On June 25, 2025, the inaugural Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) Americas Forum convened 45 stakeholders from the United States and Canada, representing 38 diverse organizations, to discuss sustainable biomass production and its role in a low-carbon future. Among the distinguished speakers was Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, Executive Director of the Conservation Without Conflict Coalition, who presented on building trust to achieve collaborative conservation and keeping working lands working. His insights highlighted how this approach can support the sustainable biomass forestry sector, ensuring that working lands thrive as both productive landscapes and vital wildlife habitats.
The forum, held under the Chatham House Rule to encourage candid discussions, brought together SBP Certificate Holders, academic institutions, nonprofits, state agencies, certification bodies, and trade associations in a melting pot of ideas and solutions. Miranda-Castro's presentation showcased how the Conservation Without Conflict Coalition leverages trust and collaboration to align economic and conservation goals with different industries like forestry biomass, demonstrating that voluntary participation, incentive-based models, and science-driven strategies can empower landowners, strengthen local economies, and protect biodiversity while enabling sustainable operations.
The SBP Americas Forum report underscored the event's success, with 100% of survey respondents agreeing it met their expectations. Miranda-Castro's contribution significantly illustrated how the Conservation Without Conflict model supports SBP's mission to expand sustainable woody biomass certification in the Americas, offering a replicable blueprint for collaborative, voluntary conservation at scale across diverse ecosystems. Read the full article on the WMI Outdoor News Bulletin.
