A Natural Treasure
Northern Forest
The Northern Forest sprawls over the northeast United States, from the Adirondack Mountains in New York all the way up to the northern woods of Maine.
In the Northern Forest, you’ll find world-class recreation set amongst deep woods and bird-filled wetlands. But these lands are at risk. The Wilderness Society is working to protect the Northern Forest from threats like climate change and development.
Why the Northern Forest
The Northern Forest is a land where sugar maples thrive, moose and lynx roam, spruce-fir forests teem with migratory songbirds and humans continue to enjoy age-old connections to the land. Generations of local communities have enjoyed the economic, recreational and health benefits the Northern Forest provides. At Wilderness, we're working to keep it that way.
Stories from the Northern Forest
The Northern Forest is home to thousands of people that care about wild places, and millions more that visit each year. Here are some of their stories.
Experience the Northern Forest
With forests crawling with deer, moose, black bear and other wildlife, the Northern Forest is a wildlife watcher’s dream come true. Throw in world class hiking, camping and fishing and you’ve got one of the most popular wild places in America.
Focus areas
The Northern Forest stretches from the tip of northern Maine to the Adirondacks in New York. Within the heart of the Northern Forest landscape we work to protect several sensitive wildlands.
Other campaigns
In addition to our focus areas, we also work to protect other areas of New England, as well as identify ways for our wild places to cope with climate change.
Help protect the Northern Forest
We work with numerous partners to build political and public awareness of the Northern Forest. Help us continue to protect this special area for future generations.
Notes from the Field
Learn more about issues affecting the places we work to protect with our Notes from the Field.
Take Action
Add your voice to important wilderness causes and take action to stop threats to our wildlands by joining our community of wilderness activists.
Policy and Science Library
Find fact sheets, reports and other resources related to wilderness policy and conservation.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013Despite decades of Americans saying “no” to oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska’s governor has proposed a plan that includes seismic testing and exploratory drilling in the very heart of the refuge – the coastal plain.
Monday, May 20, 2013The Forest Service proposed a ban last year on horizontal drilling, also known as fracking. Their decision will determine how this forest is managed for at least the next decade.
Monday, May 20, 2013National Trails Day on Saturday June 1st provides numerous opportunities to hike, run, and horseback ride on a trail near you.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013Yet, here we are, with people and the government unable to stop furloughs, job losses, and lower revenue to keep the government functioning. Our public lands have certainly not been spared from this indiscriminate budget ax.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013But Alaska’s Sen. Lisa Murkowski refused to accept that decision. She and residents of the tiny community of King Cove are fighting to have the decision overturned.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013Birdwatchers travel from far and wide to northwest Colorado to see male sage-grouse strut their stuff in hopes of attracting a mate. Early spring is prime season to catch these timid grouse dancing on the lek and shaking their tail feathers through organized tours.
Smart Steps to Establish a Responsible Program for Renewable Energy on Public Lands
Since its first day in office, the Obama Administration has made rapid and responsible expansion of renewable energy a top priority. The public lands have played a major role in achieving early goals, but only because of focused effort to correct decades of inattention and inactivity toward developing renewable energy as a major component of the nation’s energy mix.
Expanding energy development to meet the growing needs of America must be balanced with protecting vital wild places.
The Wilderness Society has launched a new quarterly report "By The Numbers" to track how many acres of American land have been protected by Congress and the Executive branch, and how many acres have been leased out to energy development.
April 24, 2013
Dear Senator:
Monday, May 20, 2013Identifying smart steps the Obama Administration, including the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Land Management, can take to continue building a responsible program for renewable energy are part of a “blueprint for action” released by The Wilderness Society today.
Monday, May 20, 2013Gov. Sean Parnell’s plan to ask the Alaska Legislature for $50 million to look for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is incompatible with the reasons the refuge was established, and would cause significant harm to a vital and irreplaceable American landscape.
Friday, May 17, 2013A draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area and Dominguez Canyon Wilderness near Grand Junction, CO would improve land management efforts and provide a sustainable path for the area over the next 20 years.