New Toolkit Supports Effective, Landowner-Centered Outreach

Farmers in Puerto Rico, including Asekia board member Javier Medina

A new Outreach Toolkit designed to strengthen engagement with private forest landowners across the southeastern United States—particularly those in emerging communities—is now available on Asekia’s website.

Developed to support forestry professionals and partner organizations working directly with landowners, the toolkit offers practical, field-ready guidance for building trust, strengthening partnerships, identifying keystone landowners, and elevating landowner voices and outcomes. It is intended to support outreach efforts that are relationship-driven, culturally responsive, and grounded in on-the-ground realities.

Toolkit Overview

The toolkit includes guidance and resources across the following topic areas:

● Strategies for identifying and engaging keystone landowners who can influence broader community participation

● Culturally responsive approaches for engaging communities

● Practical guidance for tracking outreach and program outcomes

● Tools for building strong, effective partnerships with local and regional organizations

● Best practices for sharing landowner stories, experiences, and accomplishments

● Curated resources for deeper learning on priority outreach topics

●  An index of local and regional organizations serving specific landowner communities or conservation needs

Photo courtesy of the Center for Heirs’ Property.

Impact on Outreach and Forest Stewardship

The landowner-centered principles reflected in this toolkit emphasize relationship-building, shared values, and long-term stewardship. Private landowners play a critical role in the sustainable management of the nation’s forests. According to the National Woodland Owner Survey, approximately 253 million acres of forestland in the United States are privately owned.

By supporting outreach approaches that meet landowners where they are, the toolkit aims to strengthen engagement that helps forest owners protect their land from challenges such as fragmentation, parcelization, and increasing tax pressures. Effective stewardship of these lands helps forests continue to deliver essential benefits, including wildlife habitat, clean drinking water, renewable wood products, and climate resilience. In turn, these forests support local economies, reduce pollution, and help mitigate flooding and other environmental risks.

“Effective outreach begins with listening. When we meet landowners where they are, respect their experiences, and build relationships based on trust, we can work together to achieve lasting results.”

— Dr. H. Nolo Martínez, Executive Director, Asekia Inc.

Collaborative Development

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities spearheaded the collaborative effort to develop this toolkit, and brought together Asekia Inc., the Center for Heirs’ Property, the Greening Youth Foundation, Help for Landowners, and North Carolina State University College of Natural Resources, with facilitation support from Welsummer. Together, the contributing organizations bring extensive experience in landowner engagement, community-based outreach, and forestry support across diverse regions and populations.

Access the Toolkit

Access the Outreach Toolkit here: asekia.org/outreach-toolkit

Catch Us at the Society of American Foresters (SAF) National Convention

Members of the team that created the toolkit will give a panel presentation on Wednesday, October 7th from 1:30-3:00pm in Tacoma, Washington as part of this year’s SAF conference. Check out the convention website for more details and the full program of events.

For additional information or questions about the toolkit, please contact: info@asekia.org.