The Legacy Forest Defense Coalition’s
Ancient Forest Fund
The Pacific Northwest is home to the world's largest temperate rainforest, and now more than ever it's under threat from the timber industry.
The effort to repeal the Roadless Rule is threatening to open up thousands of acres of old-growth forests to logging, while old growth on non-federal lands in Southeast Alaska is already being targeted. Unlike federally owned lands, these areas can be directly purchased and protected by the public.
That is what the Ancient Forest Fund is designed to do. Our initial goal is to raise $2 million to secure the permanent protection of an at-risk ancient forest from a willing seller in Southeast Alaska. We have already secured $600,000 in pledges and donations and need to raise an additional $1.4 million before we can start the process of purchasing an ancient forest. 100% of your donation will be spent on protecting ancient forests that would have otherwise been logged.
We can prevent this:
From becoming this:
Here's how it will work:
Step 1: Identify priority forests that are at risk and have willing sellers.
We have identified the old-growth forests that 1) are most likely to be targeted by industrial logging in the coming years, and 2) have a willing seller. We prioritize the oldest, most intact and biodiverse stands for potential purchase.
Step 2: Raise more to protect more with your contribution.
Old-growth forests often cost about $8,000 per acre in Southeast Alaska. The larger our budget, the more we can protect. Every dollar that you donate will be used to purchase imperiled old-growth forests.
Step 3: Work with local partners to secure permanent protections.
Once funds are secured, we will work with partner land trusts to purchase an ancient forest. This process can take up to two years in some cases. We will fund the purchase and ensure that these areas are protected in perpetuity.
Step 4: Report back to show you the forest that YOU helped save.
Once the deal is finalized, we will report back to our donors and invite you to see what you helped save. It may take time for us to share details while the purchase is being negotiated; our goal during negotiations will be to secure the best deal to protect as much old-growth forest as possible.
Step 5: Do it again with a bigger goal, to protect MORE ancient forests!
Make your impact.
Old-growth stands in Alaska are typically valued around $8,000 per acre. There are typically 300 trees per acre in a northwest forest which is how the above impact estimates were calculated.
The Pacific temperate rainforest stretches from San Francisco to Anchorage. It stores more carbon per acre than most other ecosystems on Earth and is home to countless rare and endangered species. At its southern extent, this rainforest is extremely developed: it has seen massive amounts of industrial logging, and most ancient forests have already been logged. In the northern extent sit the Great Bear and Tongass ecosystems, areas which are far more intact.
The Perhumid Zone
Trees in Southeast Alaska can grow to be over 1,000 years old. Unlike the southern extent of the rainforest, the conditions in Southeast Alaska allow for a Perhumid Rainforest to grow. This type of rainforest receives massive year-round moisture and does not experience large wildfires. Some of these forests have such a low rate of disturbance that stands can persist on an essentially indefinite timescale, meaning that many of these forests have grown undisturbed since the last Ice Age.
The rainforest is as varied as it is incredible. In some areas, it is dominated by muskeg—very wet areas with extremely slow-growing trees—and in other areas, the forest is considered “high productivity,” containing trees that often measure 10 feet in diameter. These "productive" forests make up a small percentage of the landscape in Southeast Alaska, but they are the most biodiverse. They are also the most coveted by the timber industry. These are the areas that we are trying to purchase before they are cut.
The Pacific
Temperate Rainforest
Map from Rain Forests of Home: An Atlas of People and Place Published by Ecotrust, Conservation International, & Pacific GIS
Why Ancient Forests?
Not all forests are created equal. Unlike timber plantations, ancient forests are a non-renewable resource. They contain trees over 1,000 years old, shelter endangered species, and play an outsized role in everything from carbon sequestration to drought mitigation.
In a time of rapid extinction, preserving every last acre of these vanishingly rare ecosystems couldn’t be more vital—for endangered species, the health of our climate, and future generations.
Our Track Record
When it comes to protecting at-risk forests, the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition (LFDC) means business. Since 2023, our 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has successfully saved thousands of acres of native forests from clearcut logging through citizen science, public pressure, government watchdogging and litigation. Our grassroots campaigns, state-level negotiations, and coordination with Tribes and partner organizations have kept over 1,300 acres of Washington State’s native forests standing tall. In the field, our findings have led to the protection of over 700 acres of formerly unmapped imperiled plant communities. All told, LFDC has prevented the release of as much as 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and CO₂ equivalent greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We have expanded our work to Southeast Alaska because most of the ancient forests in the lower 48 have already been lost. It's up to us to protect what's left.
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The Ancient Forest Fund is a project of the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington state. All donations are tax deductible.
Checks can be made out to Legacy Forest Defense Coalition and mailed to:
P.O. Box 7154
Tacoma, WA 98417
Reach out to Joshua Wright, Programs Director with questions:
Phone: (360) 872-3264
Email: joshua@wlfdc.org