Great American Outdoors Act
The Great American Outdoors Act gave the USDA Forest Service new opportunities to deliver benefits to the American public through major investments in recreation infrastructure, public lands access, and land and water conservation. These investments will enable communities to Build Back Better by contributing to economic growth and job creation in rural America. GAOA provides permanent full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) that will advance the Administration’s 30 x 30 conservation goals and establishes a new National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) to address the deferred maintenance backlog for the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior in fiscal years 21-25.
Latest News
9/7/21 - Great American Outdoor Act Projects Begin on the GMUG
3/18/21 - USDA Announces $218 Million Investment in Land and Water Conservation
3/8/21 - USDA Invests $285 Million to Improve National Forest and Grassland Infrastructure
Legacy Restoration Fund
The Forest Service currently administers more than 370,000 miles of roads, 13,800 bridges, 159,000 miles of trails, 1,700 dams and reservoirs, 1,500 communications sites, 32,000 recreation sites, and 40,000 facilities of other types. The new Legacy Restoration Fund will allow the Forest Service to improve critical infrastructure essential to use and enjoyment of national forests and grasslands. The Forest Service receives 15 percent of all LRF funds, up to a maximum of $285 million per year.
2021 LRF Projects *Reposted on 3/16/21 with minor updates.
Fiscal Year 2022 Proposed Projects (FY22 projects have been submitted to Congress as part of the FY22 Budget request)
More information is available from the regions and forests where these projects are taking place.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
The Great American Outdoors Act secures $900 million in permanent funding each year for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. LWCF programs are managed by the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior. The Forest Service administers two LWCF programs – the Forest Legacy Program and the Land Acquisition program – that together conserve critical and strategic lands across the nation’s forests and grasslands. Forest Service LWCF projects enhance recreational access to existing public lands, conserve working timberlands vital for local economies, and protect critical watersheds.
Fiscal Year 2021 LWCF Projects
Fiscal Year 2022 LWCF Proposed Projects
For more information about LWCF, visit:
For additional information about individual projects, please contact the local regional office.
R1 - Northern Region
R2 - Rocky Mountain Region
R3 - Southwestern Region
R4 - Intermountain Region
R5 - Pacific Southwest Region
R6 - Pacific Northwest Region
R8 - Southern Region
R9 - Eastern Region
R10 - Alaska Region
Research and Development