Climate Stewardship Act of 2021 - Fall

Team Members: Samantha Lang, Kate Wister, Emilia Silverberg, Emma Su, Jasmine Chiu, Karen Zaklama, Kate Champion, Leanna Tang, Matthew Landin, Megan Ort, Molly Freed, Morgan Booher, Nicole Eliaschev, Rosie Kay

The Climate Stewardship Act of 2021 advances U.S. climate mitigation by scaling nature-based solutions across agriculture, forests, and wetlands, recognizing that well-managed natural systems can sequester carbon while strengthening resilience to extreme weather. The legislation expands funding, technical assistance, and career pathways to support restoration and climate-smart management, with an explicit focus on equitable economic development and participation by low-income communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color. The analysis centers on Title II (forests) and a proposed Stewardship Corps designed to restore forests and wetlands while building a durable workforce pipeline for conservation and land management. The Corps model prioritizes young adults, offers structured training and support, and sets ambitious implementation thresholds for federal restoration work over time, positioning workforce development as a core climate strategy rather than a secondary benefit.

A detailed program design translates the Act into an operational first-year implementation plan led by the USDA Forest Service, with delivery mechanisms built around partnerships with nonprofit contractors and the Job Corps. The proposed structure emphasizes scalable recruitment, paid placements, and wraparound career services to move participants into long-term employment in forestry and related fields. A budget framework allocates resources to outreach, hiring systems, training hubs (including expanded and new centers), and Forest Service staffing capacity. A performance management system establishes clear metrics—such as cohort hiring targets, demographic and income-based equity requirements, participant satisfaction benchmarks, cost-per-participant tracking, and post-service employment and retention targets—so progress can be measured and programs adjusted early. Together, these elements operationalize forest restoration at scale while embedding equity, accountability, and workforce outcomes into climate implementation.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.