Paul Smiths, NY – 7/2/2019 – Saint Regis Mountain. (Ian MacLellan for Northern Forest Center)

New Forest Future

The Northern Forest

The Northern Forest — 30 million acres stretching across northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York — is so important that Congress formally recognized it as a region in 1988.

It stands out as the largest forested region in the eastern U.S. and, unlike other heavily forested areas of the country, is mostly privately owned. The region is home to 2.3 million people living in nearly 1,000 communities, and its vast natural resources are important on a global scale.

An aerial view of Millinocket, Maine. (Josh Linscott photo)

Main Street in Newport, Vermont.

Why We're a Region

US Forest Service map showing forest cover in the US and location of the densely forested Northern Forest region.

To understand the Northern Forest today, you need to know a bit about its past.

Northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York comprise one of the most densely forested regions in the country, and the region’s economy boomed on timber harvesting and paper making for nearly 200 years.

In the 1980s, though, the pressures of a global economy and rising land values brought two drastic changes. Major corporate landowners and manufacturers left the region, and the land became — for the first time — valued for development.

One famous land sale put the region on the map — literally. In 1988, Diamond International publicly offered almost a million acres of forestland for sale. This reversed the norm of one forest product company quietly selling its land to another and raised concerns about the forest being sold in smaller pieces, fragmenting ownership and management and undermining both its ecological health and economic productivity.

The governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York commissioned a joint study of the potential impact of these changes, and Congress swiftly followed by creating the Northern Forest Lands Council to research the issues and make recommendations to lawmakers.

Today’s Trends: Opportunities & Challenges

Download the Center's topographic map

Download the Center's population change map

Trees, wetlands, and undeveloped land in the forest filter air and water, improving the health of the environment in the Northeast for 80 million people. The rugged landscape of mountains, rivers and lakes provides seemingly endless opportunity for outdoor adventure. The forest stores billions of tons of carbon, and its water resources support resiliency in the face of climate change.

The forest itself provides renewable resources for construction, wood products, heat, food, traditional crafts, and herbal medicine.

When big timber and paper operations began moving out of the region, the people here were left to keep their communities going and to build a new economy grounded in forest stewardship. Populations have shrunk in most communities, and steeper declines among young people have communities looking for ways to reverse those trends.

Population trends in the Northern Forest.

2010 Northern Forest population by municipality.

In the regional economy, timber harvesting and wood product manufacturing continue, complemented now by a growing tourism and outdoor recreation industry.

New products are creating market opportunities for Northern Forest wood, including mass timber to replace concrete and steel in construction, automated wood heat systems that efficiently use wood pellets and chips, and new types of insulation. We are helping to build these new markets through the Future Forest Economy Initiative.

Many things make the Northern Forest a great place to live and visit. Population is less dense than elsewhere in the Northeast, and the region has abundant opportunities for getting outdoors to hike, bike, paddle and appreciate nature. Compared by population to the southern parts of the Northern Forest states, these towns boast higher voter participation, lower crime, more arts organizations and independent business, and more “good air quality” days per capita.

Health and environmental pressures such as the coronavirus pandemic and climate change are making the Northern Forest an even more attractive place to live. We’re developing new approaches to guide rural development and working with communities to help them shape their future and diversify their economies for a strong future.

Explore our work across this great region

Explore our interactive map to see our work by location or by subject. Click on a state below for a deeper dive on projects near you.

Interactive Map

Be part of the New Forest Future

Whether you live here or nearby, love to visit the region, or value all that it offers, you can help build strong communities and a sustainable, resilient economy across the region. Your donation today creates bold possibilities that give rise to vibrant Northern Forest communities.

Maine

Project Highlights

Maine Projects

New Hampshire

Project Highlights

New Hampshire Projects

Vermont

Project Highlights

Vermont Projects

New York

Project Highlights

New York Projects