See the Forest for the Trees

(Family Features) Pining to take a stroll through a forest? Now the nation’s forests are just a click away with Plant It Forward, a new site that brings forests to the fingertips of its visitors.

Since many people see only a few trees in their own backyards or communities, they may be surprised to know that forests are thriving across the country. In fact, the amount of forestland in the United States, about 750 million acres, has remained essentially unchanged over the past 100 years, even though our population has tripled.

Plant It Forward is a fun, educational place to learn about a great renewable resource—America’s forests.

Pull on some hiking boots and discover:

* Where are the forests: See how many forests there are and where they’re located across the country. Get local information about forests in a familiar location, or someplace perfect for a visit. Click on each of the nine regions to explore state-by-state forest information.

* Visit a forest nearby: Visiting a forest is an exciting and beautiful activity – offering educational opportunities for the family to learn about how trees are grown, harvested and replanted to ensure sustainable forests and wildlife habitats for future generations. Find forest locations that encourage hiking, fishing, biking, snowmobiling, bird watching, cross-country skiing or camping to enjoy one of nature’s most remarkable, renewable resources.

* Meet some family foresters: More than half of America’s forests are owned by individuals or families. Meet the people who own and care for our forests – many of whose family-owned businesses date back generations, to pioneer and colonial days.

* Keeping forests sustainable: Every single day, four million new trees are planted across America. Check Plant It Forward to learn easy, small steps to renew, reuse and respect our forests, like choosing certified sustainable paper products.

Discover more about America’s forests at Plant It Forward. And especially for kids – check out Know Your Trees, a kid-friendly educational site with fun information about tree species and the everyday items provided by forests.

Courtesy of Family Features

All materials courtesy of Abundant Forest Alliance