Pike State Forest To Benefit From Forest Legacy Program

Article Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(Washington, DC) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service recently announced an investment of more than $265 million to conserve nearly 335,000 acres of ecologically and economically significant forestlands across the nation, in partnership with states across the country.

The Forest Service will fund 21 projects in 17 states to conserve working forests that support rural economies. In 2024 alone, the Forest Service has invested nearly $420 million to conserve more than 500,000 acres through the Forest Legacy Program and since 2021, has invested more than $758 million in 123 projects.

Projects selected include the $8.2 million investment for the Sunfish Creek Project will acquire 3,125 acres of forestland, expanding the adjacent Pike State Forest in Ohio’s scenic Appalachian hills. The project will help expand a national and statewide hiking trail system, support the critical forest industry, and protect waterways and domestic water supply. These increased benefits are expected to produce upward of $2 million annually.