Written by Emma Dunn, MFR ’27
This past September, the World Forestry Center held their signature forestland investment conference, CANOPY, in Portland, Oregon. The 2025 CANOPY conference was attended by nearly 350 forest industry members from across the world to discuss topics such as forests, markets, and society. For over twenty years, this conference has created a bridge for open discussion on a global scale, and I felt fortunate to experience it firsthand as a student.
This year’s conference theme highlighted a clear shift for the changes occurring within forestland investing. While traditional timber business remains as the foundation, conversations now increasingly focus on climate mitigations, biodiversity, carbon credits, and social impacts. Across the eleven sessions, the speakers discussed a range of topics like timber markets and forest economics to nature-based solutions for climate assets.
One of the most impactful sessions for me was the opening keynote, “Federal Policy and its Impacts on Forest and Forest Markets – A Perspective Across Administrations.” The opening session examined how shifts in the U.S. federal policy are reshaping forest’ role in the economy and altering the value of forests as an asset class. Drawing on their own personal experiences with different administrations, panelists were able to highlight how major policy changes create both challenges and opportunities for forest landowners and investors.
Beyond the formal program, I found that much of the value of Canopy came from networking. As a student, it was inspiring to connect with professionals who have built careers in the space I am preparing to enter. The casual conversations during receptions and dinners allowed me to learn about career paths, hear candid insights, and begin building relationships that I know will be valuable moving forward.
Attending Canopy was an incredibly rewarding experience. It helped me better understand where the forest industry is headed and how my generation can contribute to shaping its future. I am especially grateful that I was able to attend thanks to the generosity of CFB donors and sponsors, who make opportunities like this possible for students.
As the forest industry undergoes rapid change driven by shifting markets, evolving policies, and new climate expectations, forums like CANOPY provide a vital space for conversation and collaboration. Being able to witness and participate in those conversations as a student left me both inspired and motivated to carry these lessons into my academic and professional journey.
