Restoring Watersheds: Coca-Cola, National Forest Foundation, and U.S. Forest Service Partnership

Building Strategic Alliances through Innovative
Public-Private Partnership Management

Coordinated a groundbreaking public–private water restoration effort that mobilized $5M and delivered 2.4 billion liters of replenished water across nine states. The governance and adaptive systems built here now inform how BlueTerra Partners designs durable, equitable partnerships.

Aerial view of a wetland with winding streams, surrounded by dense forest and mountain range in the distance.

The Challenge

The drinking water supply of over 60 million Americans depends on healthy national forests. Yet drought, wildfire, invasive species, and budget constraints were degrading watersheds faster than they could be restored. The scale of restoration required far outstripped what any single agency or funding source could deliver alone.

The Approach

BlueTerra Partners’ founder helped manage a first-of-its-kind tripartite partnership among Coca-Cola, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Forest Foundation. Key design features included:

  • Establishing a governance framework that enabled federal, corporate, and nonprofit partners to stay aligned across leadership changes and shifting priorities.

  • Maintained performance tracking systems that measured every liter replenished and every dollar invested, providing transparency and accountability.

  • Embedding adaptive strategy so the initiative could respond to evolving sustainability goals and real-world challenges over time.

  • Cultivating stakeholder trust through regular reporting, milestone celebrations, and open engagement to keep communities and partners invested in outcomes.

Mountains with snow, dense green forest, small lakes, and clear blue sky in a scenic landscape.

Results

  • The program exceeded its initial 1 billion liter goal two years ahead of schedule, ultimately delivering 2.4 billion liters of restored watershed inflows.

  • More than $5 million in matching public and private resources were mobilized to support long-term impact.

  • Nearly 900 acres of watershed habitat were restored, enhancing water quality, stream connectivity, and ecological resilience.

  • The partnership was renewed through 2028, with expanded emphasis on equity and underserved communities.

Why It Matters

This collaboration is a blueprint for how clear objectives, rigorous metrics, and resilient governance can transform ambitious vision into enduring impact. By centering communities and aligning incentives, the effort became more than a project — it became a system that enables local actors to steward their watershed futures. Today, those very principles guide BlueTerra Partners’ work helping clients improve relationships and develop new strategic alliances that produce real outcomes and lasting results.

Let’s work together to build your success story.

BlueTerra Partners leverages deep expertise in partnership-building, impact measurement, and adaptive strategy—using the same proven approach that delivered 2.4 billion liters of water replenishment—to help agencies, nonprofits, and companies achieve measurable sustainability results.