Land & Watershed Restoration

Healthy ecosystems are the foundation of life for our people and planet.

But decades of severe wildfire, invasive species, and unsustainable use have left many landscapes unable to function.

We are repairing and healing the land and waters that sustain us—bringing back vibrant forests, flowing streams, and resilient habitats.

What We Do

Clean Water

We repair degraded streams, reconnect floodplains, and restore wetland ecosystems on National Forests to ensure they are a reliable source of water.

Reforestation

The NFF leads the largest reforestation effort on National Forests, planting millions of native trees annually and supporting seed efforts to sustain long-term reforestation needs.

Habitat Restoration

Our projects remove barriers to fish migration, improve pollinator habitat, and create critical corridors for species on the move.

Programs

Reforestation Program

Rio Guadalupe Headwaters Restoration Project

The Rio Guadalupe Headwaters Restoration Project uses low-tech, nature-based methods to restore streams, reconnect floodplains, and improve water storage across the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico.

Photo by Lyle Shanahan

Bears Ears Watershed Restoration Project

The National Forest Foundation restored Indian Creek in Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument using low-tech, nature-based stream restoration to improve habitat, water storage, and watershed resilience.

Photo by Matthew Podolinski

Northern Wisconsin Culvert Improvement Project

The Northern Wisconsin Culvert Improvement Project strengthens roads, protects streams, and supports communities by replacing failing culverts across the Chequamegon–Nicolet National Forest.

Photo by Paul Ostrum

Stringtown Wash-Pine Creek LTPBR Project

The Stringtown Wash-Pine Creek LTPBR projects are an ongoing effort on the Prescott National Forest, focused on simple techniques to restore natural processes.

Photo by Alyssa Lutker

Garlic Mustard Early Detection and Eradication Project

A small plant can have an outsized impact. The Garlic Mustard Early Detection and Eradication Project is helping stop one of the nation's most aggressive invasive plants before it can spread across California's forests and waterways. Through early detection, rapid response, and strong partnerships, this work is protecting native ecosystems, wildlife habitat, and healthy watersheds for the future.

Photo by Kee Yip

The Sun rising over St. Peter's Dome on the Great Divide District on a Fall morning.

Stringtown Wash-Pine Creek Watershed Project Work - In the distance: One Rock Dam Structure Impact. Photo taken 1/5/2026.

Forest Ecology Why Beaver Dam Analogs Work: Low-Tech, Process-Based Restoration Explained

The simple brilliance of LTPBR is that, by harnessing the power of natural processes, we can partner with nature to finish what we start.

View of Pyramid Point Mountain through the forest on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

Forest Ecology, National Forest Foundation, Trees Right Tree, Right Place: Using Science to Guide Reforestation

Reforesting National Forests is not as simple as placing a seed in a hole, covering it with soil, and hoping it grows. The process is more complicated, integrating the best...

Balsam root and lupine upland meadow on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Washington.

Forest Ecology The Hidden Power of Meadow Ecosystems

Meadows are vital ecosystems that protect water supplies, support wildlife, and reduce wildfire risk. Learn how the NFF is restoring upland and wet meadows across National Forests.

Our Forests Need Us Today.

Your donation powers critical, on-the-ground conservation—from wildfire recovery to watershed restoration—protecting forests for the future.