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America’s National Forest System is composed of 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Many of these forests and grasslands are facing increased risks and impacts form escalating housing development on private rural lands along their boundaries. Encompassing about 192 million acres across 43 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, national forests and grasslands account for 8.5 percent of the total U.S. land area and 20 percent of its forestland. Nearly a quarter of the US population lives in a county that contains National Forest System land.

Study Results:

• 21.7 million acres (about 8 percent) of rural lands located within 10 miles of national forests and grasslands across the conterminous United States are projected to undergo increases in housing development by 2030.
  
  
• Thirteen national forests and grasslands are projected to have more than a half-million acres of adjacent private rural lands experience increased housing density.
  
  
• Development and landscape fragmentation can pose substantial challenges for the management and conservation of the ecosystem services and amenity resources of national forests and grasslands, including access by the public.