diff --git a/src/components/Farmhand/Farmhand.js b/src/components/Farmhand/Farmhand.js
index f769d6060..5859e00ac 100644
--- a/src/components/Farmhand/Farmhand.js
+++ b/src/components/Farmhand/Farmhand.js
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@ import {
   STANDARD_LOAN_AMOUNT,
   Z_INDEX,
   STANDARD_VIEW_LIST,
-  UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL,
 } from '../../constants'
 import {
   HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_PERIOD,
@@ -293,6 +292,8 @@ const applyPriceEvents = (valueAdjustments, priceCrashes, priceSurges) => {
  * @property {boolean} showHomeScreen Option to show the Home Screen
  * @property {boolean} showNotifications
  * @property {farmhand.stageFocusType} stageFocus
+ * @property {Object} stagesUnlocked Keys are stageFocusType, values are booleans
+ * indicating if the stage has been unlocked
  * @property {Array.<farmhand.notification>} todaysNotifications
  * @property {number} todaysLosses Should always be a negative number.
  * @property {Object} todaysPurchases Keys are item names, values are their
@@ -420,7 +421,7 @@ export default class Farmhand extends FarmhandReducers {
   }
 
   get isForestUnlocked() {
-    return levelAchieved(this.state.experience) >= UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL
+    return this.state.stagesUnlocked[stageFocusType.FOREST]
   }
 
   /**
@@ -511,6 +512,9 @@ export default class Farmhand extends FarmhandReducers {
       showHomeScreen: true,
       showNotifications: true,
       stageFocus: stageFocusType.HOME,
+      stagesUnlocked: {
+        [stageFocusType.FOREST]: false,
+      },
       todaysNotifications: [],
       todaysLosses: 0,
       todaysPurchases: {},
diff --git a/src/components/Shop/Shop.js b/src/components/Shop/Shop.js
index b0e25deca..02a59dcd8 100644
--- a/src/components/Shop/Shop.js
+++ b/src/components/Shop/Shop.js
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import Typography from '@mui/material/Typography'
 import FarmhandContext from '../Farmhand/Farmhand.context'
 import { features } from '../../config'
 import { moneyString } from '../../utils/moneyString'
-import { levelAchieved } from '../../utils/levelAchieved'
 import {
   dollarString,
   getCostOfNextStorageExpansion,
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../utils'
 import { memoize } from '../../utils/memoize'
 import { items } from '../../img'
-import { itemType, toolType } from '../../enums'
+import { itemType, stageFocusType, toolType } from '../../enums'
 import {
   INFINITE_STORAGE_LIMIT,
   PURCHASEABLE_CELLARS,
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ import {
   PURCHASABLE_FOREST_SIZES,
   PURCHASEABLE_SMELTERS,
   STORAGE_EXPANSION_AMOUNT,
-  UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL,
 } from '../../constants'
 import Inventory from '../Inventory'
 import TierPurchase from '../TierPurchase'
@@ -77,6 +75,7 @@ export const Shop = ({
   purchasedForest,
   purchasedSmelter,
   shopInventory,
+  stagesUnlocked,
   toolLevels,
 
   storageUpgradeCost = getCostOfNextStorageExpansion(inventoryLimit),
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ export const Shop = ({
 
   const { seeds, fieldTools } = categorizeShopInventory(shopInventory)
 
-  const isForestUnlocked = levelAchieved(experience) >= UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL
+  const isForestUnlocked = stagesUnlocked[stageFocusType.FOREST]
 
   return (
     <div className="Shop">
diff --git a/src/constants.js b/src/constants.js
index f326f943f..07c9c71b3 100644
--- a/src/constants.js
+++ b/src/constants.js
@@ -313,5 +313,3 @@ export const STANDARD_VIEW_LIST = [stageFocusType.SHOP, stageFocusType.FIELD]
 export const Z_INDEX = {
   END_DAY_BUTTON: 1100,
 }
-
-export const UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL = 15
diff --git a/src/data/levels.js b/src/data/levels.js
index 30708053d..7d70cd10a 100644
--- a/src/data/levels.js
+++ b/src/data/levels.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { toolType } from '../enums'
+import { stageFocusType, toolType } from '../enums'
 
 import * as items from './items'
 import * as recipes from './recipes'
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ levels[14] = {
   unlocksShopItem: items.potatoSeed.id,
 }
 
+levels[15] = {
+  unlocksStageFocusType: stageFocusType.FOREST,
+}
+
 levels[16] = {
   unlocksShopItem: items.onionSeed.id,
 }
diff --git a/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.js b/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.js
index cc2442ad4..cb3db7c5d 100644
--- a/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.js
+++ b/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.js
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ import { levelAchieved } from '../../utils/levelAchieved'
 import {
   getRandomLevelUpReward,
   getRandomLevelUpRewardQuantity,
+  unlockStage,
   unlockTool,
 } from '../../utils'
 import { getLevelEntitlements } from '../../utils/getLevelEntitlements'
-import { SPRINKLER_ITEM_ID, UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL } from '../../constants'
+import { SPRINKLER_ITEM_ID } from '../../constants'
+import { stageFocusType } from '../../enums'
 import { LEVEL_GAINED_NOTIFICATION } from '../../templates'
 import { FOREST_AVAILABLE_NOTIFICATION } from '../../strings'
 
@@ -36,8 +38,18 @@ export const processLevelUp = (state, oldLevel) => {
         getRandomLevelUpRewardQuantity(i),
         true
       )
-    } else if (levelObject && levelObject.unlocksTool) {
+    } else if (levelObject?.unlocksTool) {
       state.toolLevels = unlockTool(state.toolLevels, levelObject.unlocksTool)
+    } else if (levelObject?.unlocksStageFocusType) {
+      state = unlockStage(state, levelObject.unlocksStageFocusType)
+
+      if (levelObject.unlocksStageFocusType === stageFocusType.FOREST) {
+        state = showNotification(
+          state,
+          FOREST_AVAILABLE_NOTIFICATION,
+          'success'
+        )
+      }
     }
     // This handles an edge case where the player levels up to level that
     // unlocks greater sprinkler range, but the sprinkler item is already
@@ -62,10 +74,6 @@ export const processLevelUp = (state, oldLevel) => {
       LEVEL_GAINED_NOTIFICATION`${i}${randomCropSeed}`,
       'success'
     )
-
-    if (i === UNLOCK_FOREST_LEVEL) {
-      state = showNotification(state, FOREST_AVAILABLE_NOTIFICATION, 'success')
-    }
   }
 
   return state
diff --git a/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.test.js b/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.test.js
index 07e38205e..f6d9fa409 100644
--- a/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.test.js
+++ b/src/game-logic/reducers/processLevelUp.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { LEVEL_GAINED_NOTIFICATION } from '../../templates'
-import { toolLevel } from '../../enums'
+import { stageFocusType, toolLevel } from '../../enums'
 import { experienceNeededForLevel } from '../../utils'
 
 jest.mock('../../data/achievements')
@@ -103,4 +103,33 @@ describe('processLevelUp', () => {
 
     expect(newState.toolLevels['SHOVEL']).toEqual(toolLevel.DEFAULT)
   })
+
+  test('unlocksStageFocusType marks stage as unlocked', () => {
+    jest.resetModules()
+    jest.mock('../../data/levels', () => ({
+      levels: [
+        {
+          id: 0,
+        },
+        {
+          id: 1,
+          unlocksStageFocusType: 'FOREST',
+        },
+      ],
+      itemUnlockLevels: {},
+    }))
+    const newState = jest.requireActual('./').processLevelUp(
+      {
+        itemsSold: {},
+        inventory: [],
+        todaysNotifications: [],
+        stagesUnlocked: {
+          [stageFocusType.FOREST]: false,
+        },
+      },
+      0
+    )
+
+    expect(newState.stagesUnlocked[stageFocusType.FOREST]).toEqual(true)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/game-logic/reducers/purchaseForest.test.js b/src/game-logic/reducers/purchaseForest.test.js
index 947490e9b..0905246ae 100644
--- a/src/game-logic/reducers/purchaseForest.test.js
+++ b/src/game-logic/reducers/purchaseForest.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { testCrop } from '../../test-utils'
 import { EXPERIENCE_VALUES, PURCHASABLE_FOREST_SIZES } from '../../constants'
 import { FOREST_AVAILABLE_NOTIFICATION } from '../../strings'
 
diff --git a/src/game-logic/reducers/sellItem.js b/src/game-logic/reducers/sellItem.js
index 6067f1c97..2d91a1ece 100644
--- a/src/game-logic/reducers/sellItem.js
+++ b/src/game-logic/reducers/sellItem.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { itemsMap } from '../../data/maps'
 import { isItemAFarmProduct } from '../../utils/isItemAFarmProduct'
-import { levelAchieved } from '../../utils/levelAchieved'
+//import { levelAchieved } from '../../utils/levelAchieved'
 import {
   castToMoney,
   getAdjustedItemValue,
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { LOAN_GARNISHMENT_RATE, EXPERIENCE_VALUES } from '../../constants'
 import { SOLD_ITEM_PEER_NOTIFICATION } from '../../templates'
 
 import { decrementItemFromInventory } from './decrementItemFromInventory'
-import { processLevelUp } from './processLevelUp'
+//import { processLevelUp } from './processLevelUp'
 import { addExperience } from './addExperience'
 import { addRevenue } from './addRevenue'
 import { updateLearnedRecipes } from './updateLearnedRecipes'
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ export const sellItem = (state, { id }, howMany = 1) => {
   const item = itemsMap[id]
   const {
     completedAchievements,
-    experience,
+    //  experience,
     itemsSold,
     money: initialMoney,
     valueAdjustments,
   } = state
-  const oldLevel = levelAchieved(experience)
+  //const oldLevel = levelAchieved(experience)
   let { loanBalance } = state
 
   const adjustedItemValue = isItemSoldInShop(item)
@@ -93,7 +93,10 @@ export const sellItem = (state, { id }, howMany = 1) => {
     itemsSold: newItemsSold,
   }
 
-  state = processLevelUp(state, oldLevel)
+  // this processLevelUp call actually doesn't have to happen because addExperience
+  // will call it and this results in double processing. although it doesn't cause
+  // any negative side effects, we could remove it.. eh?
+  //state = processLevelUp(state, oldLevel)
   state = decrementItemFromInventory(state, id, howMany)
 
   state = prependPendingPeerMessage(
diff --git a/src/utils/index.js b/src/utils/index.js
index 02f93cc74..54645d39e 100644
--- a/src/utils/index.js
+++ b/src/utils/index.js
@@ -984,6 +984,21 @@ export const unlockTool = (currentToolLevels, toolType) => {
   return currentToolLevels
 }
 
+/*
+ * @param {farmhand.state} state
+ * @param {farmhand.stageFocusType} stageType
+ * @return {farmhand.state}
+ */
+export const unlockStage = (state, stageType) => {
+  return {
+    ...state,
+    stagesUnlocked: {
+      ...state.stagesUnlocked,
+      [stageType]: true,
+    },
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * @param {farmhand.state} state
  * @return {farmhand.state}