From the Green Mountains in Vermont to the Mahoosuc range that straddles New Hampshire’s northeastern border with Maine, the Northern Forest sustains people and local economies that depend on timber industry jobs and tourism revenue linked to hunting, fishing, hiking, wildlife watching, cross-country skiing and other outdoor recreation opportunities the region offers. In hundreds of small communities where ties to the land run deep, the forest is the lifeblood that sustains them.

In addition to sustaining local economies, the watersheds of the Northern Forest provide clean drinking water for tens of thousands of people and habitat for a rich diversity of wildlife, from the trout that thrive in its streams to the moose, Canada lynx, bobcats and black bears that call the forest home.

All of these values are increasingly at risk as large tracts of forestland are sold and the forest is fragmented for non-forest commercial and residential development.

Our Role

For more than two decades, The Conservation Fund has been working with local community members, local and state governments, federal and state government partners and other nonprofit organizations to conserve the Northern Forest and the way of life it supports. Our work has focused on the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont, the northern reaches of the Appalachian Trail, and the vast Mahoosucs region in New Hampshire and Maine. Parcel by parcel, we’re working with our partners to protect the Northern Forest’s water, wildlife, economic and recreation values so that they will continue sustain the region’s communities long into the future.

“It is our responsibility to protect these unique areas so that future generations can appreciate them just as we have. We are fortunate that residents of the North Country recognize this responsibility and have been leading efforts to protect the places that define New Hampshire’s rich heritage, like the Mahoosuc Mountain Range. I want to thank The Conservation Fund and local leaders...who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protect our state’s environmental treasures.”

—former New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg

Learn more

• Green Mountain National Forest
• Appalachian National Scenic Trail
• Mahoosuc Initiative