Rachel Blackburn

BIO

Rachel Blackburn joined the National Forest Foundation in July 2023 as the Southern Appalachians Program Coordinator, where she helps develop and implement watershed resilience, climate resilience, forest health, outdoor experiences, and other conservation projects with communities, conservation NGOs, private landowners, state and federal agencies, and private-sector partners to support conservation initiatives across the Southern Appalachians and the National Forests of North Carolina.

Prior to joining NFF, Rachel served at Conserving Carolina, an accredited land trust in western North Carolina, as the Land Protection Coordinator. In that role, she relied on her experience in tax, property, and evidence law to acquire easements and fee simple title to land on behalf of the land trust to be perpetually conserved as wildlife habitat, recreational amenities, or agricultural production. Before conservation, Rachel worked in plaintiff’s environmental litigation on issues involving toxic torts, the Clean Water Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. She earned her B.A. in both Political Science and Spanish from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her J.D. and certificates in Environmental and Natural Resource Law and Energy, Innovation, and Sustainability Law from the Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.

Rachel grew up enjoying the Southern Appalachians from her home in Asheville. As a neighbor to the Pisgah National Forest, Rachel is inspired by the exceptional biodiversity of the Southern Appalachians and the ancient landscape of the Blue Ridge Mountains. She believes connecting people with the land helps to foster a communal conservation ethic and instill each individual’s responsibility toward stewarding our natural environment. When it comes to forestry, Rachel is also proud to be a close descendant of the first female sawyer in the State of Pennsylvania.

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys trail riding her horse through the many forests surrounding her, cultivating her tropical houseplant collection, and attending the abundant music concerts for which Asheville is famous. She also serves on a voluntary basis as a member of the Land Management Committee of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.