Bio
Dennis Canty joined American Farmland Trust in January 2011 as the Pacific Northwest Director. Canty has worked with AFT as a consultant since 2003, helping the organization develop a farmer-friendly approach to salmon recovery, found and manage the Pioneers in Conservation grant program, and create opportunities for farmer access to environmental markets. He is co-author of the Guide to Environmental Markets for Farmers and Ranchers and numerous articles and briefing papers.
Canty comes to AFT from Evergreen Funding Consultants, a Seattle firm he founded in 2001 that focuses on funding strategies for environmental projects. He brings extensive experience working with local and state agencies and governments, non-profit organizations, and Indian tribes throughout the Northwest. Prior to launching Evergreen, he worked as a conservation specialist and watershed planner for a variety of local and federal agencies. He has also been a member of various boards and commissions, currently serving as a mayoral appointee to a committee overseeing a $120 million park and open space bond in Seattle.
Canty holds a B.A. in Environmental Planning from Evergreen State College, and a Masters in Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as a research assistant on the National Agricultural Lands Study. In the distant past, he served as a teachers aid in a vocational agriculture program, a supervisor for a corn detasseling crew, and a tractor driver during an apple harvest.