The Outlook | April 2025

A trusted source of environmental information

Biochar's Impact on Soil Health

Storymap Collections

Led by Harry Groot (Dovetail Partners Inc.), Brad Matlack (formerly with the Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District), Kurt Anderson (Minnesota Power) and Grace Simmons (Dovetail Partners Inc.), the mission of this biochar project was to document effects of biochar applications on soil health parameters in varied soil types and cropping systems. This collection of StoryMaps was created to display the process and experiences.

The work upon which this project is based was funded in whole or in part through a grant awarded by USDA Forest Service. Wood Innovations (23-DG-11094200-453). This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

View Storymap

Agrivoltaics Infographic

Check out our infographic on key takeaways from Dovetail's report, Agrivoltaics - Merging Solar Energy and Agricultural Production. Click here to view the infographic and read the report:

https://www.dovetailinc.org/portfoliodetail.php?id=677d752f80b29

View Infographic

Welcome to the Team!

Join us in welcoming our newest Dovetail Associate, Abby Andrus! As an ecological consultant, Abby will be supporting our wildfire work by adding capacity in southern St. Louis County. She has a special interest in prescribed fire.

Register Now for Q2 Webinar on June 6th

Webinar Topic: Tree-Free, Hemp, and Non-Wood Alternatives - Impacts & Trade-Offs

June 6, 2025 8:30am - 9:45am CDT

Dovetail Partners is offering quarterly webinars throughout 2025 to highlight key topics and provide greater insight into issues addressed in our reporting. You can learn more about the remaining topics here.

Green Gold: Wood Residuals Summit 2025

The summit, hosted by the Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (MIFBI), is May 6-8. Dovetail Associate Nia Becker will attend the Green Gold: Wood Residuals Summit 2025 and facilitate the Innovators Pitch session. The summit's purpose is to build global commercialization bridges across sectors to realize the value of wood residuals for a profitable and sustainable economy.

Learn More

9th American Forest Congress Virtual Workshop

Planning continues for the 9th American Forest Congress, to be held July 15–18, 2025, in Washington, DC. The Steering Committee is hosting four online Pathway Workshops – key building blocks for shaping the agenda and developing resolutions for the Congress itself. Dovetail Partners Associate, Michael Snyder has been representing Dovetail in the working group planning for the Sustainable Forests Products Pathway which will be further refined during a dedicated webinar Workshop session on April 23, 2025. The working group seeks Workshop participants with expertise or influence in forestry and related fields; representation from all geographic regions; multiple sectors (e.g., industry, government, science, Tribal representation, NGOs) for well-rounded discussions; youth and emerging leaders; and new voices offering fresh perspectives and diverse viewpoints. Learn more here.

Water Waste Treatment in the USA

Elizabeth Treskunova, internship project

One of the biggest national issues facing wastewater treatment today is its average age of 33 years and grade of “D” from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). The inefficiency of the US Water Waste Treatment System (WWTS) stems potentially from a lack of public involvement and funding, which could be remedied with an increase in education and awareness paving the way for funding and consequently cleaner water. Read here.

2025 SBP Americas Forum

The 2025 SBP Americas Forum has been rescheduled for 25 June, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. SBP is a certification scheme designed for biomass, including wood pellets and chips, biochar, biocarbon, and other processed wood-based products used for energy, industry, or beyond. The certification scheme provides assurance that biomass is sourced legally and sustainably, enabling companies in the bioeconomy sector to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements. It establishes clear standards and processes to ensure responsible sourcing and compliance throughout the supply chain. The 2025 SBP Americas Forum will bring together SBP Certificate Holders and Civil Society Organizations across the Americas where SBP operates at. This invitation-only event is designed to promote networking and constructive dialogue among stakeholders. Key topics on the agenda will include the upcoming publication of Regional Risk Assessments for the US and Canada, small landowners and how to best meet their needs along with other significant issues affecting the sustainable biomass sector. Those interested in attending are encouraged to reach out to SBP’s Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Antigoni Koufi at akoufi@sbp-cert.org.

Dovetail Partners is involved in stakeholder engagement for the forum and served on the assessment teams for the US Private Forest RRA and US National Forest RRA.

Join the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) from May 20-23 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the 2025 SFI Annual Conference as we celebrate SFI’s 30th anniversary and three decades of shared achievements in sustainable forestry! Kathryn Fernholz, from Dovetail Partners, will be a speaker for the session on “Forest Products Innovation to Advance Sustainability”. There will also be a Women's Forest Congress meetup on May 22nd over lunch. Learn more about the conference: forests.org/conference.

We want your feedback!

Take Survey

Dovetail supports progress and change to address inequality.

Connect with Us

www.dovetailinc.org

+1-612-333-0430

Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Dovetail Partners, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.