The U.S. Department of Agriculture announces a $106 million investment through the Forest Legacy Program to conserve 177,000 acres of working forests across Arkansas, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Oregon, and South Carolina. The program will fund 10 projects on state and privately owned lands, supporting local economies, timber production, and outdoor recreation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Forest Legacy Program operates under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 and uses voluntary partnerships with states and landowners to balance conservation with economic and social benefits. Projects are selected through competitive state and national processes and are implemented using conservation easements or fee-simple acquisitions. Conserved lands either remain in private ownership with long-term protections or become new public lands managed by state or local governments.
Private forests represent 60% of the United States’ 704 million forested acres and provide 88% of all domestic timber. These lands play a vital role in supporting jobs, supplying wood products, and offering recreation for Americans and tourists. The Forest Legacy Program has already conserved more than 3.1 million acres nationwide.
The latest investments support President Trump’s Executive Order on Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production, with a focus on maintaining productive forests and helping rural communities grow by safeguarding forests that fuel rural prosperity.
