Small business owner makes massive impact after starting forest preservation foundation with late wife: 'Patience, humility, and a unique long-term view'
Troy Firth has proven his commitment to forest preservation for more than 50 years. Since 1971, he's owned and managed Firth Maple Products, located in the northwest part of the state and relying on forests to produce lumber and maple syrup.
He founded the Foundation for Sustainable Forests in 2004 with his late wife, Lynn. The nonprofit operates as a land trust, protecting more than 3,700 acres of Pennsylvania woods via direct ownership and conservation easements, according to the foundation.
"The mission is to keep forested land forested," Firth told Lancaster Farming, a regional farm newspaper for the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. "That's why the foundation exists."
Both the nonprofit and the business practice sustainable logging methods, including horse logging. Firth Maple Products says this causes less damage to the forests than modern machinery, preventing soil compaction, erosion, and harm to tree roots lying just beneath the topsoil.
The benefits of preserving forests are clear, chief among them a healthier environment for humans. Not only do trees help purify the air by absorbing heat-trapping carbon dioxide, producing oxygen as well, but they're also the source of many medicines on the market.
There's yet another way in which protecting forests can help safeguard health across species. Since woodlands serve as important habitats for animals that might otherwise be forced into dangerous proximity with human activity, preserving these ecosystems can help reduce dangerous human-wildlife interactions that can cause injuries and spread disease.
The recipient of the 2024 Leopold Conservation Award, Firth has long been recognized for his work in forestry and conservation. Previously, he has received the Pennsylvania Tree Farmer of the Year Award, the Forest Conservation Stewardship Award, and numerous other honors, per the nonprofit WeConservePA.
Firth's influence and impact on Pennsylvania's forestry industry are evident in how his peers and colleagues talk about him.
"Troy has taught me to truly think about what 'perpetuity' means to a piece of land," Annie Socci, the foundation's executive director, told WeConservePA.
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"The lifespan of a forest, if cared for, is far greater than any of us. In the woods, Troy thinks and manages on a time scale that matches that of both the forest ecosystem and the Foundation for Sustainable Forests as an organization. To do so takes patience, humility, and a unique long-term view."
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