HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Connecticut Forest and Park Association’s Master Woodland Manager program is returning for its fifth year this fall with a record-breaking 75 students despite having half the budget it started with last year.

To kick off the fifth year anniversary of the program, CFPA will host a cohort launch at Sessions Woods Conservation Education Center on Sept. 6. The year-long program will combine hands-on field and virtual learning led by Connecticut’s top forestry and wildlife professionals. The program, which earned national recognition in 2023, has trained 169 woodland managers since its launch in 2021.

The training program was developed to improve communications and connections with woodland owners and land managers to increase their knowledge about forest management and improve woodland conditions in the state, according to officials.

The Master Woodland Manager training program course topics include forest ecology, wildlife ecology, forests and climate change, forest management practice, Connecticut’s forests, resources for woodland managers and forest health. Course organizers and partners used web-based and email marketing strategies along with social media and local news outlets to get the word out to woodland owners and land managers in Connecticut.

“A big part of the growth is word of mouth. We ask every applicant how they heard about the program, and so often the answer is a friend, neighbor or colleague who participated and encouraged them to apply. We’ve also been more intentional about raising the program’s visibility through social media and e-newsletters, and our partners have been fantastic about spreading the word as well,” said Beth Merow, education director with the CFPA.

“At the same time, the growth speaks to the public’s growing interest in forest health, climate change, wildlife habitats, and sustainable land management,” she said. “More and more, people want to be proactive about the land they own or manage. As a program that’s built for landowners, woodland managers, professionals and volunteers alike, this program gives them the tools and confidence to do just that.”

This year, the CFPA has had its federal funding cut in half as part of the Department of Government Efficiency‘s federal chopping block under the President Donald Trump’s administration. As a nonprofit partner of the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, CFPA receives federal funding to support “essential work the CFPA does like maintaining trails, training volunteers, providing safety equipment, building bridges and educating future stewards of our natural world,” according to the association.

According to the National Parks Conservation Association, DOGE cut 9% of the National Park Service workforce this year, eliminating 1,000 probationary staff, freezing vacant permanent positions and delaying the hiring of seasonal employees.

“Up until now, the program has relied on two federal grants from the U.S. Forest Service’s Landscape Scale Restoration program,” Merow said. “The most recent one runs out this year, and, unfortunately, there is no other federal opportunity on the horizon. Like many grant-funded programs, cycles change and funding priorities shift so long-term funding isn’t permanent or secure. That’s why we’re working hard with our partners to build new, critical support so the program doesn’t lose the momentum it’s built.”

CFPA manages and maintains 137 miles of the popular New England Trail in the state for the National Park Service, but trail management may be impacted, along with the Master Woodland Manager Program. The program helps protect over 61,000 acres of wild spaces in Connecticut by training landowners to make decisions that benefit forests, wildlife and communities through conservation.

“For five years, the Master Woodland Manager program has empowered people to care for Connecticut’s forests with knowledge, dedication and love for the land. Losing half of federal funding in 2026 means CFPA has to raise $86,000 a year to keep this incredible program going. It’s a heavy lift, but we owe it to our forests and the future to do everything we can to continue this critical work,” the CFPA said in a statement.

Federal funding makes up around 10% of CFPA’s annual revenue plan, according to CFPA executive director Andy Bicking. But despite the impact of losing federal dollars, the program continues to gain popularity.

“We absolutely don’t want to lose the momentum or the impact of this woodland manager education program. This program is central to our mission because it empowers Connecticut residents to take an active role in caring for our forests. As a result, it’s building a community of woodland managers, leading to healthier forests and creating lasting benefits for the state,” Merow said.

The program was developed by CFPA in partnership with Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Audubon Connecticut, the University of Connecticut Extension, Connecticut Land Conservation Council, and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station with funding from the U.S. Forest Service. The CFPA launched its Master Woodland Manager training program using a $216,025 USDA Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration grant.

Participants include private woodland owners — from those managing a single acre to those caring for hundreds — along with municipal land stewards, nonprofit staff and volunteers, educators who bring what they’ve learned into classrooms and schoolyards and those managing land for hunting clubs, game refuges and other community spaces, according to the program’s website.

Each year, students participate in an interactive, flexible learning experience and join a growing statewide network of woodland advocates. Graduates give back to their communities through outreach, according to the CFPA.

“Our MWMs show what’s possible when conservation organizations come together to give significant time and attention in support of landowners,” CFPA Board of Directors president Laurie Giannotti said.

Collectively, graduates and the incoming class manage over 75,000 acres of forest land across 112 Connecticut municipalities, two Rhode Island municipalities and one New York.

“Its success has even drawn attention from outside Connecticut, where it has becoming a model for effective, grassroots forest management that works,” Merow said. “With the full support of our partners, CFPA is committed to continuing the program and is actively exploring new funding sources — including private donors, foundations and other grant opportunities — to ensure it remains strong into the future.”

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For more information on the Master Woodland Manager program and the Connecticut Forest & Park Association, go to ctwoodlands.org.

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