The community forest program (CFP) is a voluntary partnership to revitalize rural communities and support rural economies, safeguard drinking water supplies, and provide access for recreation such…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, through the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFDA 10.689), awarded $1.6M to the Town of Poughkeepsie on June 18, 2025, to establish a 95-acre community forest. The project, with a completion deadline of June 30, 2029, will deliver multiple community benefits through the acquisition and active management of productive forestland in Poughkeepsie, New York. The initiative supports timber production and sustainable forest management operations that will supply local mills and sustain employment opportunities, while simultaneously expanding public outdoor recreation access including hunting and fishing opportunities for the community.

This award supports Executive Order 14225 on the expansion of American timber production and aligns with the Community Forest Program's core objective of revitalizing rural economies while safeguarding environmental resources. The project represents a comprehensive approach to land stewardship, combining economic development through timber production with environmental conservation and public recreation access. As a competitive grant program, the Community Forest Program prioritizes projects that maximize community engagement, deliver measurable public benefits across environmental and educational dimensions, and demonstrate the likelihood of preventing land conversion to non-forest uses.

The community forest program (CFP) is a voluntary partnership to revitalize rural communities and support rural economies, safeguard drinking water supplies, and provide access for recreation such as hunting and fishing. Authorized in the 2008 farm bill 16 U.S.C. 2103D, CFP provides competitive grant funding for the establishment of community forests by eligible local entities that provide economic, educational, and recreational opportunities. In support of executive order 14225: immediate expansion of american timber production, the program provides rural communities with an important tool to acquire and actively manage productive forest lands that produce timber, supply mills, and sustain local jobs. The town of poughkeepsie is requesting a grant through the CFP for the creation of the poughkeepsie community forest. This project comprises 95 acres, securing opportunities for local timber production and increasing public outdoor recreation access in the town of poughkeepsie.