Green Forests Work

08/25/2026

Green Forests Work values its partnership with The Nature Conservancy of Kentucky and other partners as we continue reforesting former mined lands across Kentucky, the Appalachian region, and beyond.

08/24/2026

Green Forests Work is honored to be a part of this project.

07/16/2026

We've been partnering with Green Forests Work to restore a former coal mine site near Clinchco, Virginia. Now, a site that was covered in autumn olive and other invasive species will be restored to its native beauty.

From March through mid-May, professional contractors began the process of preparing the land and planting over 102,000 seedlings across 114 acres, with the community coming together in late spring for a tree-planting ceremony.

Thanks to Green Forests Work for featuring this collaboration in their newsletter!

https://mailchi.mp/greenforestswork/green-forests-work-summer-2026-newsletter

07/01/2026

Green Forests Work (GFW) has wrapped up its 2026 planting season, planting 1,006,920 trees across nearly 2,000 acres. Since 2009, with the support of our partners and funders, GFW has planted over 8.5 million trees across more than 16,000 acres. We are well on target to reach (and surpass!) our goal of 10,000,000 trees in the ground between 2020 and 2030! Check out our work below.

Green Forests Work, a nonprofit tree-planting organization, creates renewable and sustainable multi-use resources by converting reclaimed, non-native grasslands and shrublands into healthy, productive forestland.

07/01/2026

Green Forests Work (GFW) is proud to be a part of this initiative to purchase land adjacent to the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. We look forward to performing ecological restoration on areas of the property that were surface-mined for coal.

A Conservation Victory!

The final results are in, and we're thrilled to announce that the Arc of Appalachia is now the proud steward of Tracts 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8!

That means nearly 2,000 acres of the New River Wilderness will now be permanently protected!

We are nothing short of amazed and deeply grateful for the overwhelming support that made this campaign a reality. A huge thank you to each individual person who helped the Arc along the way.

More details to come soon...

06/24/2026

Decades of collaboration. One essential resource. 🌲

A new open-access book highlights the science and partnerships driving red spruce restoration across the central and southern Appalachians.

With contributions from 40+ authors, this book captures the knowledge, progress, and shared commitment behind restoring these iconic high-elevation forests.

Read the press release below and access the free book here:
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-19616-3

"Ecology and Restoration of Red Spruce Ecosystems of the Central and Southern Appalachians" is now available for free download through Springer Press.

06/22/2026

06/11/2026

From May 26 through June 4, 2026, Green Forests Work staff worked with the adult crew from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Outdoor Corps on various tasks to complete the Tioga Reforestation Project. This crew of 6 people, along with Smerkar Services and two environmental interns from Juniata College, cleared invasive shrubs and plants from areas that weren't accessible to the machinery used to prep the site last fall. Altogether, they cleared nearly 120 acres on state forest property and private project within the project areas. They also seeded areas prepped for tree planting with a pollinator seed mix totaling approximately 40 acres.

On Thursday, May 28th, DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn and Deputy Secretary John Norbeck visited with the crew and worked alongside them for the afternoon.

05/12/2026

On May 5, 2026, a group of 15 volunteers gathered to plant 850 native shrubs and trees along the shoreline of Marsh Creek at Marsh Creek State Park in Chester, PA. Green Forests Work—who provided trees, tools, and a helping hand—teamed up with Pennsylvania State Parks, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and friends of Marsh Creek State Park to make a positive impact together.

05/11/2026

On April 17 and 18, 2026, 90 volunteers planted approximately 1,200 trees across two acres as part of the Tioga Fallbrook Mined Land Reforestation Project. This collaborative effort brought together Green Forests Work and our valued partners, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Repsol, Ward Manufacturing, Tioga County Conservation District, The Reinfried Family, and Commonwealth University-Mansfield. Funding for the Tioga County Conservation, a 200-acre planting project, came from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Countywide Action Plan grant program. Professional tree planters from Williams Forestry & Associates planted the additional acreage.