How do I know if I have a Forest of Recognized Importance?

The first step in protecting a Forest of Recognized Importance is figuring out if you have one. Unfortunately, there is no central clearinghouse for information on Forests of Recognized Importance. There is also no state or federal government agency that regulates Forests of Recognized Importance on private lands. That means there’s no one resource to tell you if you have a Forest of Recognized Importance.

But you still have tools available to help you. Many of the same resources used to verify special sites on your property can also be used to evaluate whether your woods are or include a Forest of Recognized Importance.

Some of these resources are:

• Your state natural heritage database
• Your state wildlife action plan
• Your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office
• Your state archaeologist

There’s another important point to keep in mind. Most Forests of Recognized Importance in the U.S. that are globally, nationally or regionally significant have already been identified and protected by state or federal government or have been put under a conservation easement by an environmental nonprofit organization. So you’re more likely to be near a Forest of Recognized Importance than to have one. But even if that’s the case, there are still steps you can take in your own woods to help protect that Forest of Recognized Importance.

I want to protect my Forest of Recognized Importance. How do I do it?