Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska stands ancient and giant. Encompassing 17 million acres that stretch across thousands of islands and cliffs, including rivers surging with salmon, the Tongass is the nation’s largest national forest and the world’s largest remaining temperate rainforest. Its lands provide habitat to hundreds of species, including brown bears, whales, wolves, and bald eagles. And for the people of southeast Alaska, the Tongass provides food, recreation opportunities, and the foundation that keeps cultural richness alive. Read more

Each year an estimated 180 million visitors recreate on national forests and grasslands. In order to serve the needs of these millions of people, the Forest Service manages an existing investment of approximately $4.1 billion in outdoor recreation infrastructure. Recreation is also a key economic driver, representing an estimated 60% of the national forest service’s total contribution to the United States gross domestic product (GDP) — significantly more than logging and other resource extraction activities combined. Read more

Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont. Courtesy ForestWatch.

Feb. 16 was one of the proudest days in my 25 years working for The Wilderness  Society. That was the day we completed and sent to the U.S. Forest Service a 95-page comment letter that represents our best thinking about how our country’s 193 million-acre National Forest System should be managed to meet the challenges and demands of the 21st Century. Read more