About Us

The Institute has supported projects, programs and events involving environmental sustainability since 1975.  Originally founded as the Round Valley Institute for Man and Nature it renamed itself in 2010 to embrace national and international projects areas.  The Institute is a nonprofit organization currently focusing on the issues of global climate change, poverty reduction, community building and  food security.  The Institute addresses the issues providing certification, planning and implementation of carbon credit, agroforestry, agroecology programs. The Institute uses its Community Circles Program to develop certified regenerative and  organic food cultivation, preserving and processing as well as branding products for local, regional and international markets. The Institute partners with affiliate but independent organizations named The Institute for Man and Nature in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and Liberia. Community Circles projects are currently being implemented in Michigan, Colombia, Liberia, Nigeria, The Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.     ---Emily A. Mattison, CEO