Climate Corps interagency MOU will accelerate implementation of needed capacity

American Forests applauds the Biden-Harris administration for its commitment to deliver on nature-based solutions, prioritizing opportunities for America’s youth, and by continuing to embrace whole-of-government approaches, ensuring holistic implementation of the urgently-needed American Climate Corps as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Rebuilding forest resilience in a fire-ravaged landscape

South central Oregon is pioneering a strategy for bolstering forest resilience to wildfire and climate change.

Climate justice tool “Tree Equity Score” launches in United Kingdom to illustrate that trees are not distributed equally

American Forests, Woodland Trust, and The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare today unveiled the U.K. Tree Equity Score, a tool from U.S. conservation nonprofit American Forests intended to bring awareness to inequitable tree cover and the disparities it creates.

American Forests CEO statement on the opening of COP28 in Dubai, UAE

American Forests has come to COP28 to make the case that reforestation in all forms – from urban forestry and agroforestry to restoration of native forests across iconic natural landscapes – must be a central part of this rapid move to scale on all climate solutions.

New interagency partnership to prevent and address wildfire effects

American Forests commends the administration for its approach to wildfire risk reduction and landscape resilience.

Tree Equity is helping to combat extreme heat in Phoenix 

Advancing Tree Equity at a national scale and meeting American Forests’ goals of advancing Tree Equity in at least 100 cities by 2030, forms the basis of our local-to-national program model. Our approach to place-based partnerships, like in Phoenix, flips several existing urban forestry management paradigms on their head.  

Modeling a climate-smart future

American Forests’ efforts to measure the carbon storage potential of forests are informing states’ management practices.

Climate hope comes home for America

A word from our president and chief executive officer

Growing climate solutions from the roots

A word from our president and chief executive officer

Offshoots: Young leaders stand tall for forests and climate

By Jad Daley Youth are leading everywhere on all aspects of climate action. Reina Schild / Shutterstock. WHEN I GRADUATED

Youth Profile: Childhood experience in India inspires high school student to become environmental ambassador

Pisupati is a part of the Pacific Northwest’s premier Model United Nations conference, where she hopes to educate students about

The Understory: What is an urban heat island?

View larger infographic.

Innovation: Innovative financing brings carbon markets to cities

How City Forest Credits offers an innovative way to bring carbon markets to cities.

Innovation: Innovative financing brings carbon markets to cities

TreeFolks’ reforestation staff members sort saplings at a planting event along the Blanco River in Austin, Texas. Credit: Matthew Bradford.

Forest Facts

Here are ten forest facts that explain how trees work their carbon-sequestering magic, both in large landscapes and your neighborhood.

Offshoots: U.S. plants roots in global trillion trees movement

By Jad Daley The U.S. needs healthy and resilient forests more than ever, given that they are the best nature-based

Earthkeepers: Rhode Island Governor, a Tree Equity champion

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo receives American Forests’ inaugural Tree Equity Champion Award for her bold urban forestry strategy.

Earthkeepers: Rhode Island Governor, a Tree Equity champion

Raimondo volunteers at a tree planting event in Woonsocket, R.I. on Arbor Day 2019. Credit: Office of Governor Gina M.

Movement Building: Global coalition strives to put forests at the forefront of climate solutions

How Nature4Climate, a global coalition, helps prioritize forests as an imperative natural solution to climate change.

Movement Building: Global coalition strives to put forests at the forefront of climate solutions

Forests, and other natural solutions, can account for more than one-third of the global reduction in carbon emissions that is

Replanting Paradise

The endeavor to grow forests that can take on the future impacts of climate change

Replanting Paradise

The endeavor to grow forests that can take on the future impacts of climate change By Austin Rempel Wolfy Rougle,

Place-Based Partnerships: American Forests and Intel Commit to King Fire Restoration

American Forests partners with Intel to restore California forests destroyed by wildfire.

Place-Based Partnerships: American Forests and Intel Commit to King Fire Restoration

An intense wildfire ripped through this canyon in California, killing all the trees and leaving behind patches of barren land.

Movement Building: Creating a Movement for Forest-Based Climate Solutions

The Forest-Climate Working Group pushes forests to the forefront of the fight to combat climate change.

Movement Building: Creating a Movement for Forest-Based Climate Solutions

Daley discusses the FCWG Policy Platform with members from both U.S. political parties in March. Credit: American Forests. THIRTEEN YEARS

The Understory: Playing Carbon Defense

See how forest management impacts carbon-storing capabilities.

The Understory: Playing Carbon Defense

Donor Profile: Lex Sant

Learn what drives Lex Sant’s passion for nature-based solutions to climate change.

Donor Profile: Lex Sant

By Jill Schwartz Photo courtesy of Lex Sant. LEX SANT cuts to the chase. “Trees are awesome.” It’s that simple.

Washington Outlook: Lawmakers Warm Up to Natural Solutions to Address Climate Change

Learn how American Forests has worked diligently during this Congress to ensure policymakers understand the important role of forests as a climate solution.

Washington Outlook: Lawmakers Warm Up to Natural Solutions to Address Climate Change

By Kate Michael Credit: S.Borisov. IN THE LAST CONGRESS, lawmakers repeatedly debated whether climate change is real. During this Congress

Offshoots: Finding Our Voice for America’s Forests

By Jad Daley In 2015, when this aerial photo was taken, the Sierra National Forest had nearly 6 million dead

Earthkeepers: Washington State’s Commissioner of Public Lands, a Forest Resilience Champion

How Hilary Franz, American Forests’ inaugural Forest Resilience Champion Award recipient, is helping to lead Washington’s conservation efforts.

Earthkeepers: Washington State’s Commissioner of Public Lands, a Forest Resilience Champion

By Kate Michael Crosscut’s Editor-at-Large Knute Berger (left) walks with Hilary Franz and Larry Leach (right), assistant regional manager of

Washington Outlook: Forests to Help Solve Climate Crisis

Credit: Brittany Dyer. OUR FORESTS are an important part of the solution to our climate crisis. America’s existing forests and

Last Look: Mass Timber Construction

Wood Is Good to Act on Climate All renderings courtesy of Hickock Cole Hickok Cole, a forward-focused design practice with

American Forests in Action on Climate Change

A Natural Alliance

States step up land protection and restoration to fight climate change.

A Natural Alliance

States Step Up Land Protection and Restoration to Fight Climate Change By April Reese Stored within our lands are massive

Reforest America

Learn how climate change is threatening our forests and how American Forests ambitiously plans to reforest those disturbed landscapes across the country.

Reforest America

By Jad Daley and Eric Sprague Credit: Michael Woestehoff. PICK UP A NEWSPAPER OR GO ONLINE, and you are likely

Bittersweet

How climate change is affecting the sugar maples of New England By Sarah Mae Brown Sugar maples help create fall

Urban Forestry Takes on the World. But First, Rhode Island

Discover how the state of Rhode Island is positioning itself as a national leader on how urban forests can help combat climate change.

Urban Forestry Takes on the World. But First, Rhode Island

By Ian Leahy Urban forests comprise 17 percent of the total U.S. carbon sink, or 1.8 percent and rising of

Offshoots: A Burning Question for Our Forests

By Jad Daley Regrowth occurring in a fire-scarred area on the Sierra National Forest following the 2015 Willow Fire. Credit:

Project Showcase: Piloting City Forest Credits in Shoreline

Learn about our first CityForest Carbon+ Credit project in Shoreline, Wash.

Project Showcase: Piloting City Forest Credits in Shoreline

By Ian Leahy Two young volunteers help plant 200 trees at the 3-acre Ballinger Open Space site in Shoreline, Wash.

Donor Profile: The Doris Duke Charitable

How the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation has helped us to strengthen our mutual commitment to address climate change.

Donor Profile: The Doris Duke Charitable

(L to R) American Forests’ president and CEO, Jad Daley, and vice president & chief of staff, general counsel, Rebecca

Washington Outlook: Urging Congress to Protect Our Forests

ON CAPITOL HILL, spring is about more than cherry blossoms. It’s when Congress begins the critical process of budgeting and

Trees on the Move

Discover how, in the wake of our changing climate, tree species are migrating and transforming the forests we care about.

Trees on the Move

As Tree Species Migrate, the Forests We Care about Transform By Miranda Weiss American beech and eastern hemlock have been

Brittany Dyer Named American Forests California State Director

“Our forests are entering a new and more complicated era,” said Daley. “By creating new field staff positions, American Forests

Recap: American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting

The 51st annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting was hosted December 10-14, 2018, in Washington, D.C., where more than

Offshoots: Taking American Forests Back to the Future

By Jad Daley IT IS AWE-INSPIRING to take the helm of America’s first forestry organization that was founded before the

Project Showcase: Managing Our Forests for Soil Carbon

By Dorothy Hastings Tree tubes are used to grow trees on marginal agricultural land, a soil carbon enhancement strategy. Credit: Eric

Eyes in the Sky

How LiDAR maps forests’ role in slowing climate change By Gabriel Popkin A visualization of data from LiDAR (light detection

Resiliency Now

By Eric Sprague; All photos by Eric Sprague American Forests’ planting site at Pilot Creek, which flows into Stumpy Meadows

Global Climate Action Summit – Our Thoughts

Last week, we attended the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco. Amid all the excitement, here are the perspectives

American Forests at the Global Climate Action Summit

From September 12-14, thousands of people from around the U.S. and the world traveled to San Francisco, California, for the

Forest Digest: September 9, 2018

Global Climate Action Summit Set For Sept. 12-14 – SFGATE American Forests will be joining hundreds of other international leaders,

First of 10 Million Trees to be Planted at the Global Climate Action Summit

American Forests Leads the Way In Accepting U.S. Climate Alliance’s New Challenge Version en español American Forests, the nation’s first

Forest Digest: August 26, 2018

Planting a mix of tree species ‘could double’ forest carbon storage – CarbonBrief In addition to creating more efficient carbon

American Forests Is First Nonprofit to Accept U.S. Climate Alliance’s Natural and Working Lands Challenge

Washington, D.C. (August 23, 2018) — American Forests, the nation’s oldest forest conservation organization, is proud to announce that it

Forest Digest: August 5, 2018

Calif.’s climate money is helping feds manage wildfires – E&E News In an attempt to reduce wildfire risks and reduce

Forest Digest: July 22, 2018

Check out what’s happened this past week in forestry news! Cedars of God face threat from climate change – Mother Nature

States Surge Ahead On Plans to Slow Climate Change With Land

American Forests hosts unprecedented collaborative action on the part of government and concerned experts   Washington, DC. (July 16, 2018) — Last week, 16 U.S. Climate Alliance

Forest Digest: July 15, 2018

Check out what’s happened this past week in forestry news! In the Heat of the Moment, Let’s Commit to Urban

Forest Digest: June 10, 2018

Check out what’s happened this past week in forestry news!  Seeing the Forests for the Carbon: Panel Looks for Opportunities

Why I’m Here: Writing to Make a Difference

By Dorothy Hastings, American Forests From a young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of spending time outside

Forest Digest: June 3, 2018

Check out what’s happened this past week in forestry news!  The US is losing 36 million urban trees a year – Treehugger  

American Forests Announces New Partnership with U.S. Climate Alliance

Washington, D.C. (June 1, 2018) — As the U.S. Climate Alliance celebrates its first anniversary today, June 1, American Forests

Restoring Miami’s Tree Canopy with Bank of America

By Emily Barber, Marketing Manager Planting 1 million trees sounds like an ambitious goal, but for Million Trees Miami, it’s

Forest Digest: May 6, 2018

Check out what’s happened this past week in forestry news! Urban Tiny Forests Are Good for Biodiversity – Science and

Forest Digest: April 29, 2018

Credit: Scott Davenport Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! If Congress Doesn’t Act, Environmentalists Worry Conservation Fund

Forest Digest: April 22, 2018

Credit: Jeff D. Muth Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Novelist Richard Powers Finds New Stories Deep

Forest Digest: April 8, 2018

Credit: E. Hermanowicz/EUFORGEN Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Rare coastal martens under high risk of extinction

Forest Digest: April 1, 2018

Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Draining peatlands gives global rise to greenhouse

Forest Digest: March 25, 2018

Credit: via meteoweb.eu Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Plant urban trees and forests for happier and

Science Advisory Board Q&A: Chris Swanston

By Andrew Bell, American Forests ASCC Project Investigators Chris Swanston, Brian Palik and Linda Nagel. Credit: Stephen Handler/U.S. Forest Service

Forest Digest: February 25, 2018

Credit: Dave Armstrong via earthtimes.org Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Tropical trees use unique method to

Forest Digest: February 18, 2018

Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Peru Moves to Protect ‘One of the Last Great Intact Forests’

Forest Digest: February 11, 2018

Credit: David Cree Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Scientists: Long-Buried Ice Age Forest Offers Climate Change

Offshoots: We Need to Talk About Climate Change

By Scott Steen America’s forests and forest products absorb and store an estimated 14 percent of the carbon we emit

Forest Digest: February 4, 2018

Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! New research explains how native trees sweat out heat waves –

Forest Digest: January 28, 2018

Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Credit: Francis Mariani Meet The Amateur Scientist Who Discovered Climate Change

Forest Digest: January 21, 2018

Check out what’s happened this week in forestry news! Credit: Francois Kehas-Dewaghe/Los Padres ForestWatch Peru’s Newest National Park Safeguards 2

Forest Digest: January 14, 2018

Gulf Hagas, Maine Credit: Lee Coursey Find out what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! Forest Society

Forest Digest: January 7, 2018

See what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! Does wildfire create home sweet home for bees? –

Forest Digest: December 17, 2017

Credit: Jón Helgi Jónsson Find out what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! Why Wildfires Have Gotten

An Eco-Friendly Christmas

By Dylan Stuntz, American Forests With the holiday season in full swing, many people are engaging in the annual tradition

Forest Digest: December 3, 2017

Credit: Adam Roades Find out what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! On Florida Coasts, Ghost Forests

Forest Digest: November 26, 2017

Find out what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! As Wildfires Raged, the Forest Service was Capturing

Forest Digest: November 12, 2017

Credit: Darwin Pucha Cofrep Find out what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! Geologists Uncover Antarctica’s Fossil

Forest Digest: October 29, 2017

Credit: Ervins Strauhamanis Find out what’s happened this past week in the world of forestry! Regreening the Planet Could Cut

Timberline

By Ian Vorster Kearsarge Pinnacles & lake from Kearsarge Pass. Credit: Ian Vorster. A LITTLE POCKET MEADOW AT the apex

Forest Digest: Week of October 2, 2017

Credit: Lip Kee, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 Find out the latest in forest news! In a Body Farm for

Restoring Critical Habitat in São Paulo

Atlantic rainforest in Brazil. Credit: Maria Ogrzewalska By Melanie Friedel, American Forests This is part of an 11-blog series on

Forest Digest: Week of July 31, 2017

Read the latest in forest news and updates from American Forests staff and programs in this week’s Forest Digest! Forest

Forest Digest — Week of July 17, 2017

Read the latest in forest news and updates from American Forests staff and programs in this week’s Forest Digest! Forest

Life Finds A Way

By Doyle Irvin, American Forests Credit: Kamil Porembinski There have been five major extinction events since the dawn of our

Forest Digest — Week of June 19, 2017

Credit: Kyle Burton / Wikimedia Commons Forest News Scientists fear new EU rules may ‘hide’ forest carbon loss – BBC

How a Single Tree Can Tell Us a Lot about Climate Change

By Allie Wisniewski, American Forests Professor Lynda Mapes spent a year observing how a single tree reacted to seasonal changes.

Losing Ground

By Jared Lloyd An aerial view over Shackleford Banks looking east toward Cape Lookout Bight and the lighthouse.   Live

What’s Hot Right Now? 5 Ways to Get Involved in Climate Activism

By Melanie Friedel, American Forests There’s no such thing as “too smart,” and when it comes to the environment and

American Forests’ Response to Paris Agreement Withdrawal

On June 1, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. A landmark international effort, the agreement was adopted

Forest Digest — Week of May 29, 2017

Find out the latest in forest news in this week’s Forest Digest! An emerald ash borer. Credit: U.S. Department of

Forest Digest — Week of May 15, 2017

Find out the latest in forest news in this week’s Forest Digest! Credit: potaufeu/Flickr American Trees Are Moving West, and

Our Action Center Will Help Your Voice Be Heard

By Austin Bosworth, American Forests With Earth Day just a few days away, you might be wondering how you can

Old Photos Reveal New Changes

By Lindsay Seventko, American Forests Sometimes, it’s hard to appreciate where you are without recognizing where you’ve come from. Through

Forest Migration in the Face of Climate Change

By Lindsay Seventko, American Forests Forests have been migrating and evolving throughout planet earth’s history. For example, up until 4,000 years

Crown of the Continent: An Ecosystem in Peril, Thanks to Humans

By Eric Sprague, American Forests Summit Lake. Credit: Michael Lehenbauer via Flickr. As I reached Summit Lake, it was hard

Winter Snow, Your Water and Trees: It’s More Complicated Than You Think

By Doyle Irvin, American Forests Credit: Chuck Fazio, our Artist-in-Residence. There is an intimate relationship between wintry forests and the

Creating Urban Forests in the Deserts of the Southwestern U.S.

By Joe Duckworth, American Forests Tempe, Ariz. Credit: Sarina via Flickr. When most people think of forests, they probably think

There’s a Reason the Grinch Is Green

By Doyle Irvin, American Forests Credit: Mallory Dash via Flickr. When the holiday season rolls around, it is easy to

Appalachian Red Spruce under Arrest

By Justin Hynicka, Manager of Forest Conservation, American Forests A 2-year-old red spruce sapling from American Forests’ 2014 Lambert Run

The Heaviest Organism on the Planet

By Doyle Irvin, American Forests Believe it or not, the aspens on both sides of this road are all one

Remembering Fallen Champion Trees

By Joe Duckworth, American Forests Fallen Champion Pacific madrone. We all love big trees. We love them so much at

Ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement: What It Means and Why Millennials Should Care

By Jessie Goodkind, American Forests Climate change is a hot topic these days. The world saw the warmest August on

Hurricanes and Forests: Impacts over the Past Two Decades

By Jack Thuon, American Forests Trees uprooted in Savannah, GA in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Credit: Daniel Bonnell. Hurricane

Getting Serious about Soil Part 3: Water to Wasteland

By Lindsay Seventko, American Forests This is part three of a three-part series exploring the importance of nutrient-rich and stable

Getting Serious about Soil Part 2: Involving the Next Generation

By Julia L. Stevens, Ph.D. This is part two of a three-part series exploring the importance of nutrient-rich and stable

Getting Serious about Soil Part 1: An Introduction to the Importance of Our Soil

By Lea Sloan, American Forests This is part one of a three-part series exploring the importance of nutrient-rich and stable

Offsetting Your Carbon Footprint from Electricity and Gas Consumption

The following guest blog post was written and provided by our partners SFE Energy. Do you know you can offset

The Important Relationship between Forests and Air

By Shandra Furtado, Communications Intern Not only do trees produce oxygen, but they also improve air quality in some unexpected ways.

Earth Month 2016: The Elements of Forests

By Austa Somvichian-Clausen, Communications Intern Credit: Chuck Fazio, our artist-in-Residence. There are four elements believed by many cultures to be

“May the Forest Be with You” (And Why It Matters)

By Julie Yamamoto, Content Marketing Lead, PMP Communications, IBM Center for Applied Insights The t-shirt Julie received as a gift

What Role Do Forests Play in the Campaign Issues of Leading Presidential Candidates?

By Keelin Arseneault, Policy Intern Credit: Chuck Fazio, Artist-in-Residence. Following the recent Iowa Caucus and with the presidential election drawing

Go Green: 2016 Green New Year’s Resolutions

As 2016 kicks it into gear, many are setting resolutions for the new year — to be healthier, to spend

Forest Digest – Week of December 14, 2015

Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! Credit: Chuck Fazio We’ll Always Have Paris: Climate

New COP21 Climate Agreement Provides Progress, Values Role of Forests

By Etienne Laffargue, Policy Intern Credit: Chuck Fazio “This is truly a historic moment,” said ban-Ki-moon regarding last Saturday, when

Forest Digest – Week of December 7, 2015

Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! One Heart One Tree. Credit: We are Social

COP21: Where Forests Fit in at the Paris Climate Talks

By Andrew Bell, Policy Intern Before the sun even had its chance to rise on Monday morning, November 30, 2015,

Forest Digest – Week of November 30, 2015

Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! Forests in spotlight at Paris climate talks —

Forest Digest – Week of November 23, 2015

Credit: Wikimedia Commons Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! How a Forest Responds to

10 Reasons to Be Thankful for Forests

As we take time during the holiday season to focus on the things we are most thankful for, we think

Forest Digest – Week of November 9, 2015

A forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, near Point-Noire Diosso. Credit: jbdodane via Flickr. Find out the latest in

Forest Digest – Week of October 26, 2015

Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! Sumatran orangutan. Credit: Schristia/Flickr. Indonesia’s forest fires threaten

Forest Digest – Week of October 12, 2015

Mangroves. Credit: Senorhorst Jahnsen (rabanito)/Flickr. Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! Why Restoring Nature

Forest Digest – Week of October 5, 2015

Edward O. Wilson. Credit: Jim Harrison. Find out the latest in forestry news in this week’s Forest Digest! In the

Forest Digest – Week of September 28, 2015

While urban forests provide a variety of social, economic and health benefits, the distribution is substantially skewed both racially and

Forest Digest – Week of August 24, 2015

Boreal forest at Indian Point on Taku River. Photo credit: Taku River Tlingit First Nation Find out the latest in

How Wildfires Are Burning through the U.S. Forest Service Budget

By David May, Communications Intern A report released by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) earlier this month has revealed a

SFE Energy to Plant More Than 12,000 trees on Behalf of Customers

New York, New York, July 30, 2015 – SFE Energy, Inc. (“SFE”) offers affordable and effective carbon offset programs to

Forest Digest – Week of July 20, 2015

Portland street trees. Credit: City of Portland, Oregon Bureau of Environmental Services Keeping a pulse on forest news around the

Forest Digest – Week of July 13, 2015

Stay in the know on our changing world with this week’s Forest Digest: Peter Defazio is one of the few

Forest Digest – Week of July 6, 2015

Another week full of research and legislation, it’s your forest digest! American Forests has been fostering good health with our

The Mountain Pine Beetle’s March across Canada

David May, Communications Intern Part 1 of the 3-part series Insects and Our Forests. Read part 2 here and part 3 here. Since

Forest Digest — Week of June 8, 2015

It’s been a big week for forests both at home and abroad. Stay up-to-date with the latest Forest Digest! Forests Win

Forest Digest — Week of June 1, 2015

It’s June’s first Forest Digest and we’ve got quite the line-up! How Europe’s climate policies led to more U.S. trees

SFE Energy introduces the Earth Save Programs

Philadelphia, PA, March 29, 2015 – SFE Energy is proud to announce the launch of the SFE Energy Earth Save

GR 25: Fishlake National Forest, Utah, in 2011

Walking through Pando toward Fish Lake at Fishlake National Forest in Utah. Credit: Robert Young As we journey further back

TakePart to combat climate change

By Sydney Mucha, Communications Intern Two weeks ago, the Senate voted on the issue of climate change, determining that “it is real

Forests are a vital part of the climate solution

Last week, the New York Times ran an op-ed by Dr. Nadine Unger. Provocatively titled “To Save the Planet, Don’t

Cloudy, with a chance of climate change: U.N. panel releases grim report

By Alexandra Bower The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recently reported on the risks of climate

Celebrating the UN’s International Day of Forests

By John-Miguel Dalbey Today is the second annual United Nations International Day of Forests. First observed as an international day

Fewer Beetles May Not Mean Fewer Concerns

These brown trees in Rocky Mountain National Park are casualties of the mountain pine beetle epidemic. Credit: F Delventhal/Flickr Once

Keeping Wildlife and People SAFE

By Alexandra Bower An elk takes shelter from the blistering heat in the shade at Yellowstone National Park. Credit: shandysnaps/Flickr

Climate Change and Crime

By John-Miguel Dalbey While the famed rule of thumb in statistics is that “correlation does not imply causation,” a recent

A Stitch in Time

Flooding in Iowa City. Credit: Daniel McDermott Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? That saying resonates

Reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect

By John-Miguel Dalbey Green Roof in Ontario – Photo Credit sookie/Flickr The urban heat island effect, in which darkly colored

Water Availability

By John-Miguel Dalbey A dry riverbed in California The recent drought sweeping the nation’s west has many experts questioning where

Root Rot

By John-Miguel Dalbey Stands of Douglas-fir, commonly referred to as “Christmas trees,” across the Pacific Northwest have been fighting off

Southbound Snowies

I had been reading a lot this winter about the irruption of snowy owls, then, about a month ago, I

California Wildfires and BLM Budget Cuts

By John-Miguel Dalbey In California, wildfires and forest fires are a yearly occurrence. Already, the warm, dry Santa Ana winds

Respect for Elders

Large, old tree. Credit: Guyon Morée Our elders offer a lot to society that younger generations may not as readily

A Beetle’s Northward March

By Lisa Swann Southern pine beetle damage. Credit: Ronald F. Billings, Texas Forest Service, Bugwood.org You have no doubt heard

Moose in the Mire: Part II

Yesterday I wrote about the alarming decline of moose populations in the Northeast, especially in Vermont and New Hampshire. There,

Moose in the Mire: Part I

The fur loss on this young moose on Mount Washington in New Hampshire could be a result of his efforts

Good News for the Bay

Chesapeake Bay. Credit: Forsaken Fotos/Flickr In the 23 years since amendments to the Clean Air Act imposed regulations on emissions

Trout in Trouble

By Marcelene Sutter Fishing is a fond memory for many of us, whether you spent childhood summers fishing with friends,

Bleak Bear Behavior

Polar bear. Credit: Gerard Van der Leun Images like this one have come to represent the consequences of climate change.

Short-term Thinking for Long Term Solutions

By Marcelene Sutter Hurricane Sandy flooding on Avenue C at East 6th Street in New York City, one example of

National Parks in a World of Change

By Lizzie Wasilewska Alpine flowers on the slopes of Mount Rainier. Credit: Alan Vernon On its website, the National Park

Tiny Beetles, Huge Consequences

Whitebark pine cone. Credit: Bryant Olsen A group of researchers from 12 universities has recently published a paper that takes

Forest Emergence Feeds Climate Concerns

By Marcelene Sutter Hidden for centuries underneath a 5-foot-high layer of gravel and the 37-square-mile glacier that sits on top

Self-healing for Forests

By Lizzie Wasilewska Lush forest. Credit: Sam Agnew Forest recovery is an incredibly complex and frequently unpredictable process. It often

Helping Forests Face Climate Change

By Lizzie Wasilewska Credit: Jaakko Paarvala In its new guide, Climate Change Guidelines for Forest Managers, the Food and Agriculture

Creating SAFE Noise

By Michelle Werts Today, American Forests is on the Hill — Capitol Hill that is — co-hosting a briefing and

Tree Frogs’ Descent

Tree frog at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore. Credit: Nir Sinay When I was little, one of my favorite

Aspen in a Changing World

The adaptable aspen lives across the globe, from snowy high-elevation forests to dry deserts. But can this circumglobal super species

Making Sense of the Weather of 2012

Flooding in Morris Canal Park in Jersey City caused by Hurricane Sandy storm surges. Credit: Augie Ray New research published

California Dreamin’ of Clean Air

The Pasadena Freeway heading toward Los Angeles. Ground transportation was found to account for 53,000 early deaths each year. California

Big Trees for Big Owls

Last week, we posted an interview with American Forests Science Advisory Board member Dr. Jerry Franklin about the importance of

Giant Growth Spurt

Redwoods. Credit: proper dave/Flickr This week, there’s new insight into some of America’s favorite trees. On Wednesday, a group of

Keeping Up With Climate Change

Iberian lynx. Credit: James Gordon Wildlife will have to evolve 10,000 times faster to keep up with climate change finds

A Burning Alaska

Cloudy Alaskan wilderness Credit: Daniel Hoherd Since it seems the media only highlights the forest fires that take place in

Defenders of the Coasts

There is a silent army out there protecting our coasts from invasion — a second Coast Guard, if you will.

Hot and Cold

Red maple. Credit: geneva_wirth/Flickr Back in the Winter 2013 issue of American Forests magazine, we visited Harvard Forest in Petersham,

Action Against Climate Change

By Michelle Werts President Obama revealing his Climate Change Plan at Georgetown University. This week has been rather historic in

Urban Forests & Carbon Markets

By Dr. E. Gregory McPherson, American Forests Science Advisory Board Member with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station

A Carbon Market Primer

Editor’s Note: Last June, American Forests’ Urban Forests Program director, Melinda Housholder, wrote a blog post detailing the tricky web

Fire Season Off to Hot Start

On the West Coast, the forest fire season has started early this year due to a dry winter and spring.

The Climate Dream Team

Tomorrow is a day internationally dedicated to celebrating one of the most important ecosystems on our planet. And for once,

Shifting Thinking, Shifting Forests

It’s been a discouraging few weeks for climate change in the news. First, we learned that atmospheric levels of CO2

The Energy Savings of Trees

By Michelle Werts Last week, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced a new act to Congress: The Residential Energy and Economic

Where No Tree Has Gone Before

By Tacy Lambiase More intense wildfires, drought and drier soil — these are just some of the negative consequences of

Hummingbirds’ Early Arrival

By Tacy Lambiase Last month, we discussed the possibility that certain tree species may start budding earlier in the springtime

Roses: Sour Instead of Sweet?

By Michelle Werts Roses. Credit: Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr For years, we’ve been told that nothing says “I love you” quite like

State of the Climate

President Barack Obama delivers the State of the Union address on Feb. 12, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck

Cooking for Human and Forest Health

By Tacy Lambiase In developing nations, personal health and well-being are not just dependent on what you cook to eat

Budding Out of Season

By Michelle Werts The old adage that April showers bring May flowers may be in danger. New research estimates that

Lone Wolverine

Last week, my attention was grabbed by a species, the grizzly bear, that has been going through a promising recovery,

A Changing Climate

By Michelle Werts President Obama during his second inaugural address, January 21, 2013. Credit: WhiteHouse.gov Two weeks before President Obama

An Ivy League Forest

You can’t really see the forest without looking closely at the trees. By Kathiann M. Kowalski Harvard Pond located in

Beat the Heat

By Michelle Werts This week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that 2012 was the warmest and second

Fire on the Horizon

By Michelle Werts Earlier this month at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, scientists presented new projections about

Global Ambition

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP18) wrapped up last week in Doha, Qatar. Here’s a recap of what happened.

Stressing Out About Drought

Forests are workaholics. They do a lot for us. They sequester carbon, mitigating climate change, buffer the flow of nasty

Heating Up

By Michelle Werts Grenoble, France. Credit: Richard Stowey/Flickr I’m dreaming of a white Christmas … and I may have to

Trade-offs of Energy Independence

This month, as columnists and pundits alike reflect on the meaning of the recent election and environmentalists consider what legislative

A Future of Flooding

Last week’s Hurricane Sandy packed a devastating punch, exposing many areas’ vulnerabilities to storm surge and sea level rise along

Strengthening Reforestation in Cuyamaca

By Gerry Gray, Ph.D., Senior Vice President Loose Leaf welcomes American Forests Senior Vice President Gerry Grey to our writing

Recovering From Disaster

After natural catastrophes, forests and communities heal together. By Carrie Madren Mount St. Helens in 2011. Credit: Ewen and Donabel/Flickr

Listening to the Numbers

With last week’s release of the fall update to the National Register of Big Trees, there has been a lot

Bitter Tidings for Sweets

Sugaring. Credit: Rachael Traub/Flickr Growing up in Vermont, where one in four trees is a sugar maple, March meant that

Going Up In FLAMEs

Credit: The National Guard/ Flickr The western U.S. is experiencing one of the worst wildfire seasons on record with blazes

Carbon-rich Coastlines

By Michelle Werts Grey mangroves. Credit: Brisbane City Council/Flickr At American Forests, we’ve long recognized the importance of mangrove forests

Palms From the Past

Imagine taking tropical vacations to Antarctica. While that might seem like a stretch, new studies reveal that around 52 million

Where’s the Water?

The U.S. Forest Service estimates that the world’s forests sequester 2-2.8 billion metric tons of carbon annually. A new study

On Time Departures

By Michelle Werts I am fascinated by annual migrations. I find it remarkable that so many creatures around the world

The Oaks Are Moving Up

Old oaks in Gladstone Park, California. Credit: Penman2/Flickr In a study published in 2011, researchers found that more than half

Science Versus Perception

By Michelle Werts The shelf cloud on the leading edge of June 29th’s derecho in LaPorte, Indiana. Credit: Kevin Gould/NOAA

Where Not To Find Forests

By Katrina Marland Deforestation is a common topic here on Loose Leaf. There are just so many things that can

Rio+Forests

The Tijuca Forest in Rio de Janeiro. Credit: Quiltsalad/Flickr Rio de Janeiro is home to the largest urban forests in

Climate Change Plays Dirty

By Katrina Marland Soil on the forest floor (Photo credit: Ari Moore) Back in February, I wrote about how there

A Balancing Act

Talladega National Forest. Credit: USDAgov/Flickr Talladega National Forest in Alabama is a prime destination for recreational hikers and wildlife watchers. It

Trees Can’t Swim

By Michelle Werts Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a place I’ve always associated with vacation cottages and well-to-do New Englanders. Little did

Mercury in the Woods

By Sheila Pell Coal power plant (Photo credit: USGS) For years, scientists who study mercury have traced its path through

North American Forests in the Age of Nature

By Whit Bronaugh Mixed forest (Photo credit: Whit Bronaugh) From out of the north, it came. Inanimate, inexorable and indifferent:

An Old-Growth Fortress

By Katrina Marland This marks our first blog post in the month of April, a time known around here (and

Birds on the Move

By Katrina Marland Black vulture (Credit: Mauricholas) Every year around the holidays, the Audubon Society organizes the annual Christmas Bird

Saving Green With a Button?

By Michelle Werts New York City. Credit: Leila Carioca/Flickr Raise your hand if you’d love to reduce your carbon footprint,

Signs of Spring

By Michelle Werts Cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. Credit: American Forests Tomorrow’s Spring Equinox officially marks the beginning of a

Lions and Lambs

By Michelle Werts Credit: ttarasiuk/Flickr According to the old English proverb, “March comes in like a lion and goes out

Going in Circles

By Michelle Werts A lodgepole pine displaying pitch tubes, where mountain pine beetles begin their tunneling. Credit: Steven Katovich, USDA

Mangroves in the Mist

Coastal mangrove forests need conservation, and fast By Carrie Madren Straddling both land and sea, mangrove forests are biologically rich

Regrowing a Forest

After the worst fire season on record, groundbreaking restoration projects work to help Cuyamaca Rancho State Park flourish once again.

Bargain in the Bayou

Credit: USFWS Headquarters/Flickr It can be hard to turn down a two-for-one deal. But this kind of bargain isn’t just

A Deadly Mercury Cocktail

By Michelle Werts For years now, there have been studies and concerns about mercury levels in our oceans and bodies

Let It Snow!

By Katrina Marland When I learned I would be moving to Colorado, I went out and bought some warmer winter

Storms Are A-Brewing

By Michelle Werts It’s fitting that in a week when climate change talks were heating up and concluding in Durban,

Success Is Sweet for Rural Communities

Credit: barry.pousman/flickr I love Vermont and maple syrup. None of that fake sugary “pancake syrup” for me. I grew up

Between a Rock and a Rising Ocean

By Katrina Marland Credit: Flickr/uscgpress On an island in Alaska’s Northwest Arctic Borough is a town called Kivalina. It’s a

Changing Climate, Shifting Forests

Predicting a future for America’s ForestsBy Cristina Santiestevan The iconic sugar maple could decline by more than 50 percent in

Weathering A Perfect Plague

How the west is coping with the most severe disaster to hit our forests this century.By Gary Lantz Devastation from

Climate Change Is in the Air

Credit: ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images Up until now, I’ve only talked about environmental policy within the U.S. But there’s a lot

The Not-So-Arctic Tundra

By Katrina Marland The Svalbard Tundra (Credit: Flickr/Billy Lindblom) If I say the words “Arctic tundra,” what comes to mind?

Fires Beware: The Oceans Have Your Number

By Michelle Werts Wildfires can be devastating. For people. For businesses. For the environment. And what’s worse is their unpredictable

Call of the Wild – Protecting Alaska’s Wilderness

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: reurinkjan/Flickr I don’t know much about Alaska other than what I’ve learned in school

Where Did the Sun Go?

By Michelle Werts I don’t get daylight saving time (DST). For 18 blissful years, my clocks never had to be

The Not-So-Friendly Skies

By Katrina Marland Credit: Herry Lawford There’s a bit of a power struggle going on in Europe. Well, not in

Move Faster, Forests!

By Michelle Werts Credit: DaniBelle2906/Flickr Migration. For me, this word evokes an image of that magnificent flying “v” that birds (and

Pipe Dreams

Credit: tarsandsaction American energy independence continues to be a hot political topic as the 2012 presidential debates heat up and

Chocolate: Trick or Treat?

By Katrina Marland Credit: John Loo Trick or treat? Well today, it’s a little of both. Since it’s Halloween, I

The Eco-Friendly Industry

By Katrina Marland Credit: Flickr/epSos.de Last week, Newsweek released its green rankings for 2011, identifying the world’s top 500 eco-friendly

Saving Energy

By Michelle Werts Oh the irony of writing a blog post about energy conservation in buildings while sweltering in my

Natural Gas vs. Penn Forests

As the natural gas industry finds more and more resources in our nation’s forests, difficult choices between economy and environment