USDA Forest Service Invests in New Green Mountain East Community Forest in Kitsap County
Contact Information: Press Desk SM.FS.R6pressoffice@usda.gov
PORTLAND, Ore., August 25, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced today that the Great Peninsula Conservancy will receive $600,000 through the Community Forest Program to establish the 359-acre Green Mountain East Community Forest in Kitsap County, Washington.
The new community forest will conserve working timberlands in the Blue Hills of the Kitsap peninsula, just west of Bremerton, while also protecting public access to a beloved regional trail system that draws more than 80,000 visitors each year. Actively managed for sustainable forestry, Green Mountain East will continue to support local jobs and provide timber for nearby mills. At the same time, it will remain a destination for hiking, biking, and outdoor recreation, with sweeping views of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
“The Green Mountain East Community Forest represents the power of partnerships to meet both conservation and community needs,” said Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region. “By conserving these working forests, we’re ensuring they continue to support local jobs, provide timber, and offer generations of Washingtonians a place to hike, explore, and connect with nature.”
Part of a National Commitment
The Green Mountain East Project is one of eight Community Forest Projects funded nationwide this year, through a total investment of $3.1 million by the Forest Service. Together, these projects will conserve more than 2,000 acres of private forestlands that are critical to the economic, ecological, and cultural wellbeing of the communities that depend on them.
The Community Forest Program provides competitive grants to local governments, federally recognized Tribal governments and Alaska Native Corporations, and non-profit organizations to acquire and conserve private forestlands. These lands are managed locally under a community forest plan developed with input from residents, ensuring the forests provide long-term benefits such as recreation, wildlife habitat, sustainable timber, and cultural uses.
“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.
To learn more about the community forest program and view the full list of funded projects, visit the community forest program website.