This project will conduct work to estimate the economic impacts of the conserved forests supported by the USDA forestservice forest legacy program

On September 16, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service awarded a Project Grant of $399,913 to North Carolina State University under the Inflation Reduction Act – Forest Legacy Program (CFDA 10.734). The award funds research to estimate the economic impacts of forests conserved through the Forest Legacy Program and to evaluate the program's operational efficiencies, with particular focus on lands supported by Inflation Reduction Act funding. The project will be completed by July 20, 2030, with performance activities conducted in North Carolina.

As the primary research institution, North Carolina State University will leverage its extensive federal research capabilities and expertise in economic analysis to deliver quantitative assessments of conservation outcomes and program performance metrics. This evaluation work supports the Forest Service's efforts to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the Forest Legacy Program, which protects environmentally important private forest lands threatened by conversion to non-forest uses through conservation easements and fee-simple acquisitions. The research products will inform program management decisions and provide evidence-based documentation of the program's contribution to forest conservation and economic sustainability objectives.

Additionally, the project will evaluate the efficiencies of the USDA forest service forest legacy program specific to those supported by the inflation reduction act