Engaging an entire community in restoration
Like a root system — the network through which trees communicate, share resources and strengthen one another — movements grow stronger when connections run deep. At American Forests, we are rooted in collective action, cultivating a network that amplifies local grassroots efforts into lasting nation-wide impact.
In 2025, we mobilized community members through a large-scale planting in the Rio Grande Valley. We convened forestry leaders to promote shared learning and problem solving at the 9th American Forest Congress. We advanced thought leadership across conferences, trained current and future professionals, expanded access with Tree Equity Score – Spanish, and elevated our story through media outreach and our 150th anniversary events.
We convened leaders and advanced policy efforts to move the needle on a transformational, national effort to steward and conserve our nation’s forests.
American Forests continued to shape the future of forestry in 2025 through our policy and planning efforts by convening leaders, supporting legislation and protecting critical federal investments. At the center of this work was the 9th American Forest Congress, a landmark gathering of more than 500 leaders from across the nation — including environmental, scientific, economic, landowner, industry and community leaders; policy and changemakers; and state, local and Tribal governments — united around one shared goal: growing healthy forests and supporting thriving communities.
in Community Forestry Conference. We hosted The Understory, convening 150 leaders across sectors to focus on building the systems, capacity and relationships needed to restore forests at scale. And, in partnership with Salesforce and the World Economic Forum, our 1t.org US (now Forest Plus) team hosted the Forest Partners Leadership Convening, where the late great Jane Goodall spoke on the urgent need to conserve and restore forests.
Photo Credit: Roxanne Sutton / 1T.ORG US / American Forests
As the steward of this historic convening, American Forests created space for shared learning, inspiration and problem solving at a national scale. Together, participants explored urgent challenges facing forests and communities and developed, debated and voted on resolutions designed to guide the future of forest stewardship across landscapes and generations. The Congress reflected the power of collective action and was made possible through the support of the Doris Duke Foundation, JM Kaplan Fund, Wilburforce Foundation, 444S Foundation, Lazar Foundation, Jubitz Family Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service and others.
That same spirit of collective action carried into our policy work. American Forests helped introduce and support legislation advancing forest resilience, urban forestry and climate adaptation, including the Fix Our Forests Act, bipartisan Cool Corridors Act, TREES Act, the SHADE Act, Forest Conservation Easement Program Act, Save Our Sequoias Act, White Oak Resilience Act, Disaster Reforestation Act, Wildfire Emergency Act, Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act, and the Tribal Self-Determination and Co-Management in Forestry Act, among others. We also submitted public comments on critical federal actions, including the USDA reorganization, the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule and the EPA greenhouse gas endangerment finding.
At a time of federal funding uncertainty, American Forests also worked to protect vital investments by engaging Congress and coalition partners to defend Forest Service, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service grants, including the Inflation Reduction Act’s historic Urban and Community Forestry funding. From partnerships to policy, we helped move the needle on a transformational national effort to steward and conserve our forests.
Movement building in action
Fostering collaboration and driving progress
In November, five years since its launch, Tree Equity Score unveiled
a Spanish-language version to expand access to our flagship national mapping tool, reaching an additional 42 million Spanish-speaking Americans, making it easier for more communities to grow greener, safer and more resilient cities.
Photo Credit: American Forests
Photo Credit: Austin Donohue / Salesforce / American Forests
Celebrating 150 years
Last year, American Forests marked our 150th Anniversary by celebrating both a legacy rooted in impact and a bold vision for the future. We held an event in New York City — sponsored by Salesforce and co-hosted by Board Member Paul Boynton, Bruce Lisman and Kyla Sternlieb, and Roger Sant and Doris Matsui — and one in Seattle, sponsored by Weyerhaeuser and co-hosted by past Board Chair Ara Erickson and Paul Boynton. Through these in-person events and a digital campaign, we told the story of where we’ve been, what we’ve accomplished, and most importantly, where we are headed.
Amplifying our story
Throughout 2025, we amplified American Forests’ work and impact in major media outlets across multiple mediums. By telling our story, we are elevating the narrative around the critical need for accelerating climate-resilient forestry across all landscapes, creating wildfire resilience and investing in trees for healthy cities. And, in doing so, we hope to continue to inspire action and support for advancing efforts to address these needs.
Photo Credit: Simon Luethi / American Forests
“Because the Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation appreciates the power of storytelling, we were glad to support American Forests’ work to lift up community voices through film, sharing local connections to native thornforest habitat in the Rio Grande Valley and making the case for restoring this unique and fast-disappearing ecosystem.” — Elizabeth Love, The Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation CEO
