Trust for Public Land Celebrates $117 Million in U.S. Forest Service Grants to Protect Working Forests and Strengthen Rural Economies

Washington, D.C.- Trust for Public Land (TPL) is proud to announce that, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) TPL-led projects have secured over $117 million in funding through the Forest Legacy Program (FLP), as part of a major investment of $265 millionby the U.S. Forest Service, bolstered by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

This funding is a transformative step in conserving hundreds of thousands of acres of forestlands across the country-an achievement that underscores the critical role of large-scale landscape conservation in supporting rural economies, enhancing water quality, promoting forest carbon sequestration, and preserving wildlife habitat.

Statement from Bill Lee, Senior Vice-President Senior Vice President of Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations at Trust for Public Land:

"We are honored to be part of this historic national effort to conserve working forests that are essential to the livelihoods of timber-dependent communities and critical for environmental sustainability. This funding will not only protect valuable forestlands but also promote wildfire resilience, carbon sequestration, outdoor recreation, and economic opportunities in rural areas.

These investments in America's forestlands represent a comprehensive win for our climate, our communities, and our forests. We thank the Forest Service and applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for their foresight in investing in America's forestlands and bolstering our rural communities and economic prosperity."

The Forest Legacy Program leverages state and private funding to scale up program impact and create long-lasting partnerships. The project awards announced today represent years of work to develop community-led conservation strategies that support local economies and healthy forests.

In 2024 alone, the U.S. Forest Service has invested nearly $420 million to conserve more than 500,000 acres through the Forest Legacy Program (FLP). Since 2021, the program has received over $758 million, protecting 123 projects across the country. One out of every six acres conserved by the FLP in its history was protected this year, thanks to the unprecedented investment from the IRA. Since it was created in 1990, the Forest Legacy Program has conserved approximately 3.1 million acres of forestlands in fifty states and three territories.

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About Trust for Public Land

Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,420 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $94 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.7 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.