Conifer and mixed hardwood forests, bountiful lakes, and free-flowing streams—this is the iconic Northwoods. 40 million people live within a day’s drive of this breathtaking landscape and many visitors have created lifelong memories hiking along the countless public trails, kayaking and fishing in the endless lakes and streams, and soaking in the area’s timeless wilderness.

Spanning across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, the Northwoods is a dynamic natural treasure that offers endless recreational opportunities, community health benefits, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration throughout the region. Natural landscapes like the Northwoods have the potential to provide more than one-third of cost-effective CO2 mitigation needed through 2030. But the future of the lands we love and rely on is threatened.

Rampant subdivision, over development, overuse of existing public lands, and climate change are degrading and destroying our Northwoods at an alarming rate. Every day we lose thousands of acres to real estate development and by 2050, our country could lose nearly 23 million acres of forest—including parts of our beloved Northwoods.

At the same time, demand for more outdoor recreational opportunities has never been greater. Study after study links access to nature with human health and happiness. While just being in nature heals us, we know when we get outside our senses come alive, our stresses slip away, and we are refreshed. Whether sharing a trail, picnic table, or sandy beach, people flourish on public land.

Trust for Public Land has already protected over 200,000 acres for public use in the Northwoods. But we need your help to safeguard more priority lands given the ongoing threats today. With your support, we can restore our Northwoods Land Protection Fund (NWLPF), which allows us to act quickly to purchase at-risk land before it’s lost to development. By donating to the NWLPF, you can help protect and provide public access to the wilderness that defines our Northwoods, guaranteeing its legacy forever.