American Forests

American Forests, established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association, has played a crucial role in the development of forest conservation in the United States. The organization was instrumental in advocating for the creation of the U.S. Forest Service and supported the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911, which facilitated the acquisition of forest reserves in the eastern U.S. It also launched the nation’s first conservation periodical and has been a key player in the expansion of national forests across the eastern United States. Collaborating with President Franklin Roosevelt, American Forests helped establish the Civilian Conservation Corps, a significant New Deal program. The organization provided a platform for notable conservationists such as Gifford Pinchot, Aldo Leopold, and Ansel Adams, and pioneered large-scale tree planting initiatives. In recent years, American Forests has advanced urban forestry, utilizing GIS technology to map urban tree canopies and establishing the Vibrant Cities Lab. It has funded over 1,000 forest restoration projects nationwide, planted 65 million trees, and worked to expand urban tree canopies in numerous major cities. Today, American Forests continues to lead in forest conservation, promoting the role of forests in addressing climate change and social inequities.