25. Georgia
> Land owned by federal gov’t: 5.2%
> Federal land in state: 1.9 million acres (21st most)
> Agency owning most land: Forest Service (867,580 acres)
> Federal employment as pct. of workforce: 2.2% (15th highest)
As is the case with many other states in the southeastern U.S, the Forest Services controls the largest share of federal land in Georgia — nearly 868,000 acres. The state is home to the Savannah River Site, the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests, as well as large portions of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.
Due to the presence of several large Army bases, including Fort Benning and Fort Stewart, the Department of Defense also owns over half a million acres of land in Georgia.
24. Wisconsin
> Land owned by federal gov’t: 5.3%
> Federal land in state: 1.9 million acres (22nd most)
> Agency owning most land: Forest Service (1.5 million acres)
> Federal employment as pct. of workforce: 1.0% (the lowest)
Over 80% of the 1.9 million federally-owned acres in Wisconsin are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, which controls the 1.5 million acre Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Between 1990 and 2018, the total federal land area in the state fell by 6.4%, or over 126,000 acres, by either measure one of the largest declines of any state over that period.
23. South Dakota
> Land owned by federal gov’t: 5.4%
> Federal land in state: 2.6 million acres (18th most)
> Agency owning most land: Forest Service (2.0 million acres)
> Federal employment as pct. of workforce: 2.6% (11th highest)
The U.S. Forest Service manages three-quarters of South Dakota’s federal land, with most of that land located in the southwest part of the state. The agency manages several national grasslands and national forests, including the Black Hills National Forest, within which is the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
22. Minnesota
> Land owned by federal gov’t: 6.8%
> Federal land in state: 3.5 million acres (15th most)
> Agency owning most land: Forest Service (2.8 million acres)
> Federal employment as pct. of workforce: 1.1% (3rd lowest)
The majority of Minnesota’s 3.5 million acres of federal land are owned by the Forest Service, primarily in the northeastern part of the state, along the border with Canada and Lake Superior.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is also in charge of over half a million acres, accounting for 14.7% of Minnesota’s federal land. Minnesota is one of just two states in which the Department of Defense controls 2,000 or fewer acres of land.
21. West Virginia
> Land owned by federal gov’t: 7.4%
> Federal land in state: 1.1 million acres (23rd least)
> Agency owning most land: Forest Service (1.0 million acres)
> Federal employment as pct. of workforce: 3.3% (6th highest)
The federal government owns 7.4% of land in West Virginia. The vast majority of 1.1 million acres of federal land in the state are controlled by the U.S. Forest Service, which manages the Monongahela National Forest. The National Park Service is the second largest federal landholder in the state, controlling 65,554 acres. The Bluestone National Scenic River, the National Coal Heritage Area, and the Wheeling National Heritage Area, among others, all fall under the purview of the NPS in West Virginia.
