Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Active Forest Management

Arial photo of acres of longleaf pine forest
Longleaf pine grows on the Palustris Experimental Forest, part of the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. Early research on the forest included cone and seed studies that would become the basis for reforestation success throughout the South. (Forest Service photo by Preston Keres)

Growing healthy forests through action

cover of a publication titled National Active Forest Management Strategy
(Select cover page above to download)

Maintaining healthy forests can require care, attention, and thoughtful stewardship. Our work also contributes to economic support of rural communities through more jobs and forest access.

Active forest management is the practice of intentionally maintaining and improving forest conditions. We help forests stay resilient in a changing world by thinning overcrowded stands, reducing the pileup of dead branches and plants that can fuel a wildfire, planting the right tree species, restoring natural fire cycles, and supporting forest regrowth and recovery. 

Active management also helps forests and communities recover after severe wildfires. Removing trees damaged or killed by fire can reduce the severity of subsequent fires, promote desired future forest structure, and improve public safety around roads and recreational areas. Harvesting trees killed or damaged by fire also captures the remaining value of the timber to support local economies while helping to restore damaged ecosystems.

The Forest Service is focused on high-level strategic actions that improve outdated or cumbersome processes that delay getting the work done. We are removing or reducing barriers to that hinder progress on the ground while following environmental and other laws that govern how National Forest System lands are managed.

Using all available laws, authorities and policy, our active forest management is aimed at creating long-term healthy conditions of national forests and grasslands. Actions to reduce wildfire risk, improve ecological conditions, and support communities can lead to forests that remain vibrant, productive, and sustainable for generations.

What active forest management does

wildfire burns along a hillside at night
The Telegraph Fire in Arizona burns bright against the night sky. The wildfire  burned more than 180,000 acres in south central Arizona and became the largest wildfire in 2021. The fire burned on Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Arizona State Trust lands, along with numerous homes and structures. (Forest Service photo by Andrew Avitt)

By reducing the dry wood, leaves and brush that can catch fire, we shift forests from being fire‑prone to fire‑resilient. Many western forests are overloaded with dry brush, dead trees, and tightly packed stands. This buildup acts like a massive fuel source, making wildfires burn hotter, more destructively, and over larger and larger areas. Active management—including thinning, harvest of dead trees, and using prescribed burns—helps to:

  • Reduce the risk of destructive wildfires

  • Lower the intensity of wildfires when they do happen

  • Slow the spread of wildfires

  • Create safer conditions for firefighters and nearby communities 

Aerial view of a forest with healthy stands and dead or dying trees
Past forest management activities results in diversified stand ages, as shown by healthy green stands compared with trees that are reddened from mountain pine beetle mortality in lodgepole pine forests. (Forest Service photo by W.M. Ciesla) 

Active forest management is one of the most effective tools for preventing and controlling large‑scale insect infestations and disease outbreaks. Healthy, well‑spaced trees are far less susceptible to pests like bark beetles and root diseases, which thrive in stressed, densely packed stands. Active management also limits the spread of many other disease and insect pests by breaking up continuous host material and improving overall forest vigor.

Forest managers can create conditions that make trees stronger and more resilient by:

  • Strategically thinning overcrowded stands

  • Removing vulnerable or infected trees

  • Reducing competition for light, water, and nutrients

  • Regular survey and monitoring to identify early signs of infestation and disease 

Close-up of hands planting a seedline in soil
A reforestation worker presses soil around a freshly planted pine tree seedling at the Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort, which includes Eldorado National Forest land in California. The agency uses natural and human-supported forest regeneration. (Forest Service photo by Andrew Avitt)

Growing the forests of tomorrow is part of a holistic active forest management program. Active management supports future forests by :

  • Preparing the ground immediately wildfire for reforestation

  • Growing and planting seeds and seedlings in areas affect, insect infestation and disease

  • Tending to planted seedling to ensure their greatest probability of successfully growing to full size

two black-footed ferrets shown in daylight
Once believed to be extinct, the Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others are working to increase the population of black-footed ferrets, the main predators of prairie dogs. While prairie dog burrow networks provide habitat for many other native grassland specifies, cause significant damage to infrastructure and agriculture. The prairie dogs also compete with livestock for forage and carry diseases. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service photo by Ryan Moehring)

Healthy forests mean healthier natural communities. Different species rely on different forest conditions. Some thrive in dense canopy cover, while others need open meadows, young forests, or a mix of forest conditions. Active management helps create a diverse mosaic of habitats that:

  • Supports a wide range of wildlife needs

  • Restores natural ecological processes

  • Maintains biodiversity across the landscape

  • Reduces the risk of loss of wildlife habitat to catastrophic disturbances

  • Supports conservation and recovery of at-risk species, like the California spotted owl, the whitebark pine tree, and black-footed ferrets

a man-made pond is a reservor for wildlife
Schultz Tank, shown above, is a scenic, man-made wildlife pond nestled in Schultz Pass on the Coconino National Forest in Arizona. The pond serves as a popular regional hub for hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife viewing beneath the San Francisco Peaks. (Forest Service photo by Deborah Lee-Soltesg)

Healthy forests are essential because they provide important natural benefits. Forests clean our water, keep soil in place and store carbon. When forests become unhealthy, these benefits begin to decline. Active management helps to:

  • Reduce erosion and protect watersheds

  • Maintain clean drinking water sources

  • Store carbon in wood and forest soils, which contributes to long-term forest fertility

  • Improve air quality by reducing smoke from uncontrolled wildfires 

Semi-truck carying cut logs on a paved road
A logging truck hauls timber from the Carson National Forest travels on New Mexico State Road 518 near Taos, to the Blanca Forestry Products in Colorado for processing. While timber harvest support active forest management, this work also supports small and large businesses, especially those in rural communities. Healthy forests also can increase recreation visitation and other economic benefits for communities. (Forest Service photo by Zachary Behrens) 

Forest management is not merely about ecology—active management also supports people. Healthy forests contribute to healthy economies through:

  • Jobs in forestry, restoration, and wood products

  • Sustainable timber and biomass resources

  • Safer communities with reduced wildfire risk

  • More opportunities for recreation and tourism, including local businesses that support those activities 

Coneflowers droop in an open field
Drought affects resources and services provided by national forests and grasslands throughout the country. Indirect threats to forests include more frequent and intense wildfires and insect and disease outbreaks under prolonged drought stress and high temperatures. Those conditions also adversely affects watershed health and water quantity and quality. (Forest Service photo)

A resilient forest is better prepared for the challenges ahead. America’s forests are experiencing hotter temperatures, longer droughts and more extreme weather patterns. Forests that are already stressed are less able to cope. Active management helps forests adapt to these stressors by:

  • Reducing competition for limited water

  • Encouraging species and age diversity

  • Lowering the likelihood of large, carbon releasing wildfires

  • Working faster to restore landscapes after a disaster 

Group of people standing in a field talking about restoration
Partners from rural areas in Colorado and New Mexico gather in a field near Chama, New Mexico, during a field trip about the Rio Chama restoration project. The work is across the Santa Fe, Carson, Rio Grande, and San Juan national forests and connected lands. The partnership, a response to growing concerns about forest health, works on the interplay of fire and human history, wildlife migration, and watershed restoration in the Rio Chama watershed. (Forest Service photo by Preston Keres)

Active forest management is a critical part of stewardship at its best. It’s how we work together across boundaries to responsibly ensure our forests, and the people the people who rely on them, thrive for generations.

Contracts and stewardship agreements show how we can work across boundaries and local, state, tribal and federal authorities. We also engage in long-term partnerships, such as with the National Forest Foundation, the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Mule Deer Foundation, among many others, that help to expand our ability to address critical needs.

When we work together, we make decisions jointly and set shared priorities across whole landscapes. A shared view can aligned priorities into work on the ground—saw logs to mills, fuels treated, trails maintained, culverts fixed, and landscapes restored.

Partnerships and contracts also help to:

  • Expand capacity: Volunteers, local organizations, youth crews, and nonprofits help maintain trails, restore streams, and improve habitat.

  • Bring in expertise: Universities, conservation groups, and industry partners contribute science, innovation, and technical skills.

  • Reflect local priorities: Communities, tribes, and local governments help shape where and how work happens.

  • Support local economies: Restoration and recreation projects create jobs, training opportunities, and business for local contractors and mills.

The forest products manufacturing sector is an essential partner in active forest management and achieving Forest  Service timber targets. Grant funding from the Wood Innovations program addresses the nationwide challenge of creating markets and maintaining industry to accelerate active forest management, reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, sustain rural economies and maintain working forests. The Forest Service uses three grant programs to deliver this work: Wood Innovations, Community Wood, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance.

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, another critical partner, brings together leaders across industry, investment, tribes, government, research, and nonprofits through its Market Matters Convening to take action to accelerate market-based solutions for forest health, wildfire risk reduction, and rural prosperity.