Without responsibly managed forests, much of the water we need for survival would not exist. Through outreach events and educational initiatives, Forest to Tap empowers local craft breweries to lead the conversation around why healthy forests are a critical ingredient in life. Everyone deserves access to great water…and great beer.
Healthy forests support a broad suite of benefits, including their ability to provide clean water. Because of concerns about the status of water quality nationwide, it has become all the more important to develop a shared understanding that forests are a critical part of the clean water solution. To ensure support for responsible forest management, it is critical that there be public education on how healthy forests are managed, how that management impacts water quality and water resources, and ultimately what that management means to end users and consumers of our water.
In 2018, a diverse group of partners assembled to address the need for additional education on the importance of the forest industry and forest management systems for protecting water resources. A novel approach was developed to highlight a local industry that has high water demands, both in quality and quantity. As in many other states, the Minnesota craft beer industry is rapidly expanding and creating a community of consumers who value choice and quality. The assembled partners believed sharing the story of forests’ role in clean water through local breweries would be an effective way to reach a targeted audience. With that conviction, the Forest to Tap program was born.
Forest to Tap (F2T) is a nonprofit program supported by a diverse group of natural resource interests whose common denominator is the knowledge that good forest management, including planting, harvesting, and stewardship, results in clean water for wildlife, communities, businesses, recreation, and ultimately great beer. The program provides information about how responsible forest management practices contribute to clean water by reaching targeted audiences through local community breweries. Through increased community understanding and acceptance, F2T partners hope to build knowledge of and continued support for responsible forest management throughout the region.
The Forest to Tap Program utilizes the strong connection between great forests, great water, and great beer to provide education about the importance of responsibly managed forests. F2T engages communities through activities such as tree seedling giveaways, tabling at brew fests, and educational events hosted at partner breweries, creating opportunities for people to learn more about the connections between forests, water resources, and the products they enjoy.
Partner Breweries
Forest to Tap works with local breweries to bring forest and water education directly into their communities. Current partner breweries include:
Forest to Tap Breweries Commit To:
• Training brewery staff on key program messaging
• Pledging sustainable use of water resources in their brewery processes
• Promoting and supporting Forest to Tap outreach events and activities
• Continued engagement with the program to retain member brewery status
Through these partnerships and community activities, Forest to Tap helps connect consumers with the forests and forest management practices that play an important role in protecting the clean water communities, businesses, wildlife, and recreation depend on.
Forest to Tap Coordinator
+1 (612) 333-0430