Leveraging deep expertise and long-term partnerships, American Forests successfully navigated an evolving political landscape in 2025 — reaffirming that forests and trees remain a uniquely bipartisan priority in Washington, D.C. At a moment of heightened scrutiny for federal programs and conservation investments, we focused on steady leadership, coalition building and practical solutions that advance forest health across all landscapes.
A cornerstone of this work was the 9th American Forest Congress, which convened nearly 500 forestry professionals, policymakers, Tribal leaders, researchers and partners from across — and beyond — the sector. Together, participants co-created 10 guiding principles and 16 resolutions designed to usher in the next era of forest stewardship. These outcomes reflect a shared commitment to reforestation, resilience, equity and collaboration, and they now serve as a durable framework for American Forests’ policy work moving forward.
Forests and trees remain a uniquely bipartisan priority — and essential infrastructure for climate resilience, public health and community well-being.
Throughout 2025, American Forests mobilized coalition partners and key congressional champions to protect Inflation Reduction Act funding and defend critical forest research and programs supporting the health and resilience of state, private and Tribal forests. In parallel, we introduced and helped advance bipartisan legislation to expand reforestation resources and capacity, strengthen Tribal co-management, create new options for permanent forest conservation, support local sawmills, and scale “cool corridor” strategies to address the growing threat of extreme heat in communities nationwide.
Beyond legislative work, American Forests continued to broaden its reach and influence. Through speaking engagements and partner events across the country with both longstanding allies and new audiences, we strengthened relationships and elevated the role of forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience, public health, economic opportunity and community well-being. We also rallied new advocates in support of the Fix Our Forests Act, working closely with partner organizations to educate Senate offices on the opportunities the legislation presents to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk and accelerate restoration at scale.
Setting our 2026 policy priorities
Looking ahead, the principles and resolutions developed at the American Forest Congress will guide our policy priorities in 2026. A top focus is passing the Fix Our Forests Act. We will continue to track and weigh in on proposed changes to the USDA Forest Service and other land-management agencies, as well as executive orders and administrative actions that affect the Roadless Rule and the role of forests as climate solutions.
American Forests will also work to secure robust, sustained funding for federal programs that support forests and trees in communities and across landscapes, while expanding our capacity and engagement on state-level policy in key regions where leadership and innovation are accelerating. We are also deepening our expertise on wildfire policy, leading efforts to secure long-term funding that reduces wildfire severity and strengthens overall forest health.
In the year ahead, we invite your continued partnership and support as we advance innovative, collaborative solutions to steward and conserve our nation’s forests for climate, communities, clean water and wildlife.
