties of my fellow cohort participants.

• I will read and reflect on 30 min to 1 hour of material prior to the six learning and discussion meetings.

• I will travel to visit at least six of my fellow participants' properties within Antrim, Emmet, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties. I know I am responsible for costs related to this travel requirement.

• I will prepare an individual Carbon Farming and Forestry Plan that I will, to the best of my ability, implement in the coming 1-3 years. This plan may be shared for the sake of future farmer learning.

• I will share my thought process, perspective, and learning with my fellow cohort participants as openly and honestly as I can.

• I will connect to discuss reasonable accommodations for disability, technological or financial hardships that may hinder my participation at any time so that Crosshatch can collaborate with me to support my fullest potential involvement.

For more information about the Carbon Farming and Forestry Cohorts program, contact Daniel Marbury at daniel@crosshatch.org or (231) 714-9730.