About the Area
By the Numbers
The National Forests in Alabama are part of the Forest Service’s National Forest System. There are 4 national forests and 6 ranger districts. The forests date back to the early 1900s and
spans over 673,000 acres of public land across 17 counties.
- William B. Bankhead National Forest: 181,988 acres
- Talladega National Forest: 394,960 acres
- Tuskegee National Forest: 11,348 acres (the smallest National Forest in the national forest system)
- Conecuh National Forest: 84,224 acres
2025 Alabama Forest Budget? $20,523,548
Permanent Workforce? 124
Government vehicles maintained? 157
Small business contracts? 28
NEPA decisions? 20
25% state payments? $138,467
Timber receipts? $28,383
Habitat Restoration? $452,903
Fee Demo Receipts? $299,775
Land Use Receipts? $23,383
How much timber volume was sold on the National Forests in Alabama in FY25? 25,948 thousand board feet (MBF) or 47,685 hundred cubic feet (CCF).
How many trees are planted annually? In partnership with National Forest Foundation, the Forest Service planted 356 acres of longleaf pine seedlings equaling 268,471 seedlings.
What is the average timber mortality rate? 1.4% per year, with rates ranging from 0.5% to 3.2% per year across all Forest Service regions.
How many developed recreational sites? 28
How many trails miles are there? 432 miles designated for hiking, equestrian, off-road vehicles, and mountain biking.
How many trail miles are maintained? 283
How many road miles maintained? 524
How many cultural resources surveys completed? 5,878 acres
How many land use permits? 21 with $73,239 collected in land use fees.
How many recreation special use permits? 28 with $15,442 collected in recreation special use fees.
Archaeological sites discovered? 32
Active Red-cockaded woodpecker clusters? 464
Acres rehabilitated with prescribed fire? 78,100
Wildfires burned? 44 for a total of 1,543 acres
Law Enforcement warnings? 43
Law Enforcement incidents? 140
Law Enforcement violations? 80
How many Americans get clean drinking water from national forests? 80 million
How many jobs are related to the production of minerals and energy on National Forest System lands? 37,800 and $7.63 billion to the GDP.
How much coal and gas is produced from National Forest System lands? 43 million tons of coal and 609 million gallons of liquid natural gas managed in 2,844 oil and gas leases.
How many professional wildland firefighters work for the Forest Service? More than 11,000.
What percentage of wildfires are contained during initial attack operations? Forest Service firefighters successfully contain 98% of new fire starts within 24 hours.
What portion of the federal wildland firefighting resources does the Forest Service manage? 70% and nearly all of the federal aviation and logistical support contracts.
How many people visit national forests and grassland? 160 million each year, most Americans living within 2 hours of access.
National Forests Are Working Forests
National forests provide:
- Timber to build, furnish, and heat our homes
- Watershed protection that sustains agriculture and hydropower
- Clean drinking water for millions of Americans
- World-class destinations for recreation and tourism
At the Forest Service, we practice active forest management. This is forest maintenance that keeps forests open, healthy, and productive.
This work includes:
- Mechanical treatments to thin overstocked forests
- Timber sales to deliver wood to market
- Reforestation to grow strong, healthy forests
- Prescribed fires (good fire) to clean the forest floor and mimic natural cycles
Active Forest Management Provides a Stronger Future for America's Forests
More Thinning
- Mechanical thinning is fundamental to reducing fire risks to communities. It removes excess wood, opens access for firefighting, and generates usable timber to support:
- Jobs in rural economies and mills
- Lumber, engineered wood, and other forest products
- U.S. domestic supply chains and forest productivity
More Timber
- Based on our standards, 25% of Forest Service lands are suitable for timber production.
More Planting
- Each year, we strive to plant as many trees as harvested. Wildfires and other natural disturbances also contribute to the need.
Less Wildfire
- Extreme wildfires can cause devastation that affects communities, infrastructure, and natural resources. Our active forest management efforts will restore forest health and reduce wildfire risk.
The National Forests in Alabama include approximately 673,000 acres of National Forest System land in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, Cumberland Plateau and Piedmont, and Coastal Plain areas of the state. There are four national forests divided into six ranger districts across 17 counties.
A portion of the National Forests in Alabama, specifically the Talladega Division, is part of the Southern Appalachian ecosystem. The remainder of the National Forests in Alabama is within the Cumberland Plateau and Coastal Plain eco regions.
The Bankhead National Forest is located in the northwestern part of the state in Lawrence, Winston and Franklin counties. Topography of the Bankhead National Forest is moderate to strongly dissected with broad nearly level and narrow strongly sloping ridges leading into steep gorges with rock bluffs.
Conecuh National Forest is located in the southern part of the state along the Alabama/Florida line in Covington and Escambia counties. Topography of Conecuh National Forest is level to moderately sloping, broad ridges with stream terraces and broad floodplains.
The Talladega National Forest is divided into three Ranger Districts: Oakmulgee District lies in the central part of the state, south of Tuscaloosa County in Hale, Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Perry, Chilton and Dallas counties. The Shoal Creek and Talladega Districts are located in the northeastern part of the state in Cherokee, Calhoun, Cleburne, Coosa, Clay and Talladega counties. The Talladega and Shoal Creek Divisions of Talladega National Forest topography is comprised of upland hills and low mountains with predominantly moderately steep slopes. Oakmulgee Division of Talladega National Forest consists of level to moderately sloping, broad ridges with stream terraces and broad floodplains.
Tuskegee National Forest lies in the east central part of the state west of Auburn, in Macon County. Tuskegee National Forest topography is level to moderately sloping, broad ridges with stream terraces and broad floodplains.
National Forests in Alabama Vision
It is our mission to restore and maintain beautiful, resilient, and productive landscapes, and to connect people to these landscapes through recreational, educational, and economic opportunities.