National Forest Week has become a tradition in the conservation community, and the board and staff of the National Forest Foundation extend a heartfelt thank you for all the great work the USDA Forest Service does on behalf of the American public.

National Forest Week is now in its seventh year, and we look forward to celebrating with you June 9-15. This week allows the foundation to use its platform as the congressionally chartered national partner of the Forest Service to generate awareness of national forests and to deepen engagement of the public in supporting and enjoying these natural treasures.  

This year’s theme is Where We Come Alive, and we are encouraging people to take those words to heart by getting outside and supporting our public lands. For me, that means using this time to plan a backcountry hiking trip into the Alpine Wilderness area on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest later this year.

Some of the ways the foundation is bringing the week to life include:

• National Amplification: During the entire month of June, AMC Theaters will run the foundation's public service announcement featuring board member Andie MacDowell before every movie in all 550 movie theaters nationwide. Over 15 million moviegoers are expected to visit AMC Theaters this month and see this PSA.

• Local Community Awareness: For the first time in foundation history, we are investing in billboards, showcasing our brand in three key communities—Asheville, North Carolina; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Truckee, California—giving us exposure with more than 2.5 million people. The foundation will also host more than 15 events in these communities aimed at engaging locals through volunteer days, guided walks, and more.  

• Annual Photo Contest: The photo contest has always been a key feature of National Forest Week, and it’s already off to a great start. The contest is running in Spanish for the first time, with ads and web pages tailored to engage Spanish-speaking audiences.

• Educating Congress: A group of foundation board members will fan out across Congress on June 11, educating key members on the importance and relevance of our national forests, including agency needs across wildfire risk reduction, reforestation, and recreation.

We are grateful for your continued efforts to steward these lands and engage with Americans around these places. We invite all units and Forest Service staff to share National Forest Week messaging across social media channels. We are excited to shine a light on these special places.  

Thank you for all that you do for our public lands today and their future. Your work is generational in scope.

To learn more, visit nationalforestweek.org.

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