Most Forested States

Forests cover about one-third of the Earth's terrain and are home to countless species as well as approximately 300 million people globally; amongst them are 60 million indigenous individuals whose livelihoods are largely associated with these ecosystems. In the United States, the forest landscape varies significantly by state, from the lush evergreen forests of Maine to the sparse woodlands of North Dakota. 

• Maine leads the nation with a phenomenal 89.46% of its land enveloped by forests, followed closely by New Hampshire (84.32%) and West Virginia (79.01%).
• New York, despite being known for its bustling concrete jungle, contains a significant percentage of forest area, ranking tenth with 62.88% forest cover.
• Southern states such as Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia boast considerable forest cover, above 67%, exhibiting the rich biodiversity of these regions.
• At the other end of the spectrum, states like North Dakota (1.72%), Nebraska (3.20%) and South Dakota (3.93%) have the least forest cover in the country as prairies and farmland prevalent in these regions dominate the landscape.
• Intriguingly, some states known for their iconic wilderness, like Alaska and Montana, fall in the medium to low-range of forest coverage, with 35.16% and 27.45%, respectively.