Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund 2026 Grant Announcement Quotes

International Paper:
“International Paper’s Forestland Stewards Partnership with NFWF was established in 2013, and we are so proud of all the forest conservation efforts we have achieved together over the years,” said Jeremy Poirier, senior manager of fiber certification and sustainability. “Longleaf pine ecosystems are critically important to biodiversity, and we look forward to seeing the positive outcomes associated with these new grants.”

Southern Company:
“We’re proud of our decades-long partnership with NFWF to restore the rich biodiversity of longleaf pine forests,” said Stan Connally, Southern Company chief operating officer. “Together, we’re advancing the restoration of longleaf ecosystems—strengthening the natural landscapes our communities depend on and enjoy, ensuring they thrive for generations.”

Orton Foundation:
“The longleaf pine ecosystem is vital to the ecological health and resilience of the Southeast, and we are honored to continue supporting NFWF’s leadership in advancing its restoration,” said Louis Bacon, founder and chairman of the Orton Foundation, the North Carolina affiliate of The Moore Charitable Foundation. “As powerful model for conservation investment that leverages resources, strengthens on-the-ground collaboration and expands impact well beyond initial funding, this program is expanding habitat for at-risk species, improving forest stewardship and creating lasting benefits for wildlife and local communities.”

Bezos Earth Fund:
“Longleaf restoration is ready to scale,” said Emily Averna, associate director for landscape restoration at the Bezos Earth Fund. “The record demand for these grants shows how much momentum exists across the Southeast. The Bezos Earth Fund's grants to NFWF are helping turn that readiness into acres restored, stronger private land stewardship, and new chances for rare wildlife to recover.”

U.S. Forest Service:
“This fund brings folks together—landowners, states and conservation partners—to do work you can feel on the ground: healthier longleaf, stronger habitat, and resilient working lands across the South,” said Regional Forester Kenderick Arney. “Their collective efforts are improving habitat for species like the red cockaded woodpecker, gopher tortoise and eastern indigo snake, and we’re proud to recognize the 2026 awardees whose work is driving this progress forward.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proud to stand alongside the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in advancing landscape scale conservation. These investments in longleaf pine restoration strengthen the foundation for real, measurable conservation,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik. “By working closely with states, tribes, private landowners, and our partners, we're accelerating on-the-ground results that support species and their habitat. Partnerships and investments like these deliver durable outcomes that benefit wildlife and local communities alike.”