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Forest Legacy Trust

Stewarding small working forests in the Pacific Northwest from one generation to the next — for the people, ecosystems, and economies that depend on them.

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The Challenge

~50%
of small private forests are cared for by owners over 65
1,000,000+
acres of working forest in Oregon alone transferred out of mom & pop ownership since 2015

Small forest owners who lack a viable option for succession may feel they have no choice but to sell their proporties, which are most often absorbed into industrial ownership or fragmented by development pressures.

Forest boardwalk trail

What We Do

A new model for
forest succession.

Forest Legacy Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We permanently protect small working forests and help make them affordable for the next generation of stewards, educate the public about the importance of these working landscapes, and advocate for policies that support them.

Our efforts focus on the west side of the Cascade Range where the Trust accepts donations of working forests and working forest easements from stewards who want to see their legacies continue. This process provides landowners with financial benefits and creates accessible opportunities for a new generation. In this way, the Trust helps to re-generate the woodlands and values that make the Pacific Northwest a place like no other.

Forest stewards planting trees

Why Small Private Forests Matter

The largest share of forestland in the United States is privately owned: not by industry or government, but by individuals and families. These working landscapes provide refuge for fish, wildlife and pollinators; they store carbon while producing oxygen and clean water. Well-managed, fire-resilient woodlands yield products ranging from mushrooms to lumber, which in turn support local communities. Ranging in size from just a few acres to hundreds and, rarely, thousands, these forests are small but collectively they are a mighty force for resilience.

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Why Forest Stewards Matter

Small forest owners prioritize values of scenic beauty, wildlife habitat, and recreation over maximizing economic returns. Stewardship is their guiding principle. In Oregon, nearly 60,000 small forest owners care for 3.7 million acres of woodlands with an average size of 94 acres.

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NextGen steward planting trees

Our Team

Jeff Gersh
Jeff and his family are small forest owners near Estacada, Oregon. With degrees in biology and land management, he founded NarrativeLab, a conservation storytelling company. Jeff has worked as a documentary filmmaker and writer-producer for clients including National Geographic Television, the U.S. National Park Service, and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.
Andrew Schwartz
Andrew grew up in Oregon. His work as a conservationist spans grassroots organizing, interfaith collaboration, and systems-level change. His love of the forest began early walking through the woods with his dad who was a surveyor with the US Forest Service. Andrew holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, where his call to ministry evolved into a broader commitment to public leadership and care for the environment.
Guy Trombley
Guy grew up on the edge of prairie and sugar maple–basswood forest, where his lifelong connection to land began. His family also cared for 80 acres of the Northern boreal forest. With over 30 years of experience as an applied anthropologist, educator, consultant, and leader in environmental and outdoor recreation organizations, his work focuses on strengthening the technical capacity and organizational resilience of small nonprofits addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Forest steward at work

Get in Touch

Whether you’re a forest owner, a next generation steward, or just curious — we’d love to hear from you.

✓  Thank you — we’ll be in touch soon.

andrew@forestlegacytrust.org · Estacada, OR

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