Klamath National Forest

The Klamath National Forest in northern California has experienced repeated wildfire damage over the past decade, resulting in widespread loss of forest cover and habitat. In response, a series of large-scale reforestation projects have been implemented to restore ecological function, support biodiversity, and improve long-term forest resilience.

In 2025, the forest expanded its recovery efforts through two major initiatives. The Antelope Tennant West project resulted in the planting of 736,051 native tree seedlings across high-severity burn areas with limited natural regeneration. This large-scale reforestation effort focused on reestablishing forest structure, stabilizing soils, and restoring habitat across a broad landscape.

Also in 2025, the Craggy Reforestation and Red Salmon Interplant project added 87,750 trees to areas previously impacted by wildfire. The project increased tree density and reinforced earlier plantings to improve ecosystem recovery and watershed stability.

These efforts built on the Salmon River Planting project launched in 2024, which introduced 75,000 native tree seedlings to fire-damaged sites within the Salmon River Ranger District. Planting focused on species such as Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, and sugar pine. An additional 5,000 seedlings were planted in spring 2025 to strengthen the restoration.

In 2023, the Slater Fire Reforestation project brought 600,000 trees to areas burned by the 2020 Slater Fire. The project targeted severely burned terrain with the goal of accelerating forest regeneration and reducing erosion in affected watersheds.

In 2021, the Happy Oak Planting project resulted in the planting of 154,920 trees in areas requiring active restoration following wildfire damage. The project aimed to reintroduce native species and improve habitat connectivity across the landscape.

The earliest project in this series, the 2019 Salmon and Butler Reforestation, planted 42,648 trees in fire-impacted areas to initiate recovery and stabilize conditions in the Salmon River watershed.

Together, these projects represent a coordinated and sustained effort to restore the health and resilience of the Klamath National Forest in the aftermath of wildfire.