THIS IS WHO

WE 

ARE

Values based. 

Purpose driven. 

Relationship focused.

Forest Service FS-1124a March 2019
OUR MISSION:

To sustain the health, diversity, 

and productivity of the Nation’s 

forests and grasslands to meet 

the needs of present and future 

generations.

For more than 100 years, the Forest 

Service has brought people and 

communities together to answer the 

call of conservation. 

Grounded in world-class science and technology–

and rooted in communities–the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service connects people to 

nature and to each other. As a Federal agency in service 

to the American people, the Forest Service cares for 

shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting 

economic, ecological, and social vitality. In doing 

this, the agency supports nature in sustaining life.

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As the workforce of the Forest Service, we are the living 

embodiment of the agency and everything it stands for. 

When our agency’s PURPOSE serves as our North Star, when 

we focus on building strong RELATIONSHIPS with people and 

communities, and when we base everything we do on our 

agency’s shared VALUES, we bring our agency’s mission to life. 

This guide is designed to help us to be values based, 

purpose driven, and relationship focused. It has been 

built with significant input from thousands of people 

across our agency’s workforce and from hundreds of 

partners and people representing diverse communities 

across the country. Their insight underscored what 

has always made us unique in the contributions we 

make to the people, the communities–including State, 

Tribal and local partners, and the country we serve. 

Our agency’s purpose and values are at the heart 

of this guide, along with guidance on how we can 

build relationships that are essential to being a 

good neighbor and advancing our mission. It can 

help each of us “show up”–both with our colleagues 

and out in the communities we serve–in ways that 

authentically and effectively reflect who we are.

In short, this guide is about 

WHO WE ARE.

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OUR PURPOSE 

AND VALUE

Why we do what we do

Our agency was created on the 

principle of managing the Nation’s 

natural resources “for the greatest 

good, for the greatest number, for the 

longest time.”

In the decades leading up to the 1905 founding of the Forest 

Service, rapid expansion in a Nation rich in natural resources 

was putting the sustainability of those resources at risk. The 

job of Forest Service employees in those days was clear–to 

provide quality water and timber for the Nation and protect 

local residents’ access to forest resources. 

Today, our job as employees is still to provide resources and 

protect access to them, but our country and our world have 

changed since 1905. America’s population and the demand 

placed on its natural resources have grown. Forest and 

environmental science has evolved and become more robust 

and specific. Threats to natural resources–and our expertise 

in addressing them–have increased. 

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Yet, while much has changed, our 

AGENCY’S MISSION remains relevant.

MISSION

Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity 

of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet 

the needs of present and future generations.

MOTTO

Caring for the Land and Serving People

At the heart of our agency’s mission is OUR 

PURPOSE–the ultimate answer to why we do what 

we do. Everything we do–across our broad and 

diverse agency–is intended to help sustain forests 

and grasslands for present and future generations. 

Why? Because our stewardship work SUPPORTS 

NATURE IN SUSTAINING LIFE. This is the purpose that 

drives our agency’s mission and motivates our 

work across the agency. It’s been there from our 

agency’s very beginning, and it still drives us. 

To advance our mission and serve our purpose, 

WE BALANCE THE SHORT– AND LONG–TERM NEEDS OF 

PEOPLE AND NATURE by—

» Working in COLLABORATION with 

communities and our partners;

» Delivering world-class SCIENCE, 

TECHNOLOGY, AND LAND MANAGEMENT;

» Providing access to resources and 

experiences that promote ECONOMIC, 

ECOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL VITALITY; and

» CONNECTING PEOPLE to the 

land and one another.

This is our VALUE: what the Forest Service uniquely 

has to offer. 

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OUR 

AGENCY’S 

VALUES

What we believe

As employees of the Forest Service, 

each of us has a set of personal values 

that defines who we are and how we 

act. We also have shared core values 

that define our agency.

Our agency’s values reflect the proud heritage of 

the Forest Service, expressed in the language of 

today’s workforce.

These values are not just “ours;” they are often shared by 

the people and communities we serve. They connect us to 

what people outside the agency also care about and can 

be powerful starting points for spurring dialogue, finding 

common ground, and building enduring relationships.

Our Forest Service values are (and should be) evident in 

everything we do and how we do it. By themselves, they 

don’t tell us the solution to a problem. They guide us, 

telling us what to consider. In so doing, we advance our 

agency’s mission in ways that allow us to stay true to who 

we are and what we believe. 

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AS EMPLOYEES OF THE FOREST 

SERVICE, WE BELIEVE IN

SERVICE. 

To each other. To the American 

people. To the planet.

INTERDEPENDENCE. 

Of all things. People and nature. Communities 

and colleagues. The past, present, and future.

CONSERVATION. 

Protection when necessary. Preservation 

when appropriate. Restoration, when 

needed, and wise management for 

multiple use and enjoyment always.

DIVERSITY. 

People and cultures. Perspectives and 

ideas. Experiences and ecosystems.

SAFETY. 

In every way: physical, 

psychological, and social.

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OUR AGENCY’S 

VOICE

How we are experienced

Organizations, like people, have 

personalities all their own.

We experience people not just through their actions, but 

also through the personality they embody while engaged 

in those actions. The neighbor who greets you with a 

cheery “hello” whenever she sees you. The colleague 

who senses that you’re stressed and asks discreetly how 

he can help. It’s not just what they’re doing, but how. 

And it tells you something about who these people are 

and what they value. 

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The same is true of organizations. The organization’s 

actions–both what it does and how it does it–often 

speak louder than words. 

That’s true of the Forest Service, as well. As employees, 

our voice reflects what’s important to the agency, 

provides clues to its values, and sets the stage for 

how others experience the agency. 

WE ARE 

EXPERIENCED 

AS

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CARING

RESPECTFUL

INCLUSIVE

CURIOUS

RESPONSIVE

TRUSTWORTHY
THE STORY OF 

CONSERVATION

And our place in it

Conservation depends on all of us 

doing our part. 

Being a good neighbor and building relationships with 

the people and communities we serve as employees 

of the Forest Service is most effective when we can 

explain what we do in the context of what they care 

about. As we engage with people all over the country, 

we hear time and again that they care about nature 

and recognize the many ways in which it serves their 

needs and enriches their lives. 

We hear some consistency in how people in communities 

across the Nation define conservation, but we hear much 

less clarity in how they describe what the Forest Service 

does and why. Even among the people and partners who 

know the agency well, there is often little understanding 

about the breadth and depth of the agency’s work beyond 

their own particular area of interest. That means we have 

a real opportunity to tell our story about what we do in 

the context of what they care about. 

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Ultimately, this story is a contemporary articulation of 

what Gifford Pinchot wrote more than a century ago, 

told in a way that resonates with people in today’s 

world. It anchors to what we hear people say they

care about–nature–and why it matters to them.

NATURE MATTERS...

Whether it’s a forest, a family farm, or a tree on the corner, 

we are drawn to nature, and nature is part of all of us. It 

connects us to each other and to the bigger world around us.

...AND, NATURE PROVIDES.

Our country’s natural resources have always been a source 

of strength, enjoyment, and pride. Every living thing relies 

on nature. But our natural resources are not unlimited, 

and they face significant challenges that affect all of us.

WE CAN MAKE IT LAST FOR 

EVERYONE IN THE LONG RUN... 

It’s important to take care of our shared natural resources 

by using, protecting, and restoring them today to ensure 

they’ll still be here to provide for tomorrow. That’s what 

conservation is all about.

...IF WE TAKE CARE OF IT TOGETHER.

Conservation depends on all of us seeing and doing our part. 

It’s about diverse groups of people coming together, learning 

from each other, and finding common ground. Together, 

we can take care of nature as nature takes care of us.

OUR PLACE IN THE STORY OF CONSERVATION

For more than 100 years, the Forest Service has 

brought people and communities together to answer 

the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class 

science and technology–and rooted in communities–

the Forest Service connects people to nature and 

each other. As a Federal agency in service to the 

American people, the Forest Service cares for shared 

natural resources in ways that promote lasting 

economic, ecological, and social vitality. In doing 

this, the agency supports nature in sustaining life.

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OUR DYNAMIC 

TENSIONS

Inherent assets to leverage in 

pursuit of our agency’s mission

Woven through the culture of the 

Forest Service is a set of dynamic 

tensions that make the agency unique.

Each set of tensions represents different “ways of 

being” that complement other, equally valuable, 

ways of being. Neither is “good” or “bad,” and both 

exist for logical reasons. These tensions energize our 

thinking as employees and open new possibilities for 

adaptation and innovation.

The more we notice and understand these dynamic 

tensions–and rely on the foundation of our values to 

balance them–the more they can serve as assets, helping 

to harness the power of our culture and our workforce to 

advance the agency’s mission. 

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DYNAMIC TENSIONS

LAND/PEOPLE

We recognize that people and nature are 

inseparable and highly interdependent. We help 

people and communities live off the land in 

ways that improve the health of the land. 

DOING/BEING

We get the job done. But people also align with us 

because of who we are. How we “show up,” as reflected 

in our agency’s character or “voice” and manifested in our 

Leader’s Stance and Habits, affects how we cultivate and 

nurture the relationships that make our work possible. 

CENTRALIZED/AUTONOMOUS

The Forest Service is unique in having a centralized 

global mission, as well as systems and supports 

that create reliability and consistency across the 

agency. Our culture also empowers individuals to 

make choices and decisions based on what they know 

about the places and communities in their care.

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DYNAMIC TENSIONS

WORLDVIEW/ROOTED IN COMMUNITY

People expect us to be embedded and invested in their 

communities with an understanding of their needs 

and concerns. At the same time, they appreciate our 

big-picture perspective, which is informed by our 

experience across the country and around the world.

HUMBLE/EXPERT

We make unparalleled contributions to the 

advancement of ecological science and education. 

But we don’t know everything, and we don’t have 

all the answers. When we are humble in bringing 

our experience and expertise to the table, we 

invite–and are able to consider and celebrate–the 

perspective, expertise, and experience of others. 

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STANCE AND 

HABITS

Being a leader in 

everything we do

Every one of us is a leader.

In the course of a day, a week, or a year (or a career!), as 

Forest Service employees, we often play different roles. 

Some of us take on formal leadership responsibilities. 

Others lead on a specific project or for a particular 

meeting. Still others lead by example and strength of 

character, regardless of their job title.

In the early days of the Forest Service, leadership was 

guided by the maxims of our agency’s founder, Gifford 

Pinchot. Today, we have a contemporary expression 

of what it means to be a leader, in terms of both the 

qualities that leaders bring to the table (their “stance”) 

and the behaviors they embrace and model in their 

everyday work (their “habits”). 

Observing where leaders within the agency are 

most effective and successful helped identify these 

qualities and habits.

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L

EADER'S STANCE

A leader in the Forest Service—

STEWARDS THE WHOLE PLACE

by recognizing that the whole is always more than 

the sum of its parts and that the higher purpose of 

the agency transcends any one part or program.

SEES OPPORTUNITY 

in everything, imagining what the Forest Service “can 

be” as much as what it “can do” and recognizing 

that the experiences and relationships we create 

are as important as what we accomplish. SHARES LEADERSHIP

by striving to strike the right balance between 

exhibiting courageous leadership and actively 

listening for where and how to grow other 

leaders inside and outside the agency. 

BUILDS COMMUNITY

by being inclusive, welcoming new voices and 

diverse perspectives into the conversation, and 

creating an environment where everyone feels 

cared for, is treated equitably, and is valued. 

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LEADER’S HABITS

COMMUNICATE THE BIG WHY

Tell a purposeful story that connects to people’s values 

(what they stand for, their dreams) and put our actions in 

the larger context of why the Forest Service’s mission and 

values cause us to take a stand. In other words, convey 

with context and transparency why we do something. 

FIND THE “MISSING MIDDLE”

Find new people to talk to and ask them what 

we’re missing in order to obtain fresh perspectives. 

Learn what others know and get beyond polarized 

conversation. Reaching and serving more of our public 

creates opportunities for solutions that draw more 

people into conservation. 

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LEADER’S HABITS

NURTURE THE RELATIONSHIP LOOP 

Invest in relationships, both to get work done and to 

do it in a way that improves people’s lives. Get to know 

people (their values, history, needs, resources, etc.) as a 

core approach to shape our programs and do our work. 

EXPLORE, INTERCONNECT, EXPRESS

Be a curious learner who begins dialogue by asking 

rather than telling. Explore what matters to the 

people and communities you seek to engage. Help 

people interconnect what they care about with 

what nature provides.

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EXPLORE, INTERCONNECT, 

AND EXPRESS

Engaging in dialogue about 

conservation

Dialogue grounded in shared values is central to 

the achievement of the Forest Service mission.

Talk might be cheap, as the old saying goes, but dialogue 

represents an investment. Dialogue is a conversation 

between people that is grounded in mutual respect 

and reflects their deeply held values. It involves 

connecting with other people and understanding 

where they’re coming from, what they care about, and 

why. So, listening is a key ingredient in dialogue. 

When we as Forest Service employees engage in dialogue 

grounded in our shared agency values—and reflecting our 

agency’s voice—we create and sustain the relationships 

we need to be our best selves and do our best work. 

Dialogue can happen in any setting: across a kitchen or 

conference table, on a street corner, or on a hiking trail. 

EXPLORE

GREATEST NEEDS OF PEOPLE 

AND PLACES

What matters to you and 

your community?

INTERCONNECT

NATURE CONNECTS WITH WHAT 

MATTERS TO PEOPLE

In what ways does nature provide 

something that you value? 

How does this connect to what 

matters to you?

EXPRESS

HOW WE ARE EXPERIENCED

How would we at the Forest 

Service need to “show up” in a way 

that connects with your values and 

welcomes you to engage with us.

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CODE AND 

COMMITMENTS

How we build trust

Trust is central to the Forest Service 

mission to sustain the health, diversity, 

and productivity of the Nation’s forests 

and grasslands to meet the needs of 

present and future generations. 

As employees of the Forest Service, we must be trusted 

to “do right” in how we treat each other as colleagues 

and how we engage with the people and communities we 

serve. When we do, we increase trust and inspire others to 

engage with us in caring for the land and serving people.

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OUR 

CODE 

is grounded in 

OUR

CORE VALUES

and we live them by:

TREATING EVERYONE WITH RESPECT.

EMPOWERING ONE ANOTHER.

INVESTING IN RELATIONSHIPS.

MODELING INTEGRITY.

PROTECTING ONE ANOTHER.

LEARNING FROM MISTAKES.

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OUR 

UNIFORM

Wearing it well

When we put on the Forest Service 

uniform as agency employees, we 

represent something bigger than 

ourselves. 

By wearing the uniform, we represent the agency’s rich 

heritage of conservation and the USDA’s legacy of–and 

commitment to–service. And while many of the reasons 

we wear the uniform are deeply personal–and inspire 

both pride and confidence–we also wear the uniform to 

advance the agency’s mission. 

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WHEN TO WEAR THE UNIFORM

The Forest Service uniform is a symbol 

of our agency’s core values: » Wearing the uniform is a reminder to others–

and to ourselves–of the proud tradition of 

public SERVICE of which we are part. 

» When we wear the uniform, we invite others to 

engage and learn with us, reflecting our recognition 

of the INTERDEPENDENCE at the heart of our 

collaborative efforts to steward the whole. 

» The Forest Service uniform has always been–and 

always will be–a symbol, inviting people to join 

us in answering the call of CONSERVATION. 

» When others see the diversity of people who 

wear the same Forest Service uniform, they see a 

reflection of our respect for DIVERSITY in all things.

» Our uniform can be a trusted beacon to help 

ensure the SAFETY of those who engage with and 

rely on our national forests and grasslands.

BECOMING MORE VISIBLE IS THE FIRST STEP IN 

ENGAGING PEOPLE AS PARTNERS IN STEWARDING 

THE WHOLE, FOR THE BENEFIT OF US ALL. 

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PHOTO CAPTIONS & CREDITS

Front Cover: Employees at the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 2-3: A group of four examines algae at a lake shore. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 5: 1. A group of smiling employees in Forest Service polo uniform shirts. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. A uniformed employee bends down to show a 

flower on a guided hike. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 6-7: A uniformed Forest Service employee follows a group on a guided hike. 

Credit: Darrah Isaacson, USDA Forest Service.

Page 8: 1. A uniformed Forest Service employee measures a tree. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. An historic photo of a uniformed 

Forest Service employee measuring a tree. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 10-11: Two uniformed Forest Service employees carry supplies and materials 

for a trail project. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 13: 1. Male sage grouse standing in the snow. Credit: iStockphotos.com. 

2. Young boy drinking from a public drinking fountain. Credit: iStockphotos.com. 

3. Volunteers install a wilderness trail sign. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 14-15: A uniformed Forest Service employee talks to two visitors at an 

overlook. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 16: 1. A uniformed Forest Service employee in a yellow hardhat works with 

a trail volunteer. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. A uniformed employee leads a 

group of youth on a hike. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 3. Two uniformed Forest 

Service employees smile in the rain at the cutting of the 2018 U.S. Capitol 

Christmas Tree on the Willamette National Forest. Credit: Kevin Beasley, USDA 

Forest Service. 

Page 18-19: An employee plants a small conifer tree in freshly dug soil. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 21: 1. Two employees help youth plant native plants in a newly opened 

Children’s Garden. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. An historic photo of a 

Forest Service employee displaying the trunk of a small tree to two men. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 22-23: Snow capped Mt. Hood stands in the background of an old wooden 

barn and fields of grain. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 25: 1. A young child smiles while dressed up in USDA Forest Service fire 

gear. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. Fire crew monitor a prescribed burn. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 27: 1. A man in camouflage looks through binoculars. Credit: USDA Forest 

Service. 2. Two Forest Service employees show a map to a visitor on the side of a 

vehicle. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 28-29: A uniformed Forest Service employee helps a young girl thread a 

fishing line. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 30: 1. A uniformed Forest Service employee engaging in dialogue with the 

community at a picnic area. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. A uniformed Forest 

Service employee speaks with a community member at a public meeting. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 35 & 37: 1. Three uniformed Forest Service employees carrying flags ride 

in a town parade. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. A uniformed Forest Service 

employee bends down to examine a mossy rock near a stream. Credit: USDA 

Forest Service. 3. A uniformed Forest Service employee shows a map to two 

visitors. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 38-39: A uniformed Forest Service employee points out something in the 

distance to a group of youth on a guided hike. Credit: USDA Forest Service.

Page 41: 1. Two Forest Service employees talk outside a vehicle. Credit: USDA 

Forest Service. 2. A uniformed employee sits on a rock wall talking to a man 

on an accessible trail. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 3. Three smiling uniformed 

employees pose for a selfie. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 42-43: A uniformed Forest Service wilderness ranger with a large backpack 

smiles at an overlook. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 

Page 45: 1. A uniformed Forest Service employee engaging with a member of 

the public at an outdoor event. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2. A uniformed 

Forest Service employee in hardhat examines a tree. Credit: USDA Forest 

Service. 3. A group of four employees staffs a table at a community event. 

Credit: USDA Forest Service.

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THIS IS WHO WE ARE

USDA FOREST SERVICE

EXPANDED CONTENT COMING SOON! 

Check fs.fed.us/about-agency/this-is-who-we-are

frequently for updates and information. 

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