How does a person learn to appreciate the value of land as more than a commodity?

This is the question posed in Forterra – Land for People. Land for Nature. Land for Good.™ and one that potentially puts conservationists and the logging industry at odds.

Yet, Forterra has a long history of building relationships with unlikely bedfellows. In a 2007 Progress Report on the Cascade Agenda, former President and CEO of Forterra Gene Duvernoy wrote:

“We must find ways to protect our environment that work with and not against our economy; that enhance and do not impoverish our communities. In short, we must learn to grow with grace. One hundred years is a long time. There will be ups and downs along the way but working as a community, I know we will succeed.”

Working alongside industries like logging operations is crucial for preserving and sustainably managing lands. The forest products and timber industry generates $36 billion annually in gross business income for Washington State, and the forest products sector supports over 100,000 workers. 

It’s a complicated business, which—as Duvernoy wrote—has its ups and downs but one that Forterra has navigated for decades, bringing about change in how land trusts can engage and influence the way we all see and appreciate the value of land. Read more about how Forterra has built these relationships in Forterra – Land for People. Land for Nature. Land for Good.™