The northern forest is home to some of the richest bird communities in North America. Healthy forests are essential for both resident and migratory birds, and stewarding forests with birds in mind can benefit biodiversity, climate resiliency, and carbon dynamics. Birds serve as a powerful vehicle for broader conservation goals, especially with the public. This concept has long driven the Foresters for the Birds (FFtB) program, and it now propels the next chapter of Audubon’s efforts through the Audubon Forester Training and Endorsement Program (FTE).
The Foresters for the Birds program, established in 2008 through a partnership between Audubon Vermont and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, aims to keep forests as forests and common birds common by helping landowners integrate timber and songbird habitat management practices. Audubon Vermont developed the Foresters for the Birds Toolkit—guides for both landowners and foresters—which provides information on priority birds, habitat needs, and forest stewardship practices.
The program has since expanded beyond Vermont and into other National Audubon state and regional programs, and with support from the Forest Stewards Guild, reaching Maine, the Southeast, Northwest, Lake States, and the Pacific West. To date, hundreds of foresters and natural resource professionals have participated in FFtB training and concepts. For Audubon, the next chapter of this work is the Forester Training and Endorsement Program.
Building on the FFtB foundation, the FTE program seeks to foster enduring partnerships across a network of foresters working to ensure the application of bird-friendly management practices at scale. Birds are a compelling tool to engage landowners, as they are diverse and charismatic- as well as readily observable indicators of forest ecosystem health; birds represent many of the principles we aim to support through the application of ecological forestry.
Once trained and endorsed, foresters participating in the program report back to Audubon, offering valuable feedback on successes and challenges. Audubon stimulates interest in bird-friendly forest management through landowner education, creating a positive cycle where foresters’ expertise, formally recognized by Audubon, matches landowners’ growing desire to manage their lands for birds, altogether strengthening the partnership between foresters, landowners, and Audubon.
The endorsement process is straightforward and can be completed at your own pace, either in person or independently. Audubon endorsement is currently available through state and regional offices in Vermont, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. We offer foresters the ability to complete the process on their own by watching a 4-part video series with questions and a management scenario. As a final step, foresters then submit two example management plans demonstrating the application of the program’s principles. Audubon works closely with each forester to ensure these plans reflect the program’s core principles. All trainings offer Society of American Foresters (SAF) continuing education credits. Periodically, we host in-person trainings as well.
Once endorsed, Audubon promotes foresters’ services to our landowner network. Endorsed foresters must also participate in annual continuing education training as well as report annually on their management activities benefiting birds.
As we face climate and biodiversity crises, collaboration and education are more vital than ever. Forest management is a powerful tool for restoring ecosystem integrity in the face of these threats. Working together, we can bridge science with practice to meet landowner values, contributing to large-scale conservation goals. Join us in supporting bird-friendly practices that enhance forest health—whether by becoming trained as a forester, promoting the program, or learning more about the intersection of forests and birds.
In Vermont, New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania we encourage you to reach out to Audubon in these states to learn more. For those outside these states, the Forest Stewards Guild can help point you in the right direction.
The FTE program represents a critical step toward ensuring our forests remain resilient and healthy, supporting bird populations and the broader ecosystem. By training a new generation of foresters and empowering landowners to manage their lands for birds, we are shaping a future where conservation is a shared responsibility. Audubon looks forward to continuing its partnership with the Forest Stewards Guild to connect with members and empower them to promote healthy forests—and the birds that call them home.
