Introducing Victoria Lockhart: Director of Reforestation

Dear Friends,

I am delighted to introduce Victoria Lockhart, our new Director of Reforestation here at The Climate Trust (TCT). A resident of Nashville, Tennessee, Victoria brings over 15 years of experience working at the intersection of ecosystems and business. Her proven track record of working with external partners to develop and implement strategic initiatives for conservation opportunities and climate solutions make her an ideal fit for TCT’s vision of scaling nature-based solutions. 

Victoria has helped both non-profit and for-profit organizations improve their environmental and social impact through rigorous data analysis, forest project implementation, and development of strategy. Victoria is a registered forester, with experience ranging from silvicultural operations to forest and conservation investment strategy development. 

We are particularly excited to have Victoria fill the position of Reforestation Director at a time when TCT has identified reforestation/afforestation as a key area to deploy financing and develop projects.  Reforestation and afforestation projects offer one of the largest and most cost-effective opportunities to sequester carbon while also building climate resilience for communities and ecosystems.

To promote and support our reforestation project goals, TCT was awarded $15 million in federal funds through the USDA’s Climate Smart Commodities Partnership grant. This project addresses the need to define and develop climate-smart forest practices, which were highlighted in Executive Order 14008 in recognition of the key role America’s forestry sector plays in mitigating climate change. This work is in partnership with Arbor Day Carbon, The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund and TerraCarbon. The working forests created through this program will produce climate-smart timber and other forest products on post-fire or degraded/marginal agriculture lands. 

Welcome aboard Victoria—you are coming at a crucial time!

Julius Pasay, Executive Director