More Trees in North America Today Than in 1492: The Reforestation Story

Yes—there are more trees in the United States today than when Columbus arrived. Forest cover has increased from ~16% of U.S. land area (pre-colonization baseline) to ~33% today—a net gain of 17 percentage points.

Why the Increase?

Agricultural Abandonment

Marginal farms in New England, Appalachia, and the Great Lakes reverted to forest as agriculture shifted westward to more productive lands (mid-1800s onward).

Suburban Expansion

Low-density development preserves tree canopy; lawns and parks add urban forest.

Conservation Policies

1911 Weeks Act (eastern national forests), 1930s Civilian Conservation Corps, 1960s–70s environmental laws (Clean Air/Water Acts, Endangered Species Act) incentivized reforestation and protection.

Fire Suppression

Aggressive 20th-century firefighting allowed fuel buildup, increasing tree density (though creating wildfire risk).

Critical Nuances

• Not old-growth: Most new forest is secondary/regrowth—less biodiversity, carbon density.
• Regional variation: West Coast old-growth declined; Northeast rebounded.
• Global context: Tropical deforestation continues; temperate reforestation doesn't offset it.
• Ecological quality: Monoculture plantations ≠ diverse native forests.

Bottom Line

The U.S. forest transition (deforestation → reforestation) mirrors the "forest transition curve" seen in Europe, Japan, China—a rare environmental success story with important caveats.