CLEARFIELD — Landowners of 30 acres or more in McKean County may be eligible for the Family Forest Carbon program.

The program was created by the American Forest Foundation and the Nature Conservancy for landowners interested in maintaining a healthy forest. For landowners that qualify, a professional forester will meet with you, teach you about the unique aspects of your woods, and discuss if the Family Forest Carbon Program could be right for your family.

To learn more about funding and technical assistance, visit familyforestcarbon.org and check your eligibility for a forester visit.

The program’s goals are to increase forest stewardship in landowners and help them obtain their personal goals for their land, like enhancing wildlife habitat or providing sustainable timber products.

Landowners enrolled will also be able to provide a new income source because the FFCP measures and verifies the increase of carbon stored in the forested landscape and sell that carbon to businesses.

For those interested in joining the program, go to the Check My Eligibility link on the Family Forest Carbon website. Use the WoodsCamp tool to find and answer questions about one’s land, then if eligible, the landowner will be contacted by a FFCP representative and asked to schedule a meeting with a forester to further confirm eligibility. Once the forester visit has been completed, the landowner can decide if they want to sign an agreement to participate in the program.