Cultivating common ground to renew our wood, water, and grain ecosystems.
A non-profit seed fund created in partnership with the Brown family and Brown-Forman.
Working at the intersection of value and values we bring people together to identify and confront ecosystem issues related to wood, water, and grain supply chains by leveraging our whiskey heritage in a way that attracts people and helps them find common ground across industry, nature, and society for generations to come.
A Focus on Ecosystems
An ecosystem is generally defined as a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. For us, those organisms and environments include the people and homeplace communities reliant on healthy fields, forest, and watersheds critical to the longevity of business and society.
Wood(lands)
When managing for white oak, the full forest ecosystem is improved. White oak is the primary material used in making whiskey barrels, imparting the spirits’ characteristic color and flavor, and serves as a hallmark of forest ecosystem health.
Water(sheds)
Where nature is present, water quality and quantity are improved. Limestone-filtered water is a signature ingredient in whiskey, exemplifying nature’s importance as a natural filter.
Grain(fields)
When fields are under live cover year-round, soil and water quality is improved. Corn, rye, wheat, and barley are the dominant grains used in whiskey. These crops grow at different times of the year and planting them in rotation for a year-round cropping system slows erosion, reduces nutrient run-off, captures carbon and helps retain water in the soil.
The Dendrifund Way
The Dendrifund way is how we align industry, nature, and society around issues related to shared wood, water, and grain resources. We actively convene, seed, and incubate diverse stakeholders across supply chains to renew wood, water, and grain ecosystems.
Let’s start with fun and informative events doing things like figuring out how to build white oak barrels together. Then, let’s work together to figure out how to build healthy and sustainable forest ecosystems together.