Keeping it in the Family Program
The UAPB Small Farm Program promotes sustainable forestry practices for small-scale landowners, including those who may have had limited access to forestry education and technical assistance. The program is designed to build knowledge, strengthen capacity, and support long-term land stewardship.
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities established the Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention (SFLR) Program in 2012 to help address land loss and support for all landowners.
Sustainable forestry offers a pathway for small scale landowners to sustain generational connections to their land while also creating opportunities for economic return. These practices support both environmental stewardship and the preservation of family-owned land for future generations.
The Rise of Keeping it in the Family
The pilot SFLR project, which included sites in North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama, quickly began to exceed expectations and the search began for additional program partners. In response to this call, the UAPB Small Farm Program launched the Keeping it in the Family (KIITF) SFLR program in 2016. KIITF initially targeted seven counties in southwest Arkansas. Today, KIITF serves 18 central and southern counties. The project promotes intergenerational land retention, empowering small-scale landowners through technical assistance from a dedicated team trained in forestry management, conservation and financial assistance. The KIITF team also provides legal resources to address landowners’ property challenges.
KIITF serves landowners in Sevier, Little River, Miller, Lafayette, Hempstead, Howard, Pike, Nevada, Columbia, Ouachita, Clark, Dallas, Union, Bradley, Cleveland, Calhoun, Drew and Jefferson Counties. The project’s team members conduct site visits, develop written forest management plans, offer technical support from a certified forester or conservationist and provide legal resources to 266 landowners. Collectively, participants own 15,443 acres, including 12,057 forest acres.
The UAPB Small Farm Program partners with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture – Forestry Division, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts and the Silas H. Hunt Community Development Corporation. It has also partnered with the Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Land Community Development Corporation in providing legal outreach and assistance to landowners.
The SFLR Network partners include American Forest Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, JPB Foundation and the U. S. Forest Service.
Get involved with the program by completing the Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Landowner Profile form. Click the link to download and complete the fillable form. After you complete the form and save it to your computer, send it as an attachment to leek@uapb.edu.
KIITF Highlights
Contact Us
Kandi Williams
Outreach Coordinator
Keeping it in the Family SFLR Program
Phone: (870) 571-9428
Fax: (870) 667-7047
Email: williamska@uapb.edu
Levell Foote
UAPB Conservation Consultant
(870) 692-7535
fulltime3128@gmail.com
Joseph Friend
Forester
(870) 500-8454
joe-friend@att.net
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