Page, Arizona (NAPSI) - From Alaska toFlorida, millions of people visitAmerica’s National Forests each year, and with two-thirds of Americans living within 100 miles of a National Forest, these lands truly are “America’s Backyard.”

However, due to damage from wildfire, insects, disease and natural disasters, nearly one-third of the 193 million acres of the National Forest System urgently need restoration.

To maintain and strengthen these vital natural resources, the National Forest Foundation (NFF) has launched a national conservation campaign called Treasured Landscapes to build support for America’s National Forests from coast to coast.

Treasured Landscapes

The NFF’s Treasured Landscapes campaign has a goal of raising $100 million. The money raised will be used to take on large-scale restoration projects at 14 ecologically significant and iconic locations while supporting hundreds of community-based conservation efforts at national forests and grasslands across the country.

The campaign offers multiple opportunities for individuals and families to get involved in the enjoyment and restoration of “America’s Backyard” by lending support, volunteering time or just signing up to follow campaign updates.

The campaign targetsAmerica’s National Forest System, which:

• includes 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands in 44 states;

• hosts more than 200 million visitors annually; and

• creates a positive economic impact on surrounding communities, including 223,000 jobs.

The Foundation works to replant wildfire-burned areas, restore streams and fish habitat, and improve trails to improve the health and vitality of our public lands.

Challenges To Public Lands

“Our nation’s public lands face unprecedented challenges to their health, diversity and vitality,” said Bill Possiel, president of the NFF. “The health ofAmerica’s National Forest System contributes to everyone’s quality of life-from the millions who rely on drinking water from the National Forests to the clean air that the forests produce.”

To learn more and become a Friend of the Forest, visit the website at www.friendsoftheforest.org.

“Friends” receive updates and communications, with photos and stories about our National Forests and Grasslands as well as opportunities to take part in hands-on volunteer projects restoring popular forest areas.

You can stay connected by following the Foundation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NationalForestFoundation, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nationalforests and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/natlforests.