USDA Forest Service partners with local communities to conserve 1,544 acres of private forestlands
Milwaukee, WI, August 25, 2025— Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced the partnership with local communities in the Eastern region to conserve 1,544 acres of private forestlands as community forests. These investments, totaling $3.1 million nationwide, ensure that forests critical to the social, economic, and ecological wellbeing of local communities remain as forests while also continuing to be managed locally.
The investments provide competitive grants to local governments, federally recognized tribal governments and Alaska Native Corporations, and conservation non-profit organizations to acquire private forestlands and establish community forests. Community forests are locally owned and managed forests that provide a wide array of benefits to the communities that use them.
“Community forests strengthen rural communities—supporting jobs and timber production, expanding recreation, and reducing wildfire risk through local, active management,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz.
Funded projects include forests that are important to rural and urban communities. All of the projects respond to locally driven priorities and support the goal to increase access and conserve America’s lands and waters. Projects are selected through a competitive national process.
Below are highlights of Region 9 selected projects:
- State: Maine
- Project Title: Mosher Hill Falls Community Forest
- Recipient: High Peaks Alliance
- Number of Acres: 200
- Federal Funding Amount: $234,000
- State: Ohio
- Project Title: Sugar Creek Community Forest
- Recipient: Rising Appalachia
- # of Acres: 600
- Federal Funding Amount: $600,000
- State: New Hampshire
- Project Title: Sargent Camp Community Forest
- Recipient: Harris Center for Conservation
- # of Acres: 591
- Federal Funding Amount: $600,000
- State: New York
- Project Title: Yates Lakeshore Preserve
- Recipient: Western New York Land Conservancy
- # of Acres: 153
- Federal Funding Amount: $161,000
Nationally, the Forest Service is investing in eight projects through the Community Forest Program. Together, they will create or add 2,000 acres of community forests that will provide community benefits in perpetuity.
To learn about the Community Forest Program and to see a complete list of projects, visit the Community Forest Program website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest/program