Within a day's drive of a quarter of the U.S. population lies the largest remaining contiguous forest in the east. The Northern Forest spans 26 million acres spread across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. Learn more about this majestic forest in need of protection.
The Place
Rugged mountains, wild rivers, remote lakes, and endless woodlands.
- Home to 1 million people.
- Habitat for wildlife such as moose, deer, bear, coyote, lynx, loon, eagle, trout, and salmon.
- Contains outstanding recreation destinations including the Adirondacks, the Long Trail, and more.
The Threats
- Large land sales, which can lead to development and unsustainable timber harvesting, jeopardize the ecosystems, recreational access, and traditional forest-based economies that make this region unique.
- Forest fragmentation due to development and unsustainable timber harvesting threatens animals, such as lynx and certain woodland birds, which require large unbroken tracts of forests to survive.
- Traditional land ownership is giving way to investor-owned lands, which are less likely to be maintained sustainably.
- Public access for recreation is increasingly restricted due to development.
The Opportunities
- The very same land sales that threaten the region also offer a unique opportunity to protect incredibly important places for recreation, wildlife, and sustainable timber management.
- Local businesses and community leaders, elected officials, conservation organizations, and concerned citizens are working together and seizing this opportunity.
- The federal Forest Legacy program is an important tool for funding the purchase of conservation easements that will protect the character of the Northern Forest.
- Specific regional protection opportunities exist in all four states that share the Northern Forest.
Get Involved
Join our Conservation Action Network to stay informed about the Northern Forest, and send emails to decision-makers when your voice is needed.
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