The U.S. Forest Service -

An Overview

Since the printing of this document, Thomas Tidwell has 

become the 17th Chief of the USDA Forest Service. 

Tom Tidwell grew up in Boise, Idaho, and graduated from Washington State 

University. He has spent 32 years with the Forest Service in a variety of positions. 

He began his Forest Service career on the Boise National Forest in fire, and has since 

worked on eight different national forests, in three regions. 

He has worked at all levels of the agency in a variety of positions, including District 

Ranger, Forest Supervisor, and Legislative Affairs Specialist in the Washington Office, 

where he worked on the planning rule, the 2001 roadless rule and the Secure Rural 

Schools County Payments Act. 

Tom served as the Deputy Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region with 

primary responsibility for fire and aviation management, recreation, engineering, 

state and private forestry and tribal relations. Under Tom’s leadership, there was a 

significant increase in the Region’s effectiveness to reduce hazardous fuels, and 

improved cooperation with CALFIRE on wildland fire suppression. 

Prior to this assignment, Tidwell served as the Regional Forester for the Northern 

Region, with responsibility for the national forests and grasslands in northern Idaho, 

Montana, North Dakota and portions of South Dakota. As the Regional Forester, 

Tom encouraged and supported community-based collaboration to find resolution on 

how and where to use active management to restore forest health and address 

wildfire threat to communities, and to provide protection for the values of unroaded 

landscapes. 

Tom’s field experience includes working from the rural areas of Nevada and Idaho all 

the way to the urban Forests in California and the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in 

Utah, where he served as Forest Supervisor during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Tom 

has extensive fire experience, beginning as a firefighter, and accumulating nineteen 

years as an agency administrator responsible for fire suppression decisions. 

Tom is married to Kim, and they have one daughter, MacKenzie. 
Section 1: Who We Are and What We Do

Our History in Brief: Forest Service Milestones

The Chiefs: Then and Now

123

Section 2: Organization and Leadership

Executive Leadership Team

Office of the Chief

National Forest System Regional Foresters

Research and Development Station Directors and 

State and Private Forestry Area Director

 45678

Section 3: Fast Facts About the Forest Service

9

Section 4: Key Points About the Forest Service 10

Section 5: Mission and Mission Areas

Research and Development

National Forest System

State and Private Forestry

International Programs

Business Operations

Office of the Chief

12

14

15

16

17

18

19

Section 6: Strategic Program Direction 21

Section 7: The Budget 22 

Section 8: Wildfires, Forests, and Communities 24

Section 9: Growth Opportunities 28 

Section 10: Primary Authorities 30

Section 11: Appendices

Appendix A: Forest Service Locations

Appendix B: Fire Suppression

Appendix C: 110th Congress on Fire Management

Appendix D: The National Fire Plan

Appendix E: The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003

Appendix F: The 16 Chiefs of the Forest Service

Appendix G: Forest Service Employment

34

35

40

41

43

44

45

46

Contents
Forest Service Mission

Sustain the health, diversity, and 

productivity of the Nation’s forests 

and grasslands to meet the needs of 

present and future generations.
1

Section 1: Who We Are and What We Do

This report is about the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—

who we are, what we do, and what we might be in the future. As the primary forestry 

agency of the United States, the Forest Service leads our Nation in natural resource 

management.

Established in 1905, the Forest Service:

Manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands.

 Shares responsibility, working in concert with State and local agents, for the stewardship of about 500 million acres of non-Federal rural and urban forests.

 

Is the largest natural resource research organization in the world.

 

Works with partners worldwide to protect global forest resources.

Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, summed up the purpose of the 

Forest Service—“to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of 

people in the long run.” As the 16th Chief of this agency, I proudly continue in the 

same tradition of caring for the land and serving people and invite you to join us in 

this mission. 

 

Very respectfully,

ABIGAIL R. KIMBEL

Chief

Forest Service Headquarters

Yates Federal Building

14th & Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC

(adajacent to the National Mall)

For more information, go to www.fs.fed.us
2

Our History in Brief: Forest Service Milestones 

1876 The Office of Special Agent for forest research is created in the Department of 

Agriculture to assess the state of the forests in the United States.

1881 The Office of the Special Agent is expanded into the newly formed Division 

of Forestry.

 

1891 The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 authorizes withdrawing land from the public 

domain as “forest reserves,” managed by the Department of the Interior. 

1901 The Division of Forestry is renamed the Bureau of Forestry.

1905 The Transfer Act of 1905 transfers the management of forest reserves from the 

General Land Office (within the Department of the Interior) to the Bureau 

of Forestry (within the Department of Agriculture). The name of the agency 

changes to the Forest Service. 

1905 National forest management focuses on protecting lands against overgrazing, 

–1945 controlling and combating fire, protecting fish and game, and providing public 

recreation. 

1911 The Weeks Law authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase cutover, 

denuded, and other forested lands for flood and fire control. This new 

authority led to the expansion of National Forests in the Eastern United 

States and the protection and restoration of millions of acres of land.

1944 The Forest Service begins a campaign stating “Only YOU can prevent forest 

fires” using a fire-injured bear as a symbol to be careful. Today, “Smokey Bear” 

is one of the most widely recognized icons in America. 

1946 National forests experience increased demand on forest resources, especially 

–1960 timber and recreation. 

1960 In response to shifting public values, the Forest Service shifts focus to 

–1980 managing land as integrated systems, instead of individual resources.

1989 The Chief ’s New Perspectives initiative stresses ecosystem management and 

sustainability and is aimed to place timber management in line with other 

forest values including biodiversity, water quality, and recreation.

2001 The National Fire Plan is created to address the buildup of fuels 

unintentionally caused by decades of fire suppression, climate change, and 

developments adjacent to forests.

Forest Service scientist 

George B. Sudworth—

author of the classic 

authority Checklist 

of Forest Trees of the 

United States—in the 

Sierra Forest Reserve, 

California, 1901.

Dedication of Mather 

Memorial Parkway 

on the Snoqualmie 

National Forest, 

Washington, 1955.

For Further Reference: General background on the Forest Service

http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/meetfs.shtml
3

The Chiefs: Then and Now 

Gifford Pinchot: 1st Chief of the Forest Service, 1905-1910 

Under President Theodore Roosevelt the management of the forest 

reserves was transferred from the Department of the Interior to the 

Department of Agriculture and the newly created Forest Service in 

1905. Gifford Pinchot became the Chief of the new agency. He had a 

strong hand in guiding the fledgling organization toward the utilitarian 

philosophy of the "greatest good for the greatest number in the long 

run." Gifford Pinchot is generally regarded as the "father" of American 

forestry and conservation because of his great and unrelenting concern 

for the protection of the American forests. 

Abigail R. Kimbell: 16th Chief of the Forest Service, 

2007-Present

“...My priorities start and stop with what I can do to facilitate restoration 

of healthy forests. We have to manage for the health of the whole 

landscape—for clean water, for wildlife habitat, for healthy vegetation, 

for recreation.” Chief Kimbell grew up in New England, where she spent 

her formative years hiking, fishing, and camping on the White Mountain 

National Forest. Before her appointment as Chief in January 2007, she 

held a variety of positions in the agency, including district ranger, forest 

supervisor, associate deputy chief, and regional forester. Over the past 

30 years, Kimbell has served a leader in natural resource management 

as a ranger and Forest Supervisor in Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, 

Colorado, Alaska and Montana. She played a large role in developing 

legislation that led to agency-wide attention to reducing the impact of 

wildfire and restoring health to forests at risk. As Chief she has guided 

work to sustain the national forests and grasslands by addressing forest 

and climate change and water production, and by calling for connecting 

more children, our future land stewards, with nature. 

Then

Now

For Further Reference: Complete List of Chiefs of the Forest Service in

Appendix A. 4 or http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/history/time-line.shtml 
4

To fulfill its mission and manage the national forests, the Forest Service is 

organized into nine regions. Seven research stations, including the International 

Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products Laboratory, provide the latest 

science for sound stewardship decisions. The Forest Service also provides funding 

and technical assistance to fulfill its role on non-Federal forest lands. In addition, 

the Forest Service provides international assistance in land stewardship and has 

its own Law Enforcement and Investigations unit responsible for enforcement 

of Federal laws and regulations governing national forest lands and resources. 

Leadership of these mission areas is listed in the rest of this section.

For Further Reference: Forest Service mission at 

 http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/mission.shtml

Section 2: Organization and Leadership
5

Executive Leadership Team 

Chief: Abigail R. Kimbell, (202) 205-1661 

Associate Chief: Hank Kashdan, (202) 205-1779 

Chief of Staff: Timothy P. DeCoster, (202) 205-0998 

Deputy Chief, Research and Development: Ann Bartuska

(202) 205-1665 

Deputy Chief, National Forest System: Joel Holtrop

(202) 205-1523 

Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry: James E. Hubbard

(202) 205-1657 

Deputy Chief, Business Operations: Charles L. (Chuck) Myers

(202) 205-1707 

Chief Financial Officer: Jesse King

(505) 563-7101

The National Leadership Council (NLC) 

of the Forest Service consists of the 

Executive Leadership Team (ELT), plus 

the regional foresters, station directors, 

area director, associate deputy chiefs, 

external affairs officer, and union 

representative.
6

External Affairs Officer: Leslie Weldon, (202) 205-1661

Director, International Programs: Val Mezainis, (202) 205-1650 

Director, Law Enforcement and Investigations: David Ferrell, Acting, 

(703) 605-4690

Director, Civil Rights: Debra Muse, (202) 205-1585

Office of the Chief
7

Regional foresters lead the land management programs in nine geographic regions of 

the National Forest System. (Regions are numbered 1-10; Region 7 was eliminated 

in 1965 when the current Eastern Region was created from the former Eastern and 

North Central regions. 1)

Northern Region (Region 1): Tom Tidwell in Missoula, MT,

(406) 329-3316

Rocky Mountain Region (Region 2): Rick Cables in Golden, CO,

(303) 275-5450

Southwestern Region (Region 3): Corbin Newman in Albuquerque, NM, 

(505) 842-3300

Intermountain Region (Region 4): Harv Forsgren in Ogden, UT,

(801) 625-5605

Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5): Randy Moore in Vallejo, CA, 

(707) 562-9000

Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6): Mary Wagner in Portland, OR,

(503) 808-2203

Southern Region (Region 8): Liz Agpaoa in Atlanta, GA, 

(404) 347-1788

Eastern Region (Region 9): Kent Connaughton in Milwaukee, WI,

(414) 297-3765

Alaska Region (Region 10): Denny Bschor in Juneau, AK, 

(907) 586-8863

 

1

Source: The Land We Cared for... A History of the Forest Service’s Eastern Region. 

1997. Conrad, David E. Forest Service.

National Forest System Regional Foresters
8

Research and Development Station Directors and 

State and Private Forestry Area Director 

Station Directors lead the science programs in the seven research stations. The 

director, Northeastern Area, leads the State and Private Forestry programs in the 20 

States of the Northeast and Midwest.

Pacific Northwest Research Station: Bov Eav in Portland, OR, 

(503) 808-2100; http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/

Pacific Southwest Research Station: Deanna Stouder in Albany, CA,

(510) 559-6310; http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/

Rocky Mountain Research Station: G. Sam Foster in Fort Collins, CO,

(970) 295-5916; http://www.fs.fed.us/rmrs/

Northern Research Station: Michael T. Rains in Newtown Square, PA,

(610) 557-4017; http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/

Southern Research Station: Jim Reaves in Asheville, NC,

(828) 257-4300; http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/

International Institute of Tropical Forestry: Ariel Lugo in Rio Piedras, 

Puerto Rico, (787) 766-5335; http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/welcome.html

Forest Products Laboratory: Chris Risbrudt in Madison, WI,

(608) 231-9318; http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/

Northeastern Area, State and Private Forestry: Kathy Maloney in 

Newtown Square, PA, (610) 557-4103; http://www.na.fs.fed.us/
9

Section 3: Fast Facts About the Forest Service2

Budgetary and Financial Resources 

5.5 Total budget authority ($ in billions)

42 Percent of the current budget spent for fighting fires

734 Total revenues and receipts ($ in millions)

Personnel

550 Scientists in 67 locations

737 Law enforcement personnel

10,050 Firefighters

34,250 Employees in 750 locations in all 50 States and Puerto Rico

Physical Resources

44 States with National Forest System lands

59 million Acres of Forest Service land classified as “Roadless Areas”

60 Percent of U.S. alpine skiing capacity occurring on national forests

70 million Acres of urban forests in America where the Forest Service has a stewardship role

83 Experimental forests used for science

193 million Acres of national forests and grasslands managed

14,077 Recreation sites

42,085 Buildings

59,258 Volunteers

143,346 Miles of trails

374,883 Miles of roads

192 million Visitors per year

Select Resource Statistics

8 Acres of trees to offset one person’s annual carbon use.3

200 million million tons of carbon sequestered each year by U.S. forests and wood products, 

equal to about 10 percent of annual emissions from fossil fuels. 4

4,800 Low-income, at-risk youth in 22 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers managed 

by the Forest Service.5

9,130 Wildfires that were started on Forest Service lands

2,767,897 Green tons of small, low-value trees made available for bioenergy production

2,996,000 Acres of Forest Service lands burned

3,027,032 Acres treated on Forest Service lands to reduce hazardous fuels 

123,750,000 People that depend on water from national forests.

1.5 billion Number of trees harvested per year in the United States6

2

FY 2007 information

3

Per Chris Risbrudt, Director Forest Products Laboratory, August 2008

4

Per Rich Birdsey, Northern Global Change Program Manager, July 2008

5

Per Christine Murray, Deputy Chief for Operations’ office, July 2008

6

Per Chris Risbrudt, Director Forest Products Laboratory, September 2008
10

Section 4: Key Points About the Forest Service

1. National Forest System lands are managed using a multiple-use approach that 

sustains healthy terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and addresses the need for 

resources, commodities, and services.

2. Forest Service Research and Development provides long-term research, 

scientific knowledge, and tools that are used to manage forests and rangelands 

across the United States and overseas.

3. The Forest Service helps private landowners, State forestry organizations, 

tribes, and communities achieve forest management, protection, and utilization 

objectives through a wide-range of cooperative programs in the State and 

Private Forestry mission area. 

4. Forest Service International Programs promotes sustainable forest management 

and biodiversity conservation internationally.

5. Destructive insect populations are increasing due to changing climate extremes. 

The Forest Service works across all land ownerships to effectively control and 

manage a wide range of major forest pests.

6. The Forest Service has a dominant role in helping create an informed citizenry 

by improving environmental literacy through conservation education and 

volunteer programs.

7. About 124 million Americans rely on national forests and grasslands as the 

primary source of clean drinking water. 

8. The National Fire Plan, the Healthy Forests Initiative, and the Healthy Forests 

Restoration Act provide the agency focus to protect lives and property from 

wildfire and keep trees, forests, and forest ecosystems healthy and sustainable.

9. A network of 83 experimental forests and ranges are the backbone of long-term 

scientific studies—100 years of data—by the Forest Service. 

10. Currently, forests offset about 10 percent of America’s carbon emissions and 

have the potential to contribute more. Because the Forest Service has some 

type of stewardship responsibility on 80 percent of America’s forests, there is an 

increasing demand on the agency to help identify and implement management 

strategies that reduce greenhouse gases.
11

11. Catastrophic wildfires are increasing with longer and warmer growing seasons.

12. The Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the Forest Service has been 

tracking the status, changes, and future potential of American forests for almost 

75 years.

13. Wood for energy is becoming an economic alternative to fossil fuel.

14. American-grown woody biomass harvested from forests could supply up to 15 

percent of our Nation’s energy needs.

15. The Forest Service manages two-thirds of all firefighting resources in America 

and fights catastrophic wildfires across all lands.

Forest cover about one-third of the United 

States—about 751 million acres. The Forest 

Service has some type of stewardship role in about 

80 percent of these forests. Trees, forests, and 

forest ecosystems provide habitat for wildlife; help 

to cleanse air and water; supply timber and fuel 

wood and other harvested products; and serve as 

wonderful places for hiking, camping, and fishing.

About 423 million acres—56 percent—

of America’s forest land is classified as 

“private;” 44 percent is “public” land 

under the control of Federal, State, and 

county or municipal agencies.

The Forest Service has the largest 

forestry research program in the world.
12

Mission Statement

The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity 

of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future 

generations. The mission of the Forest Service is guided by the fundamental 

principle of providing the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of 

people in the long run and is characterized by the slogan: Caring for the Land and 

Serving People.

Scope

The Forest Service has the direct stewardship responsibility for 193 million acres 

of national forests and grasslands and shares responsibility, working though 

State forestry agencies, for the management, protection, and wise use of about 

500 million acres of non-Federal rural and urban forests. Work is carried out 

primarily through a decentralized organization of regions, research stations, and 

the Northeastern Area. The headquarters for the agency—located in the Yates 

Building at 14th Street and Independence Avenue, Washington, DC—provides 

national policy and guidance in harmony with direction from the Department of 

Agriculture.

Strategic Program Direction

The Forest Service is guided by a long-term strategic plan that includes seven major 

strategic goals: 

1. Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands.

2. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people.

3. Conserve open space.

4. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. 

5. Maintain basic management capabilities of the Forest Service.

6. Engage urban America with Forest Service programs.

7. Provide science-based applications and tools for sustainable natural resources 

management.

Section 5: Mission and Mission Areas
13

Mission Areas

Work by the Forest Service is carried out through five program mission areas.

•	 Research and Development

•	 National Forest System

•	 State and Private Forestry

•	 International Programs

•	 Business Operations

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the Forest Service is engaged in a number of critical focus areas, 

including the following:

1. Healthy forests (including mitigating impacts due to climate change, producing 

clean water, protecting lives and property from wildfires, controlling surface 

impacts from oil and gas exploration, and sustaining biological diversity).

2. Recreation management.

3. Water quality and supply.

4. Partnerships (expansion of collaborative capabilities, transforming and 

leveraging resources).

5. Markets for ecosystem services (benefits people obtain from natural 

ecosystems).

6. Informed citizenry (through environmental education and “More Kids in the 

Woods”).

 For Further Reference: USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan FY 

2007-2012, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service, FS-880, July 2007 

http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/strategic/fs-sp-fy07-12.pdf (2 

mb)
14

Research and Development 

Mission Statement

To serve and benefit society by developing and communicating the scientific 

information and technology needed to manage, protect, use, and sustain the natural 

resources of forests and range lands.

Scope

The Forest Service represents the world’s largest natural resources science capacity. 

Our science helps link environmental health with community stability on all 

lands—Federal and non-Federal forest—in America and other countries. Costeffective technology development is fundamental to our mission. We employ about 

550 scientists and several hundred technical and support staff, located at 67 sites 

throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico. Discovery and technology 

development and transfer is carried out through seven research stations.

•	 Pacific Northwest (headquartered in Portland, OR)

•	 Pacific Southwest (Albany, CA)

•	 Rocky Mountain (Ft. Collins, CO)

•	 Northern (Newtown Square, PA)

•	 Southern (Asheville, NC)

•	 International Institute of Tropical Forestry (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico)

•	 Forest Product Laboratory (Madison, WI)

Strategic Program Direction

Forest Service science is organized around seven strategic program areas.

1. Wildland fire and fuels.

2. Resource management and use.

3. Wildlife and fish.

4. Recreation.

5. Water and air.

6. Inventory, monitoring, and analysis.

7. Invasive species.

Critical Focus Areas 

Currently, the Research and Development mission area is engaged in the following 

critical focus areas.

1. Inventory and monitoring of America’s natural resources.

2. The control of destructive invasive species.

3. The effective control of wildland fires to protect communities.

4. Wood for energy.

5. Climate change management.

6. Watershed restoration and management.

7. Urban natural resources stewardship.

8. Nanotechnology.

“...Science affects 

the way we think 

together” 

(Lewis Thomas)

The inventory and analysis of America’s 

forest resources is critical. The Forest 

Inventory and Analysis program, 

administered by the Research and 

Development mission area, is currently 

enrolled in 46 States. New Mexico, Hawaii, 

Nevada, and interior Alaska still need to be 

added.
15

National forests 

provide drinking 

water for 123 

million people.

Investments in rural wood-to-energy 

facilities have the power to help make our 

country energy independent.

Outdoor recreation increases fitness and 

well-being. Children especially benefit from 

outdoor play.

National Forest System 

Mission Statement

To protect and manage the 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands so they 

best demonstrate the sustainable multiple-use management concept, using an 

ecological approach, to meet the diverse needs of people.

Scope

The 193 million acres of public land that are managed as national forests and 

grasslands are collectively known as the National Forest System. These lands are 

located in 44 States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and comprise about 

9 percent of the total land area in the United States. The natural resources on 

these lands are some of the Nation’s greatest assets and have major economic, 

environmental, and social significance for all Americans. The stewardship of the 

National Forest System is carried out through nine regions.

•	 Northern (Missoula, MT)

•	 Rocky Mountain (Golden, CO)

•	 Southwestern (Albuquerque, NM)

•	 Intermountain (Ogden, UT)

•	 Pacific Southwest (Vallejo, CA)

•	 Pacific Northwest (Portland, OR)

•	 Southern (Atlanta, GA)

•	 Eastern (Milwaukee, WI)

•	 Alaska ( Juneau, AK)

Strategic Program Direction

The stewardship of the National Forest System is guided primarily through four 

strategic program directions.

1. Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands.

2. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people.

3. Maintain a full range of basic management capabilities of the Forest Service.

4. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities.

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the National Forest System mission area is engaged in the following 

critical focus areas.

1. Sustaining healthy forests.

2. Recreation.

3. Clean water and adequate supply.

4. Wood for energy.

5. Climate change management.

6. Informed citizenry and “More Kids in the Woods.”
16

State and Private Forestry

Mission Statement

To provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners, state agencies, 

Tribes, and community resource managers to help sustain the Nation’s urban and 

rural forests and to protect communities and the environment from wildland fires, 

insects, disease, and invasive plants.

Scope

Through a coordinated effort in management, protection, conservation education, 

and resource use, we help facilitate sound stewardship across lands of all ownerships 

on a landscape scale, while maintaining flexibility for individual landowners to 

pursue their objectives. We employ approximately 537 staff located at 17 sites 

throughout the country. The delivery of the State and Private Forestry program is 

carried out by eight National Forest System regions and the Northeastern Area.

Strategic Program Direction

Our program delivery is organized within six focus areas.

1. Fire and aviation management.

2. Tribal relations.

3. Cooperative forestry.

4. Urban and community forestry.

5. Forest health protection.

6. Conservation education.

Critical Focus Areas 

Currently, the State and Private Forestry mission area is engaged in the following 

critical focus areas.

1. 2008 Farm Bill. Adjust existing program direction/establish new direction, 

subject to available funds. Where the Forest Service is not the lead but has 

strong interest, engage with the USDA lead agency as they develop program 

direction to bring our forestry and natural resource knowledge to bear.

2. Integration of Vegetation/Ecological Services. Develop an implementation 

framework to deliver integrated vegetation management/ecological services 

programs to achieve sustainability on the landscape. 

More than 

80 percent of all 

Americans live in 

urban areas. The 

Forest Service 

has a major role 

in caring for urban 

natural resources 

and linking 

environmental 

health with 

community wellbeing.

Forests are our friends! Woodsy Owl, a 

Forest Service symbol, has been America’s 

environmental champion since 1970, and is 

most recognized for his wise request, “Give 

a hoot. Don’t pollute.” Caring, friendly, and 

wise, Woodsy Owl helps motivate all of us, 

especially children, to form healthy, lasting 

relationships with nature.
17

One of world’s most spectacular natural 

phenomena is North America ’s Monarch 

butterfly migration. Every fall, millions of 

Monarchs migrate thousands of miles from 

Canada and the United States to spend 

the winter in central Mexico. They return 

northward in the spring. To help conserve 

this magnificent species and its habitats, 

the Forest Service International Programs 

is working with a wide range of partners 

across the Monarch migratory path, or 

flyway.

Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State 

University, Bugwood.org

International Programs

Mission Statement

International Programs of the Forest Service promotes sustainable land 

management overseas and brings important technologies and innovations back to 

the United States.

Scope

The program focuses on conserving key natural resource in cooperation with 

countries across the world.

Strategic Program Direction

The program is critical to protect U.S. investments in a wide array of crossboundary natural resource conservation issues, including:

1. Invasive species.

2. Climate change.

3. Migratory species habitat conservation.

4. International policy.

5. Global biodiversity.

Critical Focus Areas 

Currently, the International Programs mission area is engaged in the following 

critical focus areas.

1. Policy Development. Advances U.S. forestry interests at international policy 

deliberations, provides expertise in global forestry issues, and utilizes lessons 

from overseas for improving forest management at home. 

2. Technical Assistance. Promotes sustainable forest management and 

biodiversity conservation in collaboration with partners in the field at home and 

abroad.

3. Disaster Assistance. With funding from the Office of Foreign Disaster 

Assistance (a division of U.S. Agency for International Development), 

International Programs provides technical expertise for international response 

efforts and brings home lessons learned.
18

Business Operations

Mission Statement

To provide high-quality and timely business processes to support successful 

accomplishment of Forest Service programs. 

Scope

Throughout the Forest Service, 3,200 Business Operations employees work 

in human resources, Job Corps, finance, information technology, and other 

administrative fields to provide essential services that the agency’s employees and 

partners rely on to care for our natural resources.

Strategic Program Direction

Business Operations is leading a service-wide modernization of the agency’s 

administrative systems. The transition from widely dispersed systems and people 

to a centralized model for key administrative functions is a major culture shift that 

challenges Forest Service leaders and employees. Our efforts are targeted on: 

1. Eliminating duplication.

2. Capitalizing on new technologies.

3. Providing improved service more efficiently.

Critical Focus Areas 

The Business Operations mission area is engaged in the following critical focus 

areas.

1. Albuquerque Service Center—Human Capital Management. When the 

agency consolidated its human resource services in 2007, the upheaval of 

personnel, failing new technology, and a decentralized agency culture led 

to problems in providing basic services such as hiring, pay, promotions, and 

retirements. Service has improved, but the unit’s 500 employees face many 

challenges to serving a workforce of up to 45,000 people (permanent and 

temporary employees). The agency continues its emphasis on human resource 

services to mitigate issues and further enhance operations.

2. Chief Information Office. Reorganization of this office is in progress to 

provide effective program delivery and customer service and address issues such 

as strengthening information security, ensuring staffing levels, providing local 

technology support, and the addressing challenges presented by more than 600 

different applications in use across the agency.

3. Albuquerque Service Center—Budget and Finance. A model of effective, 

centralized service delivery, Budget and Finance has steered the Forest Service 

through six consecutive clean audits. This level of performance requires 

significant commitment of financial and personnel resources.

4. Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers. The Forest Service operates 22 

Job Corps centers nationwide and soon expects to operate all 28 Federal 

centers. Job Corps is the Nation’s premier residential training program 

for disadvantaged youth, ages 16 through 24. Students are provided with 

educational opportunities to achieve a General Educational Development or 

high school diploma and vocational training. The program provides advance 

training in key natural resource programs leading to potential careers in wildfire 

suppression and other natural resource technical fields.
19

Office of the Chief 

In addition to International Programs, the following programs provide critical 

leadership and support to delivery of the Forest Service mission. 

External Affairs Office

The External Affairs Office within the Office of the Chief enhances the capacity of 

the Forest Service to deliver its mission through strong, collaborative relationships 

with Congress, the national media, national and international interest groups and 

partners, employees, and the American people. The organization is made up of four 

staff areas: Legislative Affairs, Office of Communication, National Partnership 

Office, and the National Media Office. While each of the program areas provides 

distinct expertise, they have the shared role of advancing the goals and activities 

of the Forest Service both within and outside the agency. The success of Forest 

Service external affairs will come from clear strategies and strong teamwork among 

the External Affairs Office and the program areas throughout the Forest Service. 

Contact: Leslie Weldon, (202) 205-1661.

Chief Financial Officer

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides service-wide leadership in the 

development and evaluation of programs in finance, accounting, and Federal 

assistance. The CFO oversees all financial management activities related to 

the Forest Service programs and operations, including financial management 

policies and internal controls, financial and programmatic information systems 

development, financial analysis and performance reports, and budget and fiscal 

integration. Forest Service resources include 45,000 employees, including 

temporaries, and listed assets of $7.7 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2006. The CFO 

manages three staff areas—Budget and Finance; Acquisition Management, 

including property, grants, and agreements; and Financial Systems—and the 

Albuquerque Service Center. Contact: Jesse L. King, Chief Financial Officer, (202) 

205-1321.
20

Civil Rights Program

The Civil Rights Office is responsible for delivering a comprehensive and 

result-oriented Civil Rights program for customers while ensuring equality, 

justice, and full participation in agency activities and programs. We achieve our 

mission through civil rights compliance, advocacy, and educaion. Our goal is 

to be a model organization that is devoted to fairness and equality in agency 

employment and delivery of programs. Major responsibilities include implementing 

Presidential Management Directive 715. This directive provides policy guidance 

and standards for establishing and maintaining effective affirmative programs 

of equal employment opportunity under VII—Section 717 of Title VII of the 

Civil Rights Act—and effective affirmative action programs under Section 501 

of the Rehabilitation Act (PART B). Other responsibilities include Title VII, 

Employment Discrimination Complaint Program, Title VI—Federal Financial 

Assistance Programs, Persons with Disabilities Program, and Reasonable 

Accommodation, Special Emphasis Programs, Compliance Reviews, and Policy 

Development. Contact: Debra Muse, Director, Civil Rights Program, (202) 205-

1585.

Law Enforcement and Investigations

 The Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations (LEI) mission area is 

a Federal law enforcement agency of the U.S. Government. It is responsible for 

enforcement of Federal laws and regulations governing national forest lands and 

resources. The LEI program operates in national forests in 44 States through 

cooperation with Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies 

and other Forest Service programs. The LEI program: provides high visibility 

uniformed patrol presence and prompt response to public and employee safety 

incidents and violations of law and regulation; conducts criminal and civil 

investigations; maintains strong relationships with cooperating law enforcement 

agencies, the Offices of the United States Attorney, and the Federal Court system; 

works to reduce the cultivation, production, and smuggling of cannabis and other 

controlled substances on National Forest System lands; and coordinates and 

conducts antiterrorist activities to provide a secure environment for the public and 

our employees and to protect public resources and facilities. 
21

For Further Reference: USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan, FY 2007-2012. United States 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. FS-880. July 2007.

http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/strategic/fs-sp-fy07-12.pdf

Goals

The seven major goals of the USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan, FY 2007–2012 are as follows. 

1. Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands. The national forests and 

grasslands were established to protect the land, secure favorable water flows, and provide a 

sustainable supply of goods and services. Over the past century, the Forest Service has achieved a 

balance between providing land stewardship services and meeting public demands for various uses of 

the national forests. The increasing extent and frequency of uncharacteristically severe wildland fires 

and insect and disease outbreaks are of particular concern to the public.

2. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people. Our forests and grasslands contain abundant 

natural resources and opportunities that help meet the demands and needs of a growing America. 

Sustainable management of these resources ensures that the availability of goods and services is 

achieved and land productivity is maintained. National forest management provides a variety of 

goods and services, including wildlife, supplies of wood products, energy, domestic livestock forage, 

and water. The Forest Service also provides technical and financial assistance for non-Federal forest 

land stewardship. This is done in partnership with State forestry agencies. Our research provides the 

scientific foundation for the sustainable management of forests and grasslands and improvements in 

the use and marketing of forest products and services.

3. Conserve open space. Open space provides a wide-range of environmental, social, and economic 

benefits to rural and urban communities. Undeveloped forests and grasslands—including working 

farms, ranches, and timber lands—help protect water quality, conserve native wildlife, and provide 

a variety of renewable ecosystem services. The Forest Service, in partnership with other interests, 

helps communities develop sustainable urban forestry programs. Communities use urban forest 

management plans to help conserve open space. 

4. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. The Forest Service is emphasizing natural 

resources stewardship to better connect urban residents to the value of well-managed public and 

private forested lands and improve their quality of life. We promote managing, protecting, and using 

urban natural resources and creating an informed citizenry through environmental literacy. We 

work closely with a variety of partners at all government levels to improve the understanding of how 

environmental health and community well-being are linked. 

5. Maintain basic management capabilities of the Forest Service. The Nation’s population is 

projected to increase by nearly 50 percent by the middle of this century. Population increases 

create extensive pressure on public lands. If public lands are to provide additional benefits without 

unacceptable resource impacts, we must emphasize effective management solutions that have a solid 

scientific foundation. The condition of the land, facilities, and transportation infrastructure, for 

example, must be considered if we expect to preserve high-quality experiences and sustain a balanced 

flow of goods and services. 

6. Engage urban America with Forest Service programs. Natural resources are affected by a wide 

range of forces, including natural events and overuse. The Forest Service maintains a workforce with 

the skills and capabilities to deal with the impacts of these events. Reliable information, quality 

facilities, and land protection strategies are necessary to effectively manage natural resources in a 

constant state of change.

7. Provide science-based applications and tools for sustainable natural resources management. The 

Forest Service provides relevant science and leading-edge solutions to help sustain America’s trees, 

forests, and forest ecosystems. Science-based management strategies are the foundation for all the 

Forest Service land management programs.

Section 6: Strategic Program Direction
22

Section 7: The Budget

Table 1. Forest Service Appropriations, FYs 2006–2008

Appropriation Title (Dollars in thousands) FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008

Research $277,711 $277,711 280,488

State and Private Forestry 308,966 308,966 279,961

National Forest System 1,455,646 1,455,646 1,452,729

Wildland Fire Management 1,846,091 1,846,091 2,193,603

Capital Improvement and Maintenance 438,334 436,400 488,768

Land Acquisition 43,056 46,667 43,091

Other Appropriations 8,618 7,948 8,779

Subtotal, Discretionary Appropriations * 4,377,972 4,697,796 5,039,428

Subtotal, Mandatory Appropriations 795,170 721,068 767,215

Total Forest Service $5,173,142 5,418,864 $5,806,643

 

 * Discretionary Appropriations includes Regular Appropriations plus Supplemental and Emergency 

Appropriations. 

Although part of the Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service receives its 

budget through the Subcommittee on Appropriations—Interior, Environment, and 

Related Agencies. Recent budgetary trends are illustrated below.
23

Controlling fire has become a dominant 

issue in America and within our agency. 

The fire portion of the Forest Service 

budget has increased from 13 percent to 

42 percent over the last 15 years.

Forest Service Budget

2000-2008 Enacted, 2009 President's Budget

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

$4,500

$5,000

Nominal Dollars(millions)

Discretionary 2,811 3,179 3,784 3,956 4,192 4,238 4,201 4,327 4,488 4,109

Mandatory 632 828 665 658 876 892 795 721 755 442

Supplementals and Emergency 242 1,257 346 919 724 582 177 370 551 0

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

13% 

Fire

87%

Nonfire

1991

21% 

Fire

79%

Nonfire

42% 

Fire

58%

Nonfire

Figure 1. Trend in Forest Service Fire Spending

 Figure 2. Fire Spending as a percentage of discretionary budget (FYs 1999–2011)
24

Section 8: Wildfires, Forests, and Communities

Fire: Percent of Forest Service Budget

13

21

45

0

10

20

30

40

50

 1991 2000 2008

By far, the most dominant issue facing the Forest Service today is effective and 

cost-efficient wildfire control while ensuring America’s forests and communities 

remain healthy and resilient. The Forest Service has a strategy for its deployment 

and success. The issue must be addressed on three basic fronts:

•	 The Budget. Implementing a budgetary strategy that assures the availability of 

funds for wildfire suppression activities, while reversing the affect experienced 

over the past 15 years where other agency natural resource program funds have 

been reduced in order to provide increased funding to wildfire suppression.

•	 The Land. Creating a forest that is resilient and more resistant to disturbances 

so property and lives can be protected and communities that depend on the 

forests remain sustainable and vibrant.

•	 The Cost. Using leading-edge, cost-management tactics to ensure suppression 

costs are as low as practicable.

If we do not adequately address all these fronts simultaneously, our ability to 

remain a viable, multiple-use, land conservation agency could be jeopardized.

Discussion

The following chart highlights the percentage of the Budget currently devoted to 

wildfires.
25

The Budget: Due to changes outside of Forest Service control (for example, climate 

change and urban sprawl), fire suppression costs are skyrocketing and seriously 

jeopardizing our ability to fund our natural resource mission. Potentially becoming 

a single-mission agency (fire control) is not in the best interest of the land we care 

for and people we serve.

The Forest Service budgets the cost of fire suppression based on a “10-Year 

Average.” During the last 5 years, the agency has experienced several billion dollar 

fire seasons. The “10-Year Average” has increased by over $700 million in less 

than a decade. To accommodate this increase, the part of the agency’s constrained 

budget used to fight fires has more than doubled since 2001—going from about 

one-fourth to about one-half. 

•	 The primary reason: We are fighting more fires in the wildland-urban interface 

to help protect lives and property within communities. These fires typically 

cost much more to suppress than fires far from communities. In a constrained 

budget planning process where current fire control costs are givens, like a “10-

Year Average,” all the other Forest Service programs become lower priority.

•	 The point is: Funding emergency firefighting costs—about 68 percent of the 

“10-Year Average”—from the base programs of the Forest Service impacts all 

mission areas and all programs. Our services to the American people suffer.

•	 The result is: Fire suppression becomes the dominant activity. Everything 

else— research, recreation, control of invasive species, forest restoration, 

campground maintenance—becomes smaller. Some programs become so small 

they are rendered ineffective. 

•	 The solution is: Work with interested parties to develop a budgetary strategy 

that assures the availability of funds for wildfire suppression while not 

impacting other critical Forest Service programs.
26

The Land: The second front we must focus on to address the Wildfire, Forests, and 

Communities issue is the land. This will allow the Forest Service to ensure that 

America’s forests and forest ecosystems are well-managed, resilient, and resistant to 

disturbances and change, resulting in communities—especially rural communities—

that depend on the land to remain vibrant and sustainable. Investments to 

address the land would concentrate on fire management, restoration and hazard 

mitigation, community capacity building, a skilled fire management workforce, and 

accountability. 

•	 The primary reason: We want to create well-managed, fire-adapted ecosystems 

that are resilient and resistant to disturbances. We want to ensure that 

communities throughout the Nation are well-prepared for fire and remain 

socially and economically viable. If we accomplish this, large catastrophic fires 

should decline, and, eventually, the costs to control fires will also decline.

•	 The point is: Without creating well-managed, fire-adapted ecosystems, wildfires 

and associated costs, primarily in the West, will continue to escalate. Preventive 

measures must be part of the overall solution.

•	 The result is: Emergency-type fires and the costs to suppress these fires will be 

reduced. The loss of property and lives will be less.

•	 The solution is: Develop and deploy an investment strategy entitled Wildfires, 

Forests, and Communities that will produce the following benefits:

•	 A public that is better informed about and well-prepared for wildland 

fire.

•	 Communities that are socially and economically vibrant.

•	 Healthier, more resilient fire-dependent forests, ecosystems, and 

landscapes.

•	 A safer environment where firefighters can work and people can live.

•	 A more effective, efficient, and ultimately less costly, fire management 

program.

•	 Greater collaboration with local, State, Federal, and nongovernmental 

partners.

•	 More successful local initial response that ultimately requires less 

Federal intervention.
27

The Cost: Fire suppression costs continue to escalate. Part of the reason 

is uncontrollable events: prolonged drought in the West, development, and 

unpredictable weather. However, part of the cost escalation may be due to a lack 

of discipline in cost containment and adequate cost benchmarking of incidents. 

For example, are the resource requirements adequate or have we “hedged our bets” 

to cope with the fire and its inherent risks? Do we know what the fire we are 

trying to contain should predictably cost (e.g., are there adequate benchmarks) and 

have we organized to that prediction? These are cost management issues that the 

Forest Service will continue to aggressively address. Our focus will be to improve 

agency accountability and reduce taxpayer costs, including budgeting for large 

incidents (science-based benchmarking), keeping a log of key decisions, sharing 

decisionmaking on large fires, reviewing large fire costs, and including oversight by 

the Wildland Fire Leadership Council.

	 The primary reason: We want to ensure the cost to control the specific wildfire 

is correct. In other words, we must strive to ensure that $90 million was spent 

on a fire that should have cost $90 million to suppress based on fuel types, 

weather, geography, location, values protected, and other factors used in sciencebased prediction models. Overall, costs will eventually be reduced with effective 

benchmarking, a fundamental tool for oversight and accountability.

	 The point is: Without effective cost management procedures, the costs of fire 

suppression will be what it takes, not what it should be. We cannot leave cost 

containment to chance.

	 The result is: Reduced costs, overall, through effective practices, including 

benchmarking of fires and the development of science-based predictive models.

	 The solution is: A wide-range of cost management measures that include 

science-based modeling, shared decisionmaking, and precise role definitions 

with cooperating units and oversight.
28

Section 9: Growth Opportunities for the Future

The Forest Service is uniquely qualified to effectively address America’s 

contemporary natural resource conservation issues. In meeting key natural resource 

needs of America, the Forest Service contributes to fundamental societal issues of 

safety, health, and education. The Forest Service has developed several key areas 

we want to focus on in the future. We are calling these areas of emphasis, Growth 

Opportunities.

Growth Opportunities

The current nine Growth Opportunities and associated visions are:

•	 Climate Change. Ensure that ecosystems and communities on all forest 

ownerships effectively adapt to changing climate through forest and grassland 

management actions that significantly mitigate global climate change.

•	 Water Quality and Supply. Ensure that healthy forests continue to function 

as natural sponges that absorb, store, and filter precipitation and fill our streams 

and rivers throughout the year, recharge groundwater supplies, and remove 

harmful pollutants.

•	 Wood for Energy. Based on our stewardship role on 80 percent of the Nation’s 

750 million acres of Federal and non-Federal forests, help our country meet 

its energy goals by replacing fossil fuel energy sources with forms of renewable 

energy, including wood.

•	 More Kids in the Woods. Create an enduring impact on kids’ values and 

attitudes towards nature and their role in conserving natural resources for 

current and future generations. 

•	 Recreation. Provide opportunity for America’s youth to build life-long skills 

and develop healthy lifestyles through experiential and imaginative play 

outdoors. All visitors—regardless of ethnicity, age, or ability—enjoy outdoor 

experiences. 

•	 Urban Natural Resources Stewardship. Emphasize a suite of science, 

management, and technology transfer programs to ensure the proper care 

of natural resources and advancement of ecosystem services in urban and 

urbanizing landscapes to help improve people’s lives.

•	 Markets for Ecosystem Services. Incorporate the value of ecosystems into the 

land management decisionmaking process to better stimulate new investments 

in conservation and markets so forested land and other ecosystems remain 

intact and functional.

•	 Green Jobs. To ensure the American economy is more competitive, expand 

training opportunities for primarily Job Corps enrollees and selected others 

in the private sector to address projected job shortages in renewable energy, 

energy-efficiency industries and a wide-range of Jobs in the Woods.

•	 Environmental Diplomacy. To address critical global natural resource 

challenges, expand Forest Service technical cooperation with key international 

partners, thereby improving forest and rangeland management globally while 

enhancing U.S. prestige and influence in this important field of international 

diplomacy.
29

Growth Opportunities—Linkages 

The nine Growth Opportunitys are solidly linked to critical societal issues and the 

agency-wide seven strategic program goals. The following illustrates these linkages:

Growth Opportunities 

SecurityEconomic ProsperityChanging ClimateHealthEducation

Climate Change  

Water Quality and Supply  

Wood for Energy   

More Kids in the Woods  

Recreation 

Urban Natural Resources Stewardship   

Markets for Ecosystem Services   

Green Jobs     

Environmental Diplomacy   

Growth Opportunities SPD 

No. 1

SPD 

No. 

2

SPD 

No. 

3

SPD 

No. 

4

SPD 

No. 

5

SPD 

No. 

6

SPD 

No. 

7

Climate Change   

Water Quality and Supply  

Wood for Energy   

More Kids in the Woods  

Recreation   

Urban Natural Resources Stewardship    

Markets for Ecosystem Services   

Green Jobs    

Environmental Diplomacy   

Strategic Program Direction (SPD): The seven major strategic program goals for the Forest Service are:

1. Land Stewardship. Restore, sustain and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands.

2. Sustainable Benefits. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people.

3. Conserve open space.

4. Recreation. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities.

5. Management Capabilities. Maintain basic management capabilities of the Forest Service.

6. Urban Stewardship. Engage urban America with Forest Service programs.

7. Science. Provide science-based applications and tools for sustainable natural resources 

management.
30

Section 10: Primary Authorities

The following are nine of the primary authorities directing or influencing the mission of 

the Forest Service: 

1. Forest Service Organic Administration Act (Act of June 4, 1897) (16 U.S.C. §§ 

473-478, 479-482 and 551, June 4, 1897, as amended 1905, 1911, 1925, 1962, 1964, 

1968, and 1976). This act is the original organic act governing the administration of 

national forest lands. The act specified the purposes for which forest reserves might 

be established and provided for their protection and management. Today, this act 

is one of several Federal laws under which the Forest Service operates. While the 

Organic Administration Act remains significant, it must be read in conjunction with 

the later acts, which expand the purpose and uses of the national forests.

2. Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (Act of June 12, 1960) (P.L. 86-517; 

16 U.S.C. §§ 528-531). This act declares that the purposes of the national forests 

include outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and fish and wildlife. The 

act directs the Secretary of Agriculture to administer national forest renewable 

surface resources for multiple use and sustained yield. The act does not affect the 

jurisdiction or responsibilities of the States, the use or administration of the mineral 

resources of national forest lands, or the use or administration of Federal lands not 

within the national forests.

3. National Forest Management Act of 1976 (Act of October 22, 1976) (P.L. 94-

588; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1600-1614, August 17, 1974, as amended 1976, 1978, 1980, 

1981, 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1990). This act reorganized, expanded, and otherwise 

amended the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, 

which called for the management of renewable resources on national forest lands. 

The National Forest Management Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to assess 

forest lands, develop a management program based on multiple-use, sustained-yield 

principles, and implement a resource management plan for each unit of the National 

Forest System. It is the primary statute governing the administration of national 

forests.

4. Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (Act of July 1, 1978) (P.L. 95-313; 16 

U.S.C. §§ 2101-2111, July 1, 1978, as amended 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996 and 2008). 

This act, as amended, authorizes the State and private forestry activities of the Forest 

Service—including fire, forest management, forest health, wood utilization, urban 

and community forestry, forest land easements, and organizational management 

assistance—to State forestry agencies.

5. Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (Act of June 

30, 1978) (P.L. 95-307, as amended by P.L. 100-521, Forest Ecosystems and 

Atmospheric Pollution Research Act of 1988, Section 3 (c), and as amended by 

P.L. 101-624, Food Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Farm 

Bill), Title XII, Subtitle B; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1641-1648). The act provides an updated 

and expanded authority for research by the Forest Service, including allowing 

competitive grants, performing research studies, recycling wood fiber, conducting 

tests, and establishing a forestry student grant program for minority and female 

students.
31

For Further Reference: A more complete review 

of existing authorities, refer to The Principle 

Laws Relating to Forest Service Activities. 1993.

6. Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) (P.L. 110-234) The 

Farm Bill is passed every several years and deals with both agriculture and all 

other affairs under the purview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The most 

recent act, P.L. 110-234, contains new authorities for the Forest Service:

Title VIII – Forestry

Subtitle A: Amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 

1978— Establishes national priorities for private forest conservation, a 

community forest and open space conservation program, and a Secretarylevel Forest Resources Coordinating Committee.

Subtitle B: Cultural and Heritage Cooperation Authority—Authorizes the 

reburial of Indian tribal human remains and cultural items found on national 

forest lands and temporary closure of national forest lands for cultural 

purposes. 

Subtitle C. Amendments to Other Forestry Related Laws—Amends the 

Lacey Act to include the illegal taking of plants, establishes an Emergency 

Forest Restoration Program, and renews authority and funding for the 

Healthy Forest Reserve Program. 

Title IX – Energy

Establishes Forest Biomass for Energy and Community Wood Energy grant 

programs.

7. Foreign Operation Appropriations Act of 1978 (Act of November 5, 1990) 

(P.L. 101-513, 104 Stat. 2070; 16 §§ U.S.C. 4501 note, 4501, 4502, 4503, 4503a 

to 4503d, 4504, 4505, 1641, 1643, 2101, 2109). Title VI of this act provides 

authority for international forestry activities of the Forest Service.

8. National Environmental Policy Act (Act of January 1, 1970) (P.L. 91-190; 

42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4347). This act requires Federal agencies to integrate 

environmental values into their decisionmaking processes by considering the 

environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives 

to those actions. To meet this requirement, Federal agencies must analyze the 

environmental effects of proposed actions, such as through an environmental 

impact statement or other method, as specified in applicable rules. The act also 

established the President’s Council on Environmental Quality.

9. Endangered Species Act (Act of December 28, 1973) (16 USC 1531-36, 1538-

40). This act governs the process of identifying threatened and endangered 

species, provides protections for such species, and governs Federal actions that 

could affect such species or their habitat.
32

Additional Major Laws

The following are 12 additional laws with significant influence on the mission of 

the Forest Service: 

1. Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (Act 

of August 17, 1974) (P.L. 93-348, 88 Stat. 476, as amended; 16 U.S.C §§ 

1600(note), 1600-1614). This act requires preparation of a strategic plan for 

all Forest Service activities every 5 years based on an assessment of renewable 

natural resources on all land ownerships every 10 years.

2. Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act) (Act of June 30, 

1948) (P.L. 80-845; 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251-1387, October 18, 1972, as amended 

1973-1983, 1987, 1988, 1990-1992, 1994, 1995, and 1996). This act is a 

comprehensive statute aimed at restoring and maintaining the chemical, 

physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters. 

3. Clean Air Act (Act of July 14, 1955) (P.L. 84-159; 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7602). 

This act was the first Federal legislation involving air pollution. This act 

provided funds for Federal research in air pollution. Major amendments were 

made to this act by P.L. 88-206 and P.L. 95-95 to help control air pollution and 

increase the authority and responsibility of the Federal Government to help 

provide clean air.

4. Wilderness Act (Act of September 3, 1964) (P.L. 88-577, 78 Stat. 890 

as amended; 16 U.S.C §§ 1131 (note), 1131-1136). This act established 

the National Wilderness Preservation System and designated the initial 

components of that system. These lands are to be administered for the use and 

enjoyment of the American people and for the preservation of their wilderness 

character.

5. Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (Act of September 3, 1964) 

(P.L. 88-578, 78 Stat. 897 as amended; 16 U.S.C. §§ 460l-4 through 6a, 460l7 through 460l-10, 460l-10a-d, 460l-11). This act provides money to Federal, 

State, and local governments to purchase land, water, and wetlands. Land is 

bought from landowners at fair-market value, unless donated. 

6. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Act of October 2, 1968) (P.L. 90-542, 82 Stat. 

906, as amended; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1271(note), 1271-1287). This act established 

a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to include rivers possessing 

“outstandingly remarkable” values to be preserved in free-flowing condition. 

The act designated the initial components of this system and prescribed how 

future additions to the system would be evaluated.
33

7. Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1970 (Act of October 6, 1972) (P.L. 92-

463; 5 U.S.C. §§ Appendix 2). The act governs the behavior of approximately 

1,000 Federal advisory committees. In particular, the act restricts the formation 

of such committees to only those that are deemed essential and limits their 

powers to provision of advice to officers and agencies in the executive branch of 

the Federal Government. The act requires that administrative procedures and 

hearings be public knowledge.

8. Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, (Act of October 21, 

1976) (43 USC 1701-2, 1711-23, 1732-37, 1740-42, 1744, 1746-48, 1751-

53, 1761-71, 1781-82). This statute provides the basic policies for Federal 

land management and governs actions such as acquisitions, sales, exchanges, 

withdrawals, and rights of way.

9. The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 (Act of March 3, 1891) (Section 24 of the 

General Land Law Revision Act of 1891, also known as the Creative Act; 

26 Stat. 1103; 16 U.S.C. §§ 471, repealed 1976 by P.L. 94-579, FLPMA). 

This act gave the President authority to establish forest reserves from public 

domain lands. The forest reserves, then comprising 63 million acres, formed 

the foundation of the National Forest System. In February 1905, Congress 

transferred the Forest Reserves from the Department of the Interior to the 

Department of Agriculture. In July 1905, the Bureau of Forestry was renamed 

the Forest Service.

10. Transfer Act (Act of February 1, 1905) (P.L. 58-33, Ch. 288, 33 Stat. 628; 16 

§§ U.S.C. 472, 554). This act transferred administration of the forest reserves 

from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture.

11. Weeks Law (Act of March 1, 1911) (P.L. 61-435, CH. 186, 36 Stat. 961, as 

amended; 16 U.S.C. §§ 480, 500, 515, 516, 517, 517a, 518, 519, 521, 552, 

563). This act authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to examine, locate, and 

purchase forested, cutover, or denuded lands within the watersheds of navigable 

streams necessary to regulate the flow of navigable streams or for timber 

production.

12. Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 

2000, Section 601, Division C, of P.L. 110-343 (Emergency Economic 

Stabilization Act of 2008). The legislation provides financial assistance to rural 

counties affected by the decline in revenue from timber harvests in Federal 

lands. Funds are used for schools and roads, as well as to create employment 

opportunities, to maintain current infrastructure, and to improve the health 

of watersheds and ecosystems. More than $2.1 billion will be distributed to 

eligible States and counties over a 4-year period (FY 2008-2011).
34

Section 11: Appendices

Appendix A: Forest Service Locations

Appendix B: Fire Suppression

Appendix C: 110th Congress on Fire Management

Appendix D: The National Fire Plan

Appendix E: Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003

Appendix F: The 16 Chiefs of the Forest Service

Appendix G: Forest Service Employment
35

The following map illustrates the nine regions that manage the National Forest System of the Forest 

Service:

Appendix A: Forest Service Locations
36

The map below illustrates the 155 national forests and the 20 national grasslands that collectively make 

up the National Forest System of the Forest Service: Stanislaus

VALLEJO 

ALBANY

DeSoto

International Institute of Tropical Forestry

NEWTOWNSQUARE

Kootenai

Olympic

 Mt.Baker

Snoqualmie

inity Tr

on ci endo M

U.S. Department of Agriculture

FOREST SERVICE

Based on a map prepared by the Geospatial Service and Technology Center, Salt Lake City,

UT. Map features generalized from 1:2,000,000 

U.S. Geological Survey and USDA Forest 

Service digital data. Slightly revised April 2002.

NOTE: One or more national forests, grasslands, or other divisions protrayed on this map may be managed under a joint administrative unit.

Okanogan

Wenatchee

Kaniksu

inem W a Deschutes

Challis

Modoc

Plumas

Tahoe

Sierra

Cleveland

Humboldt

Cache

Wasatch

Prescott

Coronado

San J

Carson

uan

Uncompahgre

Gunnison

White River

Teton

Bridger

Tongass RIO PIEDRAS

Caribbean

MISSISSIPPI

Homochitto

Tombigbee

HollySprings

Mark Twain

MarkTwain

Hiawatha

Hoosier

DanielBoone

Nantahala

WASHINGTON

DC

Green Mountain

National Headquarters

Research Station Headquarters
37

Research and Development

The map illustrates the seven research stations that provide science and technology development to help 

manage, protect, and use America’s forests.
38

The second map illustrates the 83 experimental forests designed to conduct controlled research, enabling 

the development of best management practices for America’s rural and urban forests.
39

State and Private Forestry

The following map illustrates the Northeastern Area. The Northeastern Area provides technical and 

financial assistance to help deliver the programs of the State and Private Forestry mission area in the 

Northeast and Midwest. In Regions 1 through 8 and 10, the State and Private Forestry programs are 

delivered by the regional foresters.
40

Appendix B: Fire Suppression

7

Data source: NIFC website, http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/fires_acres.htm, accessed 7/10/08

Issue

The Forest Service is a natural resource management agency and the largest wildland firefighting 

organization in the world. However, the role of our firefighting force has expanded, and rapidly 

increasing costs are impacting the agency’s ability to care for the land and serve people beyond just fire 

control.

Discussion

The Forest Service has a proud firefighting heritage. Forest Service research developed the Incident 

Command System in the early 1970s. It now guides operations across the country for fire and other 

emergency response. The Forest Service brings a professionally trained firefighting force, under 

principal-guided leadership, to manage forest fires on national forest lands and within a cooperative 

interagency approach with other Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to control fire on other 

lands. Managing fires in natural areas is a critical mission of the Forest Service and a fundamental tool 

to help create healthy forests.It is a key responsibility to control fire in order to protect communities, 

valuable natural resources, and life and property from damage. Fire suppression costs, however, have 

skyrocketed, causing budget pressure on the agency to move funds from other base programs and 

causing fire suppression to become the agency’s dominant function.

Key Points

1. The Forest Service employs almost 10,500 firefighters each year.

2. Two-thirds of all firefighting resources in America belongs to the Forest Service. The agency 

provides specialized professionals (smoke jumpers and hot shot crews), aerial resources (helicopters 

and air tankers operated under contracts), national interagency dispatching and mobilization, and 

equipment and supplies for fire incident management.

3. The Forest Service is recognized as a leading firefighting organization that is called upon to train 

States and localities and consult with foreign nations on operations, leadership, and technology.

4. Safety is always our number one priority when it comes to fire. 

5. Wildfire has grown on the landscape and is predicted to get worse. The 2007 fire season saw a total 

of almost 86,000 wildfires and over 9.3 million acres burned.7

6. Forest firefighting has become more complex. Rapid expansion of home building near natural areas; 

hotter, drier climate and extended droughts; as well as accumulations of overgrown brush and trees in 

natural areas contribute to increased risk and complexity of managing forest fires. 

7. The Forest Service is successful in controlling about 97 to 98 percent of all wildfire with initial attack. 

Only 2 to 3 percent of the wildland fires escape, creating 70 percent of the total cost of fighting fire. 

8. Annual suppression costs have escalated to record highs. Costs have exceeded $1 billion in 5 of the 

last 8 years. Consequently, the 10-year average of the Wildland Fire Management account absorbs 

almost one-half of the agency budget. 

9. The Forest Service is implementing cost-control strategies, management reforms, fire-control 

decision tools, and scientific research applications to address costs, manage efficiency, and constantly 

improve effectiveness. 
41

Appendix C: 110th Congress on Fire Management

Issue

Legislative action and several introduced bills have occurred in the 110th Congressional session.

Discussion

The 110th Congress is very concerned about protecting lives and property from wildland fires in America. 

They are especially aware that certain large catastrophic fires represent emergencies and should be dealt 

with in that manner. The following represents some significant legislative activity in the 110th Congress 

on fire management.

Key Points

1. On December 26, 2007, President Bush signed Public Law 110-161, the Consolidated 

Appropriation Act, 2008. Section 429 expands coverage for reimbursement of professional 

liability insurance to “temporary fire line managers.” Employees holding these positions are eligible 

to be reimbursed for up to one-half of the cost of professional liability insurance, including any 

administrative processing cost charged by the insurance company.

2. H.R 5541—“Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act” or “FLAME Act.” 

Introduced March 6, 2008, by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman, Nick Rahall, with 

House Interior Appropriations Chairman, Norm Dicks, as a cosponsor. The bill would provide a 

supplemental funding source for catastrophic emergency wildland fire suppression activities on 

Forest Service and Department of the Interior lands. The bill would establish a “FLAME Fund” 

for the two Departments. Access to the fund would be initiated by a declaration from the Secretary 

and be based on several criteria. The bill would prohibit transfers of funds from nonfire accounts 

until all funds appropriated to fire within the agency budget and “FLAME Fund” are obligated. The 

bill would require a cohesive wildland fire management strategy consistent with recommendations 

from a recent GAO report. On April 17, 2008, the House Natural Resources Committee favorable 

reported the bill, as amended, in the nature of a substitute to the House of Representatives that 

includes several provision of H.R. 5648. Those provisions include measures to limit transfers from 

nonfire accounts to pay for fire suppression, cost containment incentives; a new program—FireReady Communities—that promotes local codes for fire-resistant design and materials and provides 

cost-share grants for education, training, equipment acquisition, and community wildfire protection 

planning; and a requirement for written notification to landowners when a prescribed fire treatment 

is to be conducted. On July 9, 2008, the bill was passed out of the House, as amended, under 

suspension of the rules. On July 10, 2008, Senator Barbara Boxer introduced the House passed bill 

as S. 3256. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The 110th 

Congress ended without further action on this bill. Indications are that a version of this bill will be 

introduced in the 111th Congress. 
42

3. H.R. 5648 - “Emergency Wildland Fire Response Act of 2008.” Introduced March 14, 2008, by 

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member, Robert Goodlatte (VA), with bipartisan support 

of the Agriculture Committee Chairman, Collin Peterson (MN), and House Natural Resource 

Committee members. The bill would amend the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. It 

would establish a Federal fire emergency suppression “Fund” to cover costs of declared emergency 

wildland fire incidents for the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior in similar ways to 

H.R. 5541. The bill would limit transfers of funds from nonfire accounts until all funds appropriated 

to fire operations within the agency budget and fund were depleted. It calls for a joint report to 

Congress every 6 months and that it be made available to the public. The bill would promote cost 

containment by allowing the agency to transfer funds to support reforestation and rehabilitation 

activities where fire expenditures were below the stratified cost index or equivalent measure and 

through independent panel reviews of any fire with expenditures greater than $10 million. The bill 

would authorize a new program to support “Fire-Ready Communities,” and provide partnership 

authority (nationalize Colorado Good Neighbor) to enter into contracts and agreements with State 

foresters, or equivalent officials, to carry out good neighbor projects on National Forest System and 

adjacent non-Federal lands. The 110th Congress ended without further action on this bill. Elements 

of H.R. 5648 were integrated into H.R. 5541 when it passed out of House Natural Resources on 

April 17, 2008. There is no indication that this bill or a revised version will be introduced in the 

111th Congress. 
43

Appendix D: The National Fire Plan

Issue

Protecting lives and property by reducing large catastrophic wildland fires.

Discussion

In September 2000, the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior developed a plan to respond to 

the fires of 2000, to reduce the impacts of these wildland fires on rural communities, and to ensure 

sufficient firefighting resources in the future. The report is entitled Managing the Impacts of Wildfire on 

Communities and the Environment: A Report to the President In Response to the Wildfires of 2000—

The National Fire Plan for short. The National Fire Plan continues to be an integral part of the Forest 

Service today. The following are important operational features of the National Fire Plan: 

•	 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy: The 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy 

and the subsequent 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy act as the foundation of the 

National Fire Plan.

•	 Basic Premise of the National Fire Plan: Investing now in an optimal firefighting force, hazardous 

fuels reduction, and overall community protection will provide for immediate protection and future 

cost savings.

•	 Funding: Initially (2001), the National Fire Plan provided for an additional $1,100,994,000 for 

the Forest Service for a total wildland fire management budget of $1,910,193,000. In 2008, the 

total amount for the Forest Service in wildland fire management (not including emergency fire 

suppression funding) is $1,974,276,000.

Key Points

The following are five key points associated with the vision of the National Fire Plan:

1. Firefighting. Continue to be adequately prepared for initial attack.

2. Rehabilitation and Restoration. Restore landscapes and rebuild communities damaged by the 

wildfires.

3. Hazardous Fuel Reduction. Invest in projects to reduce fire risk.

4. Community Assistance. Work directly with communities to ensure adequate protection.

5. Accountability. Be accountable and establish adequate oversight, coordination, program 

development, and monitoring for performance.
44

Issue

Communities, municipal water supplies, and other Federal land are at risk from wildfire. That risk can 

be reduced through cooperation action.

 

Discussion

The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-148) (HFRA) was signed into law in December 

2003. HFRA, as it is known, contains a variety of provisions to help speed up hazardous-fuel reduction 

and forest-restoration projects on specific types of Federal land that are at risk of wildland fire and/or of 

insect and disease epidemics. The HFRA helps States, Tribes, rural communities, and landowners restore 

healthy forest and rangeland conditions on State, Tribal, and private lands. HFRA helps augment the 

National Fire Plan (see Appendix A.3) and the Healthy Forests Initiative to protect lives and property 

from wildfire. HFRA includes six major titles:

1. Hazardous Fuel Reduction on Federal Land. Reduce hazardous fuel to mitigate loss due to 

wildfire.

2. Biomass. Expand research to improve the utilization of wood.

3. Watershed Forestry Assistance. Manage and conserve the health of forested watersheds. 

4. Insect Infestations and Related Diseases. Control infestations of forest-damaging insects and 

associated diseases.

5. Healthy Forests Reserve Program. Restore and enhance forest ecosystems to improve biodiversity 

and enhance carbon sequestration.

6. Miscellaneous. Inventory and monitor forest stands to better assess environmental threats.

The Healthy Forests Initiative, technically launched before HFRA, helps improve the condition of our 

public lands, increases firefighter safety, and conserves landscape attributes valued by society. Together, 

the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service implement the National Fire Plan and Healthy 

Forests Initiative (using, in part, the authorities of HFRA) to help save the lives of firefighters and 

citizens and to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire to communities, forests, and rangelands.

Key Points

The following are key points about activities associated with HFRA:

1. An excessive accumulation of hazardous or unusually flammable fuels in our forests, woodlands, and 

grasslands is the root cause of the unprecedented fire risk facing our public lands. Treatments occur 

both inside and outside the wildland-urban interface. 

2. Since 2001, Federal land management agencies (Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and 

others) have treated nearly 26 million acres of Federal lands under the Healthy Forests Initiative and 

the National Fire Plan through landscape restoration actions.

3. Stewardship contracting, an action used to help implement HFRA, includes natural resource 

management activities that contribute to the development of sustainable rural communities, maintain 

healthy forest ecosystems, and provide a continuing source of local income and employment.

4. Byproducts removed during hazardous fuels reduction are often utilized for bioenergy. In March 

2008, $4.1 million in Forest Service woody biomass utilization grants were used to help 17 small 

businesses and community groups find more innovative uses of woody biomass from national forests 

in new products and renewable energy. 

Appendix E: The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003

For Further Reference: More detail on the Healthy Forests Initiative is available 

at http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/Healthy_Forests/index.shtml
45

The Chief Years Served

Gifford Pinchot 1905-1910

Henry S. Graves 1910-1920

William B. Greeley 1920-1928

Robert Y. Stuart 1928-1933

Ferdinand A. Silcox 1933-1939

Earle H. Clapp 1939-1943

Lyle F. Watts 1943-1952

Richard E. McArdle 1952-1962

Edward P. Cliff 1962-1972

John R. McGuire 1972-1979

R. Max Peterson 1979-1987

F. Dale Robertson 1987-1993

Jack Ward Thomas 1993-1996

Michael P. Dombeck 1997-2001

Dale N. Bosworth 2001-2007

Abigail R. Kimbell 2007-Present

Appendix F: The 16 Chiefs of the Forest Service

For Further Reference: A Forest Service Leadership Timeline, including biographies

 http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/history/time-line.shtml
46

Appendix G: Forest Service Employment

 

 Full-Time Equivalents

UNITS Total Permanent Other

Northern (Region 1) 2,845 2,291 554

Rocky Mountain (Region 2) 2,174 1,782 392

Southwestern (Region 3) 2,297 1,949 348

Intermountain (Region 4) 2,713 2,149 564

Pacific Southwest (Region 5) 5,568 4,547 1,021

Pacific Northwest (Region 6) 4,053 3,342 710

Southern (Region 8) 2,834 2,686 149

Eastern (Region 9) 2,210 1,980 230

Alaska (Region 10) 776 687 90

Forest Products Laboratory 184 182 2

International Institute of Tropical Forestry 46 42 4

Washington Office 1,756 1,732 23

National Operations 423 275 147

Job Corp 1,191 1,123 68

Rocky Mountain Research Station 478 435 43

Northern Research Station 511 487 24

Albuquerque Service Center 1,577 1,542 35

Pacific Northwest Research Station 377 338 39

Pacific Southwest Research Station 216 195 21

Southern Research Station 443 422 21

Northeastern Area 146 143 3

Total 32,8185 28,330 4,488

Numbers reflect end of FY 2007 and do not include overtime FTEs.
47

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and 

activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political 

beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 

should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint 

of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is 

an equal opportunity provider and employer.