Senators Reintroduce Forest Conservation Easement Program Act
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Roger Wicker (R-MS) are reintroducing the Forest Conservation Easement Program Act, which would help conserve working forests and give landowners more options to ensure their land is protected.
“New York’s forests are a crucial environmental and economic resource, as the forest industry employs over 60,000 people and contributes approximately $4.6 billion to New York’s economy each year,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Preserving forest land is vital to maintain clean water, air, wildlife habitats, and jobs without interrupting a steady supply of manufacturing materials. Congress needs to see the forest for the trees, and I am proud to work with Senator Wicker to lead this effort so we can ensure our working forests remain as forests and are managed sustainably.”
“Forestry is one of the largest agricultural industries in Mississippi, creating jobs and providing valuable habitats for wildlife,” said Senator Wicker. “I am proud to work alongside our nation’s forest owners to conserve more of our land and ensure this vital industry remains strong for generations to come.”
The bill would expand the Healthy Forests Reserve Program and rename it the Forest Conservation Easement Program (FCEP), which would aim to:
- Prioritize keeping forests as forests, benefiting the economy and the environment;
- Help landowners restore and protect habitats for at-risk species while simultaneously increasing carbon sequestration; and
- Enhance the abilities of the Natural Resources Conservation Service so it can effectively conserve working forests through conservation easements. Landowners would be provided with two options for placing voluntary easements on their land: Forest Land Easements and Forest Reserve Easements.
Under this program, eligible entities would be able to purchase development rights from willing private and tribal landowners to prevent conversions to non-forest uses while maintaining working forests. No existing federal forest easement program provides funding for land trusts, tribes, and NGOs to obtain and hold conservation easements. This legislation will fill a gap for programs that are essential to protect working forestlands.
The legislation is supported by several organizations, including the Western New York Land Conservancy, Scenic Hudson, Adirondack Land Trust, Boone and Crockett Club, The Conservation Fund, Land Trust Alliance, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, and American Forests.
“Protecting forests in Western New York is essential to preserving our region’s rich biodiversity, clean air, and safeguarding water quality in two Great Lakes. This ensures future generations can experience the beauty and resilience of these landscapes. The Western New York Land Conservancy is committed to conserving our irreplaceable forests—not just for the wildlife that call them home, but for the health of our communities and the well-being of our planet. FCEP funding will help make this future possible,” said Marisa Riggi, Executive Director of the Western New York Land Conservancy.
“Nearly three quarters of New York’s forestland is privately owned, and these parcels are generally small and vulnerable to subdivision and development pressures,” said Pete Lopez, Executive Director of Scenic Hudson. “Maintaining these forested lands is crucial in New York and throughout the country for improving water quality, providing wildlife habitat, sequestering carbon, and much more. By providing federal support for conserving these lands, FCEP will fill a pressing need. Scenic Hudson commends Senators Gillibrand and Wicker for their leadership in championing this critically important legislation and helping to protect America’s forests.”
“We applaud Senator Gillibrand and Senator Wicker for introducing the FCEP Act of 2025. This legislation recognizes the value of keeping private forestlands intact so they can continue to provide clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and jobs,” said Chris Jage, director of conservation, Adirondack Land Trust.
“Healthy forests are essential for clean air and water. More than half of U.S. forestland is privately owned and FCEP will bring owners long-needed encouragement to protect and improve the health of their forests through good conservation practices. The Boone and Crockett Club is grateful to Senator Gillibrand for her dedication to finding bipartisan ground to advance this legislation for American forests,” said Simon Roosevelt, Vice-President of the Boone and Crockett Club.
“Over the next decade, we’re projected to lose about a million acres of forestland each year to fragmentation and conversion,”said Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund. “The Conservation Fund is dedicated to preserving working forests, which support local jobs and the rural tax base, by addressing the threat of forestland conversion to non-forest uses. We applaud U.S. Senators Gillibrand and Wicker for stepping up to provide an important, missing conservation tool for preserving working forests and look forward to continuing working with leaders in Congress to get this pragmatic and bipartisan FCEP solution included in the Farm Bill.”
“The United States loses approximately half a million acres of privately owned forestland to development each year, at the expense of clean water, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, timber supplies and local economies and more,” said Jennifer Miller Herzog, interim president and CEO of the Land Trust Alliance.“Land trusts are uniquely positioned to help private landowners protect and manage their forested lands while also ensuring the public enjoys the benefits that forest conservation provides for the environment and economy. FCEP enjoys broad, bipartisan support and will allow land trusts to work with the federal government to ensure that private forests remain forests and in the hands of local families and small businesses.”
“Voluntary conservation agreements are important tools for preventing the conversion of forests to other land uses,” said Jeff Crane, President and CEO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. “We commend Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Members Senators Gillibrand and Wicker for introducing the Forest Conservation Easement Program Act of 2025 to incentivize landowners to conserve forests and reduce fragmentation to provide habitat for fish and wildlife. We look forward to working with the bill sponsors to advance this legislation to support the private working forests across the country that provide critical access for sportsmen and women.”
“Keeping forests as forests has never been more critical, and we need all willing partners at the table,” said Danielle Watson, senior director of policy at American Forests. “The Forest Conservation Easement Program expands the scope of possibility by embracing new opportunities for Tribes, land trusts, and local governments to steward working forests for water, wildlife, human health, and forest products. American Forests applauds Senators Wicker and Gillibrand for championing bipartisan legislation that has the potential to significantly expand forest conservation across the country.”
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
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