American Forests, a national nonprofit conservation organization, has entered into a groundbreaking $20 million agreement with the Forest Service to accelerate climate-adapted reforestation across millions of acres of burned and degraded lands in the next five years.
This partnership, fueled by the REPLANT Act, allows American Forests to collaborate with the Forest Service to assess, prioritize, and plan reforestation efforts, fill gaps in climate-resilient restoration planning, and expand nursery production and seed collection capabilities. The REPLANT Act, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, removes funding caps for Forest Service reforestation, unlocking nearly ten times more investment annually.
The partnership aims to address a backlog of at least four million acres of National Forest System land needing reforestation due to recent severe wildfires. Activities include developing region-specific climate-informed reforestation action plans, engaging with tribes, states, and disadvantaged communities, and expanding the forestry workforce. The collaboration aligns with the Forest Service’s National Forest System Reforestation Strategy and Secretary Vilsack’s directive to create climate-resilient forests.
American Forests sees this partnership as a strategic step toward implementing tailored reforestation solutions for each region over the next decade, contributing to the health and resilience of public lands.
