Forest Legacy 2023 Funded Projects

In FY23, over $188 million in funding was awarded to 34 projects to conserve more than 245,000 acres of environmentally and economically important private forestlands under threat of being converted to other uses. These investments ensure that working forests that are vital to the fabric of local economies remain working forests, and advance the most critical conservation issues facing our nation’s forests, including protecting watersheds, mitigating wildfire risk, conserving habitat for at-risk species and mitigating climate change.

These investments in the nation’s working forests were made possible by the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Inflation Reduction Act, signed in August 2022, provided a historic investment of $700 million over ten years to permanently conserve state and privately-owned forestlands through the Forest Legacy Program. This funding complements the program’s annual appropriations which were permanently reauthorized through the passage of the Great American Outdoors in 2019.

News Release

• USDA Forest Service invests 188M to keep forests working

Funded Proposals by State

ARKANSAS

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(2) Hot Springs Forest Project The Hot Springs Forest Project in Arkansas is protecting the forested mountains that provide recharge for Hot Springs National Park with the fee simple acquisition of 642 acres. The nation’s oldest protected area in the National Park System, Hot Springs National Park is one of the most significant cultural, historic and natural sites in the country and is the single most visited destination in Arkansas. Adjacent to the national park, the privately-owned forested mountains that provide recharge for the hot springs have been threatened by development.	$1,345,000	$1,475,000	649
(1) Maumelle Water Excellence, Phase 2 As part of the Maumelle Water Excellence Project, acquisition of this 2,283-acre property will ensure that future generations of Arkansans have safe, affordable, and reliable drinking water. Lake Maumelle in Central Arkansas is a blue gem boasting some of the nation's best drinking water. The lake's forested headwaters originate in the Ouachita National Forest and serve as the water source to 500,000 people in and around Little Rock. These rich forests of short-leaf pine, oak, and hickory are a critical feature to Central Arkansas Water's climate resilience strategy. Due to significant development pressure, area forests are being sold and subdivided, threatening the scenic landscape and drinking water quality and quantity.		$6,000,000	2,283
(3) White River Headwaters Preserve Project The 775-acre White River Headwaters Preserve Project protects the headwaters of the White River. As part of a forested karst network, the area provides habitat for a host of cave and spring dependent species, including three threatened and endangered species and one candidate mammal species. The White River flows 722 miles through 14 counties in Arkansas and feeds a six-lake levee system that attracts 15 million visitors annually and is worth more than $650 million to local economies. The first reservoir, Beaver Lake, is the drinking water source to the 14th fastest growing metro area in the U.S.		$1,455,000	775

ARIZONA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(4) Cochise Stronghold Woodlands Project The Cochise Stronghold Woodlands conservation easement will conserve 552 acres of biologically diverse Madrean Pine/Oak Woodlands in the Sky Islands region of SE Arizona. The property shares 2 miles of boundary with the Coronado National Forest in the Dragoon Mountains. The project area is an important groundwater recharge site for the Willcox Playa and renowned population of Sandhill Cranes. Circa 1860s, this canyon was refuge and redoubt for Chiricahua Apache Indians and their famed chief Cochise. The property is located within the Tombstone Military Operating Area of the Fort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape (FHSL).	$1,740,000		552
(5) Bull Basin Forest Project The 160-acre Bull Basin Forest Project will protect an important inholding through a conservation easement. The Bull Basin property is located at the edge of the Kendrick Mountain Wilderness Area and surrounded by the Kaibab National Forest, about 20 miles south of Grand Canyon National Park. The property features healthy, improved stands of ponderosa pine with seasonal wetlands that support a wide variety of wildlife. Less than an hour drive from fast-growing Flagstaff, the area is a popular recreation destination for hunting, camping, and hiking.		$1,900,000	160

CALIFORNIA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(7) Trinity Timberlands Project The Trinity Timberlands conservation easement will protect 12,090 acres of private working forestland that share 36 miles of common boundary with the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Six Rivers National Forest, keeping whole one of the largest national forest inholdings in northwest California. The property features 147 stream miles comprising nine tributaries of the federally designated Wild and Scenic South Fork Trinity River which supports federally threatened steelhead and coho salmon, and spring-run Chinook salmon, a recent CA endangered species.	$3,000,000		12,090
(6) Brushy Mountain Phase 3, Eel River Peninsula Project The 13,020-acre Brushy Mountain conservation easement (CE) is part of the 65,288-acre Eel River Peninsula project. The project will conserve three miles of the Eel River, a federally designated Wild and Scenic River with critical habitat for salmonids. The property's mixed conifer forest, oak and chaparral, grasslands, and 50 miles of stream and riparian areas, provide critical habitat and carbon sequestration. Permanent protection of the property will conserve forestlands, encourage sustainable forest management, and support species’ resilience in the face of climate change.		$10,000,000	13,020

COLORADO

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(9) Higher Ground Headwaters Project The 3,327 acre Higher Ground Headwaters conservation easement is the first piece of a nearly 47,000-acre project to protect privately held forestland surrounded by over 3.7M acres of protected federal land within the Gunnison River Basin. 70% of the basin is in federal ownership, and adjacent and nearby federal lands include Gunnison National Forest, the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Wilderness, and the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The 80% forested project area will prevent development in critical wildlife habitat, conserve the health of a critical watershed, support active timber management and establish public access.	$3,000,000		3,327
(8) Silver Mountain Habitat Connections Project The Silver Mountain Habitat Connections will protect 3,961 acres through a conservation easement as part of a larger conservation effort totaling over 11,000 acres. The property faces exurban residential development pressure from Colorado Front Range cities and pandemic migration into rural areas, which would fragment and degrade the large, intact landscape. The area provides notable wildlife habitat, including elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and pronghorn, and potentially the threatened Canada lynx. Directly adjacent to over 7,800 acres of public lands and close to private conservation lands, this project is part of a landscape-scale vision to build regional and statewide connectivity and resilience along the Sangre de Cristo range from the plains to the foothills.		$1,550,000	3,961

CONNECTICUT

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(10) The Last Green Valley Forest Legacy Project The Last Green Valley Forest Legacy Project will protect 821 acres in eastern Connecticut with conservation easement. This project is part of a network of more than 25,000 acres of protected open space and would contribute to the Last Green Valley Heritage Corridor, an area designated by Congress for its significant natural and cultural resources. The project protects forestlands in one of the few remaining lightly developed landscapes between Boston and the D.C. area.		$3,620,000	821

FLORIDA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(11) Wolfe Creek Forest Project Acquisition of three tracts totaling 4,270 acres of the Wolfe Creek Forest represents a unique opportunity to protect large, forested gaps within the world's largest contiguous longleaf forest landscape and preserve watersheds that supply 90% of county residents with drinking water. On adjoining tracts, a proposed conservation easement funded through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program will prevent the area from being converted for uses that are incompatible with the neighboring Naval Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field, supporting its annual $1.4 billion local economic impact.	$9,155,000		4,270

GEORGIA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(12) Suwannee River Headwaters Forest Project The Suwannee River Headwaters Forest conservation easement will conserve 6,000 acres of a 11,250-acre project focused on protecting an iconic riverway in Georgia while also providing public access. The project will protect approximately 14 miles on both sides of the Suwannee River, which will keep the river undammed, allowing anadromous fishes like the federally threatened Gulf sturgeon to travel upstream to spawn. The project will provide a working forest buffer to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, extending wildlife corridor and climate resilient habitat benefits.	$1,860,000		6,000

HAWAII

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(13) Kaneohe Pali Project Fee acquisition of the 948-acre Kaneohe Pali project will protect historically and culturally unique forest that is currently off-limits to the public and will allow managed public access for recreation, traditional cultural uses, education, and agroforestry. Kaneohe Pali is situated in a priority watershed that is vital for the recharge of fresh drinking water and native forest and streams on the site provide critical habitat for 32 federally listed endangered species of plants and animals and contribute to the health of nearshore coastal fisheries.	$1,800,000		948
(14) Maunawili Valley Project The Maunawili Valley project will acquire the 666-acre Maunawili Forest and add it to the State Waimanalo Forest Reserve, linking 62,250 acres of protected lands. Maunawili Forest is a part of a vast network of forests, streams, springs, and wetlands which control flood waters and filter sediment from entering the Kailua Bay ecosystem. The State will partner with community stewards and cultural practitioners to protect important natural, cultural, and recreational resources in Maunawili Valley.	$4,950,000		666

IDAHO

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(15) International Selkirk Loop Conservation Project The International Selkirk Loop Conservation Project, a conservation easement, will restrict development and provide public access to 10,883 acres of highly productive forestland in north Idaho. The project builds upon 350,000 acres of protected forestland and critical wildlife habitat that extends from Idaho's Panhandle to Montana's Glacier National Park. The project's North Block, within the McArthur Lake Wildlife Corridor, protects occupied habitat of grizzly bear and Canada lynx, both federally listed threatened species. Through protection of the South Block, the project ensures ideal testing conditions will continue to exist at the adjacent U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Center on Lake Pend Oreille, enhancing national security efforts.	$7,000,000		10,883
(16) Spirit of Mount Spokane Conservation Project, Phase 1 The Spirit of Mount Spokane effort will protect 18,624 acres of high priority working forestlands while also securing public access to a recreational gem that serves as the backyard playground for Coeur d'Alene, ID and Spokane, WA. The project will eliminate an existing access fee, making the property accessible at no charge while also opening up landlocked state-owned land. Downstream of the project lies the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer which provides drinking water to a majority of Spokane and Kootenai County's 675,000 residents.		$13,000,000	18,624

MASSACHUSETTS

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(17) Nashua Wild & Scenic Rivers and Forests Project The Nashua Wild & Scenic Rivers and Forests Project will permanently conserve 2,098 in the Nashua River watershed through a combination of 14 conservation easements and 6 fee simple land acquisitions. The Nashua River and several of its tributaries are federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. The project area includes state-designated priority habitat and is the largest habitat in the northeast U.S. for Blanding's turtle. The project is within commuting distance of three metropolitan hubs with a combined population of 6.3 million and will benefit environmental justice communities.		$8,615,000	2,098

MAINE

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(18) South Bog Stream & Beaver Mountain Project Through a conservation easement, the South Bog and Beaver Mountain project will conserve 13,830 acres of productive third-party certified forestland which have been part of Maine's forest products industry since the 1800s and contribute to Maine's $8.5 billion forest economy. This project builds on five prior Forest Legacy projects in the region totaling 58,634 acres and directly links conserved lands on the shores of Rangeley Lake to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail Corridor (AT). Over 31 miles of streams provide habitat for brook trout and landlocked salmon and the project provides habitat for federally threatened Canada lynx and two globally rare songbirds.	$3,665,000		13,830

MISSISSIPPI

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(20) Wolf River Forest Conservation Project The Wolf River Forest Conservation initiative will protect and restore large, forested areas along the Wolf River, Mississippi's first state-designated scenic stream. The first phase of the project is a fee simple purchase of 14,072 acres of working lands on both banks of this Gulf tributary. The Mississippi Forestry Commission will acquire this massive SFI-certified tract for Mississippi State University's (MSU) College of Forest Resources as its first Coastal Research and Education Forest. Future income from timber will be reinvested in management, fund coastal forest research and demonstration, and support scholarships for local natural resource students. This tract will link together 2,500 acres of other protected lands on the river in support of President Biden's 30x30 goal.	$7,000,000	$7,180,000	14,072
(19) Pearl River Conservation Corridor Project The Pearl River Conservation Corridor project will expand the 107,344-acre protected riparian buffer along a 96-mile stretch of the Pearl River. Two conservation easements will add 1,211 acres to the matrix of conserved lands, linking the piney wood uplands and endangered wet pine savannas downstream to the Gulf of Mexico. Trails from adjacent public lands will include interpretation of the natural and cultural history of the area and connect it to NASA's Infinity Science Center next door. Preventing conversion to surface mining will reduce sedimentation in the Pearl River which negatively impacts critical habitat for the threatened Gulf Sturgeon, other Gulf fisheries and oysters.	$535,000		1,211

MONTANA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(21) Upper Thompson Connectivity Project This 23,176-acre conservation easement (CE) is the first phase of the Upper Thompson Connectivity Project, a 48,041-acre project which will add vital habitat connectivity for federally-listed threatened species like grizzly bear, Canada lynx, and bull trout and will ensure sustainable timber, maintain wood-product jobs, mitigate future wildfire costs, and provide free public recreation access. The conservation easement provides connectivity across a large landscape by tying directly to an existing 142,000-acre conservation easement funded through the Forest Legacy Program in 2003 and two planned projects: a 114,000-acre Montana Great Outdoors CE and the 100,000-acre Lost Trail Conservation Area proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.	$6,000,000		23,176

OHIO

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(22) Pike Forest Project Pike State Forest is a 12,531-acre state forest in Ohio's Appalachian hill country known for its high biodiversity, cultural sites, and diverse recreation. Through this project, Pike State Forest will acquire 1,275 acres of forestlands. The project is important nationally for recreation and tourism, as it protects trail routes and scenic vistas of two co-located national trails (the North Country National Scenic Trail and American Discovery Trail) as well as Ohio's only statewide hiking trail (the Buckeye Trail). It also expands multi-use recreation areas that provide public hunting, bridle trails, and all-purpose vehicle trails.		$2,870,000	1,275

OREGON

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(24) Minam Conservation & Connectivity Project, Phase 2 The Minam Conservation & Connectivity Project, Phase 2 project will acquire 10,964 acres of working forestland and a corridor along the breathtaking Minam River in Oregon, a nationally designated Wild and Scenic River. Clear running streams through the property support federally threatened Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. The project will conserve scenic viewsheds on over 2.4 million acres of adjacent public lands. This property has been managed as a working forest since the early 1900’s and will continue to generate timber and support jobs in the local area.	$9,294,000	$460,000	10,964
(23) Tualatin Mountain Forest Project Fee simple acquisition of the Tualatin Mountain Forest (3,111 acres) will establish a working research forest owned by Oregon State University. The project can serve as a national model for an actively managed forest that balances the needs of financial productivity, carbon sequestration, healthy watersheds, and diverse plant and wildlife communities. The forest helps mitigate climate change by providing cold water refugia and sequestering carbon at a high rate. By creating public access to 24 miles of trails, the project will benefit both locally under-served residents and the Portland Metropolitan Area's outdoor recreation economy.		$10,245,000	3,111

SOUTH DAKOTA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(26) Big Sioux River Forest The Big Sioux River Forest project is a fee acquisition of the largest forested parcel in Lincoln County. The 215-acre parcel is located at the crossroads of three states, two major interstate highways, and within 30 miles of the fastest growing and largest city in South Dakota. This former Boy Scout camp and its oak-dominated upland forest is part of a green ribbon of biologically rich, scenic, and climate resilient forest hugging the meandering Big Sioux River. The project will connect to adjacent state-managed lands, forming a 1,970-acre continuous block of conserved lands.		$1,490,000	215

SOUTH CAROLINA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(25) Southern Coastal Biodiversity Project As part of the Southern Coastal Biodiversity Project, 5,111 acres will be acquired to protect and restore declining forest communities and their associated rare species, including federal and state listed species. The project area is home to 68 Species of Greatest Conservation Need as defined by the South Carolina State Wildlife Action Plan, and is threatened by conversion to development, intensive agriculture, and sand mining. The acquired forestlands add valuable timber resources, waterfowl impoundments for hunting opportunities, and riverbank fishing to an underserved part of Jasper County, SC.	$3,975,000		5,111

UTAH

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(28) Coldwater Project Phase II of the Coldwater Project (15,623 acres) presents a rare opportunity for landscape-level conservation; it ties together an expanse of national forest system lands, a state wildlife management area, and existing Forest Legacy projects within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Bear River Watershed Conservation Area. The property provides crucial habitat for several state sensitive species, including bald eagle, and includes a major elk migration corridor. The project contributes to the local timber industry and offers public access for recreation and hunting. A conservation easement on this highly visible and developable property will protect key wildlife habitat, sustain local timber jobs and ensure watershed health.		$10,545,000	15,623
(27) Bear River Mountains Connectivity (Goring Forest) Project This project is a unique opportunity to preserve 2,725 acres of highly developable private forest inholdings within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. A conservation easement will protect crucial moose, elk and deer habitat and a critical interstate wildlife corridor. The project supports a watershed-wide conservation strategy and collaborative efforts of state and federal agencies to increase the pace and scale of conservation throughout the tri-state Bear River Watershed. The project is 45 mins from Cache Valley and one hour from the Wasatch Front –one of the fastest growing areas in the country.		$3,935,000	2,725

VIRGIN ISLANDS

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(30) Inner Brass Island Project The acquisition of Inner Brass Park (91 acres) is the first crucial step in protecting the tropical dry forests and marine habitats of the Inner Brass Island project area. Located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Inner Brass Island provides contiguous native forest habitat for many bird species and nesting habitat for federally endangered leatherback turtles, hawksbill turtles, and green turtles in the southwest bay. It is surrounded by a rich coral reef habitat which is home to two federally threatened coral species: elkhorn coral and staghorn coral.		$5,910,000	91

VIRGINIA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(29) Southern Shenandoah Borderlands Project The Southern Shenandoah Borderlands Project will protect four tracts totaling 4,364 acres through a conservation easement, conserving a scenic, undeveloped landscape that millions of passersby each year see as indistinguishable from adjoining National Park land. The project will maintain scenic views and buffer the southern tip of Shenandoah National Park, protecting it from impacts and potential development radiating from Interstate 64.	$7,095,000		4,364

WASHINGTON

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(32) Kittitas Working Forest Project As part of the Kittitas Working Forest Project, 5,870 acres will be acquired to protect the Cabin Creek watershed from development, provide sustainable harvests for the local economy, preserve a critical habitat corridor for wolves and spotted owls, and ensure essential recreation and forest health investments. In an emerging mecca for outdoor living, this forested landscape brims with wildlife, mountain streams and year-round recreation but risks conversion to crowded resort communities due to easy access and proximity to Seattle, 65 miles away.	$5,700,000		5,870
(31) Mt. Adams Forest, Phase 1 The Mt. Adams Forest, Phase 1 project conserves 6,378 acres of forests surrounding the rural community of Trout Lake, WA. The project is located on the central and east slopes of the Cascade Mountains within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The project will support one of Washington's last thriving forestry workforces, supplying1,409 jobs and feeding three local mills that alone support 300 jobs. The conservation easement will also protect drinking water supply for Trout Lake and critical habitat for fish and wildlife while securing public recreation access in support of the area’s $275M recreation economy.		$8,250,000	6,378

WISCONSIN

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(33) Pelican River Forest Project Straddling the Continental Divide between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watersheds, the 56,911-acre Pelican River Forest (PRF) conservation easement will protect the largest remaining unprotected private working forest in Wisconsin. The project bridges a gap between the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, existing conservation easements, and three county forests, creating 944,311 acres of contiguous protected forestland in northern Wisconsin. The project’s 58 miles of rivers and streams protect water quality in both Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River and provides critical habitat to multiple species including the WI endangered American marten and Kirtland's warbler, WI threatened spruce grouse, Connecticut warbler, black bear, and gray wolf.	$11,000,000		56,911

WEST VIRGINIA

PROJECT NUMBER & NAME (number corresponds to project map below)	FY 2023 LWCF	FY 2023 IRA	ACRES
(34) South Fork Lost River Phase 4 This 1,743-acre conservation easement project is West Virginia's first large landscape scale conservation project and is located in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. The Chesapeake Bay is the nation's largest estuary. The project will contribute to land conservation goals outlined in the Chesapeake Bay Agreement and President Biden's America the Beautiful Initiative. Critical headwaters of the Potomac River will also be protected, which supply drinking water to more than 6 million people in the Washington DC Metro area. The project area is facing significant and intense subdivision and development pressure.		$1,500,000	1,743