Chris Kelly
California State Director
Chris has led the protection of more than 150,000 acres of forest land in Northern California through projects that pioneered the non-profit ownership of working forests, the use of low-interest public financing to achieve ambitious forest conservation, and water quality enhancement. He has negotiated numerous carbon offset sale contracts with corporations such as the Disney Company, Pacific Gas and Electric and Morgan Stanley. In addition, he is a frequent presenter at seminars and conferences on matters related to forest conservation and ecosystem services-based project financing. Prior to joining The Conservation Fund, Chris worked with a number of land conservation organizations on the development and implementation of their land conservation programs, including The Nature Conservancy, Yosemite Fund, Mendocino Land Trust and the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. He also practiced business, real estate, and land use law with Cooley, Godward and Bingham McCutchen in San Francisco.
Chris holds a J.D. from the University of California at Davis, and an A.B. in Philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley.
Contact: ckelly@conservationfund.org Phone: 415-927-2123 Office: Northern California
Projects
Harbour-8 Park
Getting its name from three railroad tracks that form its boundaries, the Iron Triangle section of Richmond, California, has...
Usal Redwood Forest
Almost twice the size of San Francisco, the 50,000-acre Usal Redwood Forest, in Mendocino County, is a classic sweep...
Restoring A Forest - And Home For The Coastal Tailed Frog
When The Conservation Fund purchased the 24,000-acre Garcia River Forest in the heart of Northern California’s redwood country in...
North Coast Forest Conservation Initiative
America’s favorite forests include the redwoods along California’s North Coast. The redwood region is known for its raw beauty...
Gualala River Forest
Next door to our Garcia River Forest, the 14,000-acre Gualala River Forest shares its remarkable canopy of redwoods and...
Garcia River Forest
Some of America’s favorite forests are the redwoods along California’s north coast, known for its raw beauty and rich...
How We Helped Build a Historic and Sustainable Tall Ship in California
The Conservation Fund supports efforts to protect places where children can get outdoors and learn about nature. Often those...
Buckeye Forest
California Forests Paying Dividends
Gazing out over Buckeye Forest, the swaths of redwoods that blanket California’s North Coast look idle,...
Big River And Salmon Creek Forests
Although Northern California’s coastal forests have long supported abundant wildlife and a thriving economy—nearly 40 percent of the value...
Conservation Acquisition
Working Forest Fund
The Conservation Fund
