This article was featured in the 2025 Autumn Newsletter by Mandy St. Hilaire, The Nature Conservancy.
New York State has set one of the most ambitious climate goals in the country: plant 680 million trees by 2040. The Nature Conservancy is helping lead the charge, with a bold plan to contribute towards the state goal of reforesting 1.7 million acres—an effort that could sequester nearly 5 million metric tons of CO₂ by 2050. Reforestation is not just a climate solution; it’s a chance to restore ecosystems, improve water and air quality, and create new economic opportunities for communities across the state.
To meet this challenge, we must scale up dramatically—from planting approximately 1,000 acres annually today to 200 times that by 2040. That means building infrastructure, engaging landowners, and testing scalable models for success.
In September 2024, The Nature Conservancy launched the Reforestation Demonstration project, primarily landing in Jefferson County—one of the most promising areas in the state for tree planting. According to our Reforestation Potential report produced in collaboration with Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Jefferson County has some of the highest opportunity for reforesting post-agricultural lands. Combined with support from the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), we were able to begin testing a new program to engage landowners and plant trees.
In just one year, we’ve planted 15,850 trees across 35 acres in Jefferson and Franklin counties through offering two landowner incentives – Tapping into Your Land’s Potential and Planting with Purpose. This work was made possible through partnerships with local nurseries, contractors, and SWCDs. The Demonstration is designed to allow us to test new approaches to outreach, planting, and monitoring that we can share with partners to scale reforestation. In Spring 2026, a combination of these two incentives is being offered to landowners in Jefferson, Franklin, and St Lawrence Counties in partnership with local SWCDs.
With 97% of New York’s reforestation potential located on private lands, landowner engagement is essential. Encouragingly, 64% of New York landowners report being motivated to reforest portions of their land. Our new incentive program is designed using social science insights—to meet landowners where they are and encourage participation. Partners are key in supporting landowner engagement and increasing local capacity for reforestation implementation.
Our goals are clear:
- Deliver measurable progress toward reforesting 1.7 million acres.
- Build a scalable proof of concept for large-scale planting.
- Generate insights to guide long-term sustainability. Mobilize partners and build momentum statewide.
Reforestation helps restore native habitats, reduce erosion, and build resilience against invasive species. By planting the right trees in the right places, we’re not just storing carbon—we’re strengthening ecosystems.
The Nature Conservancy is acting now—on the ground, with partners, and with purpose. Jefferson County is just the beginning. With bold investment, visionary leadership, and your partnership, we can turn this vision into reality.
For more information, including participation in our Reforestation Demonstration as a landowner or partner, reach out to The Nature Conservancy’s NY Reforestation team at ReforestNY@tnc.org.
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