Meet
The U.S. Forest Service
“Caring for the Land and Serving
People”
Introduction to the Forest Service
USFS:
 Manages public lands in national forests and
grasslands.
 Largest forestry research
 Provides technical and financial assistance
to State and private forestry agencies.
Establishment of USFS
Congress established USFS in 1905.
 Management of national forests for:
 Benefits and multiple uses
 Sustained yield of renewable resource
National Forests:
America’s Great Outdoors
Size of National Forests
= Size of Texas
Opportunities for
recreation:
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Backpacking
Challenging trails
Enjoying the views
Fishing
“Caring for the Land
and Serving People”
USFS managers:
USFS mission:
 Help people share and enjoy
the forest
 Conserve the environment.
 Protection &
management locally
and internationally
 Research
USFS Offices:
Ranger District
 First point of contact with
USFS.
 >600 ranger districts
 50,000 acres < District
size < 1 million acres
 Activities include:
• trail construction
• campground operation
• habitat management
USFS Offices:
National Forest
 155 National Forests & 20
grasslands
 Several ranger districts
 Forest supervisor is head;
 Activities include:
• District activities
• Budget allocation
• District technical support
USFS Offices:
Region
 The 9 regions include
several states.
 Regional forester is
head.
 Activities include:
• National forest
activities
• Quality operations
• Guidance for forest
plans
• Budget allocation
USFS Offices:
National Level
 A.k.a.The Washington Office
 The Chief:
• Head of USFS
• Reports to Under Secretary
for Natural Resources and
Environment in the USDA.
 Activities include:
• Policy & agency direction
• Budget development with
White House
• Monitors agency activities
The National Forest System
 USFS manages National
Forest System.
 National Forest System:
44 states, Puerto Rico, &
the Virgin Islands
 U.S. greatest assets:
natural resources in these
areas
National Forest System: Budget
 The appropriated
budget:
$4.8 billion for the
2006 fiscal year.
USFS Research & Development
 Seven research stations
 Two quasi-stations
 Provides:
 scientific & technical knowledge
 Conducted through:
 Forest & range experimentation
stations
 Forest Products Laboratory
Research & Development
 Major research topics:
 Inventory & monitoring of
lands
 Forest health protection
 Management research
 Ecology
 Social science
 2200 employees:
 550 scientists
 80% of these scientists
have doctorate degrees.
State & Private Forestry
 USFS cooperates with:
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State and local governments
Forest industries
Private landowners
Forest users
 The objectives:
 Manage, protect, & develop
non-Federal forest land
 Activities include:
 Urban interface fire
management
 Urban forestry
State & Private Forestry
 Forest Health Management
 Cooperative Fire Protection
 Cooperative Forestry
Administration
USFS provides:
 Leadership
 Agency business means
 Cooperation with human
resource programs:
• Americorps
• Job Corps
• Senior Community
Service Employment
Program
• Volunteer program
USFS:
 Hires & trains
employees
 Evaluates & promotes
 Hires contractors
 Acquires office space,
equipment, & supplies
 Acquires, supports, and
maintains technology
International Programs
 USFS
globally
links
people and communities
 IP strives to protect and
manage the world’s forest.
 IP works with:
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USAID
USDS
EPA
Non-profit organizations
universities
Final Thoughts on USFS
 USFS has 30,000 diverse
employees.
 Numbers rise in the summer.
 Vast opportunities for:
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students
senior citizens
international visitors
interested volunteers.
How to Contact USFS
 “Guide to Your National
Forests” for listings
 Visit USFS on the web
(http://www.fs.fed.us)