The James C. Finley Center for Private Forests is a trusted leader in equipping Pennsylvania’s woodland owners to practice good stewardship on their land. As funding for forestry programs continues to evolve, the Finley Center must identify new ways to become more self-sufficient.
With this campaign, we aim to unlock a challenge gift. In honor of the 36th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program, Nancy Baker, Pennsylvania Forest Steward Class of 2000, has generously pledged to match donations with up to $36,000. Your gift to the Finley Center between now and September 20 will help us unlock her gift.
The first twenty-four donations will unlock $14,000 of Nancy’s gift. The next twenty-four donations, bringing the total to forty-eight, will unlock an additional $12,000. If we reach seventy-two donations, we will receive the remaining $10,000 from Nancy.
Together, we can raise funds to help:
- Empower woodland owners to care for their woods
- Strengthen the Pennsylvania Forest Stewards volunteer network
- Support new research and educational resources
- Change the trajectory of woodland care and management
Our collaborations and partnerships, as well as our gatherings and connections with woodland owners, reflect a deep passion for the forest, pride in shared accomplishments, determination to confront mounting challenges, enthusiasm for this vital resource, and a shared commitment to leaving our forests healthier, more resilient, and better than we found them.
In 2011, when we set the wheels in motion to create the Finley Center, we envisioned it as a way to ensure Penn State could continue serving Pennsylvania’s—and beyond—woodland owners and those who support them. The center was founded on a commitment to the forest resource and to the people who own, care for, and cherish the woods.
Since our namesake, Jim Finley, retired in 2017 and passed away in 2021, we have also viewed the center as a way to carry forward his legacy. While we continue to miss Jim, we remain committed to his vision by serving woodland owners and stewarding our forests at the intersection of people and the land.
Will you help sustain the Finley Center’s Forest Stewardship Program and protect Pennsylvania’s forests? Make your gift today and help us unlock the full $36,000 challenge.
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