USDA Forest Service Invests $265 Million to Conserve Private Forestlands
The funding aims to conserve private forestlands, strengthen rural economies, protect ecosystems and enhance public access.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Nov 05, 2024
In an effort to preserve the nation’s forest resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced over $265 million in funding for 21 forest conservation projects across 17 states.
According to a recent release, this initiative—part of President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act—will conserve roughly 335,000 acres of critical forestlands. In 2024, the Forest Service directed nearly $420 million towards protecting more than 500,000 acres, commiting to the preservation of forests, which support rural economies, wildlife habitats and recreation.
The funding is facilitated through the USDA's Forest Legacy Program, a voluntary initiative that assists states, tribes and private landowners in preserving valuable forestlands. Since 1990, the program has protected about 3.1 million acres nationwide and aims to benefit disadvantaged communities by protecting natural resources for clean air, water and resilient ecosystems.
“Local communities, and our country as a whole, depend on private forests to provide clean water, habitat, recreation and jobs,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “Landowners face many pressures to convert forests to other uses and this investment is key to keeping the economic, social and ecological benefits that these forests provide.”
More information is available on the Forest Legacy Program webpage.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor for Environmental Protection.