National Forests: These Lands Are Your Lands

TOP TEN things to know about your national forests

It can be difficult to untangle the laws and rules that guide our public lands, so here is a quick primer. We all own these lands, and we can decide to change the way they are managed.

1. Most public land in the Eastern United States is National Forest land. When you look at a map of the region, most of the green space is national forest land. National forests comprise 8 percent of the total land area of the U.S.. You own these lands; your taxes pay for them.

2. There are three main types of public land in the Eastern United States: national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges. National Forests are the only federal lands managed by the Department of Agriculture, which traditionally has prioritized timber harvests. The three others are managed by the Department of the Interior and have more of an emphasis on conservation and recreation.

3. National Forests are logged more than any other public land—and logging in national forests is increasing. Mining, drilling, and fracked gas pipelines are also allowed on national forest lands. Other public lands like national parks have stronger protections. Commercial logging, mining, drilling, and pipeline construction are prohibited in most national parks.

4. National Forests are mandated to balance five uses: recreation, timber, range, wildlife, and water. The U.S. Forest Service has traditionally focused more on timber than other uses, but an overwhelming majority of forest users visit national forests for recreation, water, and wildlife.

5. Recreation generates far more income than timber harvests in national forests. Recreation in national forests contributes 30 times more income and creates 38 times more jobs than logging. Less than 3% of jobs in rural communities are linked to logging on public land, while 75% of jobs in rural communities come from recreation based on public lands.

6. National forests supply drinking water for over 20% of Americans. Over 66 million Americans get their drinking water from national forests, making national forests the largest municipal supplier of drinking water in the country. Forest soils absorb rain and snow like sponges, act as a natural filter, and replenish underground aquifers. Water flowing from National Forests also supports valuable ecological communities—wetlands, lakes, rivers, and streams.

7. National forest logging is paid for by taxpayers and loses hundreds of billions of dollars annually. The Forest Service sells our national forest timber to private timber companies. It then subsidizes the logging project using taxpayer money to plan the cuts and build the road infrastructure for the private timber companies to use. Our national forests contain eight times as many miles of roads as our interstate system.

8. Commercial logging makes wildfires worse. Logging and the remnant tree debris leaves the forest drier and more flammable in the absence of a forest canopy. Wildfires burn more severely in areas with more recent logging projects. Cutting trees for firebreaks can be an effective emergency firefighting technique, but large-scale logging increases wildfire severity and intensity.

9. The Forest Service has proposed rules to eliminate public comment and scientific review from many of its logging, mining, and pipeline projects. All timber sales less than 4,200 acres would not require any public notice. The proposed rules would cut the public out of public lands. Forest Keeper works to ensure that science and the public voice are not silenced.

10. National forests are far more valuable standing than cut down. Most of the country’s old-growth forests, rare species, scenic vistas, recreational opportunities, and drinking water supplies are found in national forests, generating revenue for local communities and a sustainable future for everyone. National forests also provide a vital source of carbon storage and mitigate the effects of climate change.

    Forest Keeper is not anti-logging. We recognize that targeted logging can sometimes be beneficial in specific circumstances and for the right reasons, especially on private land. However, most national forests need less logging and more protection, now more than ever.