Nature’s Air Filters: How Forest Conservation is Quietly Fighting Climate Change

The Conservation Fund is helping protect tens of thousands of acres of the iconic Columbia Gorge Forest — a vast, ecologically diverse working forest straddling the Washington–Oregon border — ensuring it remains intact for climate, communities, and wildlife. This landscape stores an estimated 8.5 million metric tons of CO2e — roughly equivalent to taking 1.8 million cars off the road — while supporting forest‑related jobs, outdoor recreation, clean water resources, and rich habitat for species from salmon to spotted owls. By securing this critical corridor of forests, rivers, and public lands, The Conservation Fund and its partners are keeping this natural treasure working for local economies, cultural heritage, and long‑term climate resilience. 

Last year, The Conservation Fund protected the 44,000-acre Hilton Family Forest in northwest Maine — a climate-critical landscape that stores 11.1 million tons of CO2e a year, comparable to the emissions of 2.5 million gas-powered vehicles. Located along the Canadian border and facing potential subdivision and development, this intact forest plays an important role in naturally capturing carbon dioxide while also supporting wildlife, local economies, and outdoor recreation. By securing the property, we helped keep sustainable timber and maple sugar production in place, maintained access for hiking, hunting, and snowmobiling, and protected habitat for species like moose, golden eagles, and peregrine falcons. In partnership with local communities, The Conservation Fund is advancing a permanent conservation solution that keeps this forest working for the climate and the local community. 

The Pelican River Forest in northern Wisconsin protects nearly 70,000 acres of working forestland that acts as a powerful natural tool against climate change. By keeping the forest intact and sustainably managed, The Conservation Fund ensures it continues to store an estimated 19 million metric tons of CO2e, comparable to the annual emissions from 4.1 million passenger vehicles a year — while filtering air and water and providing vital habitat for wildlife. Permanent conservation easements prevent subdivision or development, preserving the forest’s ecological and climate value for the long term. This project is one of Wisconsin’s largest conservation efforts and demonstrates how protecting large-scale forests can fight climate change while sustaining people and nature. 

Protecting forests today helps safeguard cleaner air, healthier ecosystems, and resilient communities for the future — proving that some of the most powerful climate solutions are already growing all around us.