70+ Landowners, 500+ Acres: The Forestry Fund's First Year — and What Comes Next

Trees planted at Fig Casa Nursery in Fort Pierce, Florida

Every farmer, rancher, and forest landowner plays a crucial role in caring for the land and nourishing their communities. Today, we are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of the more than 70 landowners who impacted a total of more than 500 acres across Puerto Rico, New Mexico, and Florida.

Asekia's programming continues to grow and evolve as we seek new ways to support farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in reaching their goals and implementing conservation practices. Throughout 2025, Asekia supported participants through a new Forestry Fund that provides resources for conservation projects, with funding from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

Through the fund, landowners have so far planted hundreds of trees, implemented silvopasture systems, and improved their forest management practices. In addition to creating new income opportunities for farmers, these projects also make a positive impact on local ecosystems. Each newly planted tree, for example, will provide habitat for local wildlife, clean the air, and contribute to local water quality.

What follows is a snapshot of the Forestry Fund's first cycle of projects — but the work is far from finished. In 2026, Asekia will continue to expand the Fund, distributing additional incentives to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners ready to implement conservation practices on their land. New silvopasture sites, tree plantings, acequia clearings, and forest management plans are already underway across all three states. Below, we celebrate what's been accomplished so far — and point to what's coming next.

We're grateful for the hard work of all the landowners involved and for the efforts of our outreach team that made this work possible.

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, Chief Agronomist Heriberto Martínez Méndez connected 32 landowners with the Forestry Fund. They accomplished the following impacts:

• Planted more than 300 native and endemic trees

• Installed 1,000 square feet of vetiver, a grass that helps to control erosion

• Cleared more than five miles of access paths and forest roads

• Purchased essential equipment for long-term maintenance and restoration activities

Additionally, JC Farm Products, a farm in Puerto Rico that cultivates culantro — known as recao on the island — was one of two farms on the island that added or improved high tunnels as part of the project. Check out the video below to meet Juan Carlos of JC Farm Products and learn more about how his work brings high-quality produce to local communities.

Florida

To date, Chief Agronomist Paul Pendergast has collaborated with 10 landowners on a total of 255 acres in central Florida as part of the Forestry Fund's efforts. Together, they have:

• Fully implemented three silvopasture demonstration sites, with five additional sites planned for installation this year

• Planted trees toward a 2026 goal of more than 400, supporting reforestation and long-term forest health

• Created two individually tailored Forest Management Plans covering more than 60 acres, outlining forest type, resource concerns, and recommended practices — including fire mitigation guidance

Tree at Fig Casa Nursery in Fort Pierce, Florida, planted as part of the Forestry Fund

New Mexico

Forestry Fund efforts in New Mexico, where water scarcity is an ongoing issue, focused on the community-managed acequias that provide a vital source of water to farmers and forest landowners. There, Outreach Lead Adrian Parrott collaborated with acequia leaders to:

• Support the clearing of four acequias that serve 202 acres and 31 landowners in Sandoval and Rio Arriba counties

• Secure brush-management agreements

• Coordinate thinning projects within the Nacimiento Creek watershed

At the root of these efforts is Asekia's commitment to farmer-centered outreach.

“Every tree planted, every acequia cleared, every silvopasture site established is the result of a farmer or forest landowner who said yes to a vision for their land. Our job at Asekia is to make that yes possible — and to keep showing up as the work grows,” said Dr. Nolo Martínez, Asekia's Executive Director.

If you're a farmer, rancher, or forest landowner interested in conservation practices on your land — or if you'd like to support this work — we'd love to hear from you. To learn more about the Forestry Fund or other Asekia programming, please contact us at info@asekia.org.

Appendix A – Funds by State