2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, 

the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 

program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or 

funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, 

audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-

2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program 

information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete 

the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at 

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and 

provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.

To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Cover design photo credits

Main Photo

View of the Milky Way over Cathedral Rock, seen from the Cathedral Rock Trailhead on Back O' Beyond Road, Sedona, 

Arizona.

Cathedral Rock is a prominent rock formation located on the Coconino National Forest between Sedona and the Village of 

Oak Creek, Arizona. Both towns are certified International Dark Sky Communities, abiding by lighting ordinances that help 

protect northern Arizona's dark skies for local observatories, astronomers, and star gazers. Forest Service photo by Deborah 

Lee Soltesz.

Smaller photos - left to right

A national forest guest participates in activities lead by Forest Service employees. Forest Service photo.

A Forest Service employee helps put out fires at the Happy Camp Complex on the Klamath National Forest. Forest Service 

photo.

Forest Service Fire Management Officer Patrick Scott, at a timber sale on the North Mills Area, Pisgah Ranger District, 

Pisgah National Forest. Forest Service photo by Cecilio Ricardo.

Top: A Forest Service employee interacts with a guest at a national forest. Photo by Gerald Heinrich, Midewin Interpretive 

Association.

Bottom: A Forest Service employee at First Creek Fire on Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Forest Service photo.

Top: A member of the Youth Conservation Corps explores a national park. Forest Service Photo.

Bottom: A man mountain bikes near Wade Lake on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. USDA Photo by Preston 

Keres.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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2021USDAEXPLANATORY NOTES –FOREST SERVICE

Agency-Wide................................................................................................................................................................ 1

Budget Overview ..................................................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose Statement.................................................................................................................................................... 3

Lead-Off Tabular Statements................................................................................................................................... 5

Four-Year Summary of Appropriations and 2021 Pay, Awards and FERS Increases............................................. 6

Four-Year Summary of Staff Years (SY) .............................................................................................................. 10

Revenue, Receipts and Transfers........................................................................................................................... 12

Organization Chart................................................................................................................................................. 13

Available Funds and Staff Years............................................................................................................................ 14

Permanent Positions by Grade and Staff Years ..................................................................................................... 16

Vehicle Fleet .......................................................................................................................................................... 17

Shared Funding Projects........................................................................................................................................ 19

Forest and Rangeland Research...................................................................................................................................21

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 21

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 21

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 22

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 23

Classification By Objects....................................................................................................................................... 26

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 27

State and Private Forestry............................................................................................................................................31

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 31

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 31

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 32

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 33

Classification By Objects....................................................................................................................................... 38

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 39

National Forest System................................................................................................................................................47

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 47

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 47

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 48

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 50

Classification By Objects....................................................................................................................................... 56

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 57

Capital Improvement and Maintenance .......................................................................................................................69

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 69

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 69
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Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 70

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 71

Classification By Objects....................................................................................................................................... 74

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 75

Land Acquisition .........................................................................................................................................................77

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 77

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 77

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 78

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 79

Classification By Objects....................................................................................................................................... 80

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 81

Other Appropriations...................................................................................................................................................83

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 83

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 83

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 84

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 85

Classification by Objects ....................................................................................................................................... 87

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 88

Wildland Fire Management .........................................................................................................................................91

Lead-Off Tabular Statement .................................................................................................................................. 91

Appropriations Language....................................................................................................................................... 91

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 92

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................... 93

Classification by Objects ....................................................................................................................................... 95

Status of Programs................................................................................................................................................. 96

Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve fund.........................................................................................................101

Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................ 101

Appropriations Language..................................................................................................................................... 101

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 101

Justifications of Increases and Decreases............................................................................................................. 102

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund............................................................................................................103

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 103

Justification of Increases and Decreases.............................................................................................................. 103

Permanent Appropriations.........................................................................................................................................105

Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................ 105

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 106

Classification by Objects ..................................................................................................................................... 108

Status of Programs............................................................................................................................................... 109

Payments to States ............................................................................................................................................... 115
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Trust Funds................................................................................................................................................................117

Lead-Off Tabular Statement ................................................................................................................................ 117

Project Statement ................................................................................................................................................. 117

Classification by Objects ..................................................................................................................................... 118

Status of Programs............................................................................................................................................... 119

Administrative Provisions (including Transfers of Funds)........................................................................................121

General Provisions (including Transfers of Funds)...................................................................................................123

Discretionary Legislative Proposals ..........................................................................................................................131

Forest Management.............................................................................................................................................. 131

Grazing Permits- FLPMA Amendment ............................................................................................................... 131

Public Lands Infrastructure Fund......................................................................................................................... 131

Mandatory Legislative Proposals...............................................................................................................................133

Use of Minerals Receipts From National Forest System Lands to Accelerate Minerals Permitting-Cost Recovery133

Roads and Trails Fund ......................................................................................................................................... 133

Forest Botanical Products - Reauthorization........................................................................................................ 133

Cash Equalization Waiver – Lands and Realty Management .............................................................................. 133

Appraised Threshold Waiver - Lands and Realty Management .......................................................................... 133

Agency-Wide Performance........................................................................................................................................135

Special Exhibits.........................................................................................................................................................137

Budget Accountability and Modernization (formerly called “Budget Reform”)................................................. 137

Biomass and Wood Innovations........................................................................................................................... 140

Criteria for Allocating Funding for Recreation Access........................................................................................ 143

Equal Access to Justice Act ................................................................................................................................. 144

National Scenic and Historic Trails ..................................................................................................................... 148

Office of General Counsel Reimbursement ......................................................................................................... 152

Research and Development Field Unit Budget Report ........................................................................................ 153

Stewardship Contracting...................................................................................................................................... 173

Transition to Second Growth in Alaska ............................................................................................................... 176

Unliquidated Obligations..................................................................................................................................... 177

USDA Working Capital Fund, Departmental Shared Cost Programs and Central Cost Distribution Programs.. 179

Forest Service - Working Capital Fund................................................................................................................ 183
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AGENCY-WIDE

BUDGET OVERVIEW

“The greatest good for the greatest number in the long run.”

Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (1905-1910)

Mission

The USDA Forest Service’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands 

to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Budget Overview

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Forest Service budget for discretionary appropriations is $5.3 billion, a decrease of $155.6 million 

from the FY 2020 Enacted amount. It includes $2.4 billion for Wildland Fire Management, an increase of $58.8 million from 

the FY 2020 amount; $2 billion for the management of National Forest System lands, an increase of $47.6 million from the 

FY 2020 amount; $453.2 million for Capital Improvement and Maintenance, a decrease of $1.9 million from the FY 2020 

amount; $249.3 million for Forest and Rangeland Research, a decrease of $55.7 million from the FY 2020 amount; and 

$217.4 million for State and Private Forestry, a decrease of $129.5 million from FY 2020. The Wildfire Suppression Cap 

Adjustment (“fire funding fix”) is $2.04 billion, an increase of $90 million from FY 2020.

Forest Service Priorities

The Forest Service is focused on maximizing results and outcomes to meet USDA Strategic Goal 6: “Ensuring Productive 

and Sustainable Use of our National Forest System Lands.” The FY 2021 Budget request prioritizes investments in risk-based 

wildland fire management and in improving forest conditions. Emphases on shared technology services and improvements in 

work culture support these priorities.

Risk-Based Wildland Fire Management

Wildland Fire Management is a top priority for the Forest Service and aligns with USDA Strategic Objective 6.3 “Mitigate 

Wildfire Risk.” With the amount requested, the agency will focus efforts on increasing the speed and efficiency of critical 

firefighter deployment and building capacity to use cutting-edge scientific tools to reduce the risk of wildland fire to people

and places. With funding in this President’s Budget, the Forest Service will direct resources to expanding the Risk 

Management Assistance framework to enhance line officer capacity to make risk-informed wildfire response decisions. These 

efforts involve training, planning, and implementing new technologies and includes a $10 million increase for priority 

investments: $7.5 million of Preparedness and $2.5 million of Forest and Rangeland Research funding. The Risk 

Management Assistance framework provides for a holistic and integrated approach to incident response and decision-making 

beginning in the planning cycle. This new approach, developed in concert with State, local, and county partners to increase 

the decision space for fire managers and to provide line officers with more opportunity to influence incident outcomes. 

The President’s Budget also requests $15 million in funding to implement the Wildfire Technology Modernization section of 

the Dingell Conservation and Management Act (2019). This includes $5 million in Preparedness and $10 million of Forest 

and Rangeland Research funding. Implementation includes the development of a common operating picture of all fire 

resources through data capture and systems development and will significantly increase accountability for how the agency 

uses assets and spends budgetary resources. A common operating picture will allow the agency to monitor, analyze, and 

evaluate how tactical decisions and resource utilization influences incident outcomes. This information will create a feedback 

loop, allowing the agency to learn where, when, and how resources are most effective. 

Wildfire Suppression Cap Adjustment (Fire Funding Fix)

In FY 2021, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior will have budget authority of $2.35 billion available (with 

$2.04 available for the Forest Service) if Suppression funding is exhausted. This additional funding will be leveraged by the 

agency to strategically approach programmatic and fiscal management of non-fire land management programs.

Land Mobile Radio

Within USDA’s 27 agencies, there are multiple radio programs. The Forest Service Land Mobile Radio (LMR) has the 

largest inventory of equipment, people, and experience at the Department. In FY 2021, USDA will allocate $23.5 million in 

priority investments toward an intra-agency (OneUSDA) LMR shared services model. By providing OneUSDA LMR 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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support services and merging radio operations with those across the Department, USDA aims to lower costs, improve 

operational efficiencies, and close gaps in delivery and security to better respond to emergencies, criminal activity, wildfires, 

and other disasters. This effort will be funded by $15 million of Forest Service Preparedness funds. The remaining USDA 

investment of $8.5 million is needed from the Agriculture Appropriations bill and will be requested by USDA’s Office of the 

Chief Information Officer (OCIO). As managing partner for the other participating USDA agencies, OCIO will establish a

reimbursable agreement with the Forest Service.

Improving Forest Conditions

The Forest Service will focus resources on activities that will result in improved forest conditions and, as such, this budget 

requests an increase of $79.8 million for the following active management line items – Hazardous Fuels, Wildlife and 

Fisheries Habitat Management, Forest Products, Vegetation and Watershed Management, and Roads. The agency will invest 

$10 million ($3.3 million each from Hazardous Fuels, Forest Products, and the Forest and Rangeland Research funding) to 

build capacity to maximize cutting-edge scientific tools to conduct scenario planning to target wildland fire risk. The agency

will model shared stewardship principles to work with States to target strategic acres at larger scales. Active management 

tools, including the Good Neighbor Authority, timber harvests, stewardship contracts, and planned and unplanned wildfire 

ignitions, will be used to treat 3.5 million acres to reduce hazardous fuels and increase the pace and efficiency of improving 

forest conditions by selling 4 billion board feet of timber in support of the President’s Executive Order 13855 - Promoting 

Active Management of America’s Forests Rangelands and Other Federal lands. These investments will increase the agency’s

ability to do the right work in the right places at the right scale. The Forest Service will also build coalitions of stakeholders 

that support investments to reduce risk and improve forest conditions. 

Contributing to Rural Prosperity

The FY 2021 President’s Budget request supports considerable economic activity in national, regional, and local economies 

through natural resource management, research and development, wildland fire management, and by providing sustainable 

use of the national forests and grasslands. Significant Forest Service economic activity benefits many rural forest and 

grassland dependent communities. The results of a recent economic analysis (2018) indicates Forest Service programs and 

work contributed to 380,000 jobs (average annual full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal) and $31.9 billion in gross 

domestic product. Recreational visitor use, hunting and fishing, energy and minerals development, forest products, and 

livestock grazing generated nearly 64 percent of the economic activity.

Work Place Environment

The agency continues to proactively promote the importance of providing a safe, resilient, and harassment-free work culture 

where employees are treated with respect and dignity. Such an environment is paramount to carrying out the agency’s 

mission and delivering needed services to the American public. The Work Environment and Performance Office is leading 

the agency’s efforts to ensure accountability at multiple levels by strengthening internal reporting channels and providing 

training and support to all employees. The office seeks to diagnose and address the root causes and cultural barriers to 

emotional and physical safety, security, diversity, and inclusion in the work environment. Specifically, the Work 

Environment and Performance Office focuses on employee support, organizational learning and culture, and policy analysis 

and accountability. Through the “This is Who We Are” program, the agency is evolving as a values-based, purpose-driven, 

relationship-focused organization.
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PURPOSE STATEMENT

The USDA Forest Service was established within the Department of Agriculture in 1905, pursuant to the Transfer Act of 

1905 (33 Stat. 628) and the Agricultural Appropriation Act of 1906 (33 Stat.872). The mission of the agency 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 Forest Service is composed of four Deputy Areas: (1) National Forest System, (2) Forest and Rangeland Research, (3) 

State and Private Forestry, and (4) Business Operations.

Statutory Program Authorization:

The Forest and Rangeland Research program is authorized in part by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 

Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.) and the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 

U.S.C. 1601 et seq.). The program’s purpose is to develop and deliver knowledge and innovative technology, to reduce risk, 

and improve the health and use of the Nation’s public and private forests and rangelands.

The State and Private Forestry program is authorized in part by the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 

2101 et seq.). The purpose of the program is to help sustain State and private forests and provide support to keep working 

forests intact. Through coordinated efforts in management, protection, conservation education, and resource use, the program 

helps facilitate sound stewardship of lands across all ownerships, on a landscape scale, producing ecological, social, and 

economic benefits for the American people.

The National Forest System program is authorized in part by the Organic Administration Act of 1897 (16 U.S.C. 551), the 

Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), the National Forest Management 

Act of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 472a), and the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act (16 U.S.C. 528-531). The program’s purpose is to 

provide stewardship and management of over 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands. The suite of National 

Forest Service programs support planning, coordination, implementation, and monitoring of activities that provide a wide 

variety of ecosystem services including water-quality protection, recreation opportunities for the public, energy for the 

Nation, food security, timber and non-timber forest products, maintenance of open space, and wildlife habitat and habitat 

connectivity.

The Capital Improvement and Maintenance program is authorized in part by the Forest Roads and Trails Act (16 U.S.C. 532-

538), and the 23 U.S.C. 101 et seq. The program’s purpose is to maintain and improve the infrastructure which enables the 

agency to meet critical natural resource needs and provide safe access to public lands.

The Land Acquisition program is authorized in part by the Weeks Act (16 U.S.C. 515) and the General Exchange Act of 

1922 (16 U.S.C. 485, 486). The program’s purpose is to reduce fragmented lands and connect important lands, waters, and 

access within National Forest System in order to support the creation of resilient landscapes and ecological and social 

benefits such as restoration, recreational access, habitat for wildlife and water quality and quantity protection.

The Wildland Fire Management program is authorized in part by the Organic Administration Act of 1897 16 U.S.C 551). The 

program’s purpose is to protect life, property and natural resources on the National Forest System and 20 million acres of 

adjacent State and private lands. The program ensures timely, appropriate, risk informed, and effective response operations to 

all wildland fires. 

Other Appropriations:

• The Range Betterment Fund is authorized by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1751). 

The program’s purpose is to foster healthy, resilient rangeland ecosystems by funding range management and vegetation 

management activities.

• Gifts, Donations and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland Research is authorized by the Forest and Rangeland Renewable 

Resources Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1641 et seq.). This special account is used for the acceptance of gifts, 

donations, and bequests for deposit to establish or operate any forest and rangeland research facility.

• Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Use is authorized by the Alaska National Interest Lands 

Conservation Act of 1980 (16 U.S.C. 3111-3126). The purpose of the program is to provide subsistence management on 

National Forests in Alaska.

Business Operations provides direction, quality assurance, and customer service in carrying out agency activities associated 

with strategic planning, budget, human resource management, acquisition management, and the Chief Information Officer.
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The Forest Service headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. As of September 30, 2019, there were 27,131 permanent fulltime employees, including 512 in the headquarters office and 26,619 in regional and field offices.

OIG and GAO Reports

FY 2019 Issued GAO Reports (Forest Service Recommendations)

Audit Number Date Title Results

19-436R 9/18/2019 Hardrock Mining Financial Assurances Implementation of corrective 

actions in progress

19-643 9/25/2019 Federal Land Management Agencies: Additional Actions 

Needed to Address Facility Security Assessment 

Requirements

Implementation of corrective 

actions in progress

In-Progress Forest Service GAO Audits

Audit Number Title Results

102623 Job Corps Contractor Performance Audit fieldwork in progress

102653 Wildland Fire Fuel Management Activities Audit fieldwork in progress

102836 Issues Related to Hardrock Mining Audit fieldwork in progress

102944 DoD Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) 

Program

Audit fieldwork in progress

102965 Looting and Trafficking of Native American Culture Items Audit fieldwork in progress

103305 Chetco Bar Fire Audit fieldwork in progress

103556 Location of Forest Service Land Acquisition Using LWCF Audit fieldwork in progress

103646 Hardrock Mining and the General Mining Law of 1872 Audit fieldwork in progress

103660 Re-evaluation of USDA Job Corps Centers Audit fieldwork in progress

FY 2019 Issued OIG Reports

Audit Number Date Title Results

08601-0009-41 12/18/2018 Forest Service Controls Over its Contract Close Out 

Process

Corrective actions completed

08601-0008-41 02/11/2019 Forest Service Initiatives to Address Workplace 

Misconduct

Implementation of corrective 

actions in progress

50501-0020-12 06/27/2019 Improper Usage of USDA's Information Technology 

Resources

Implementation of corrective 

actions in progress

08702-0001-41 9/10/2019 Forest Service Controls Over its 2018 Supplemental 

Disaster Appropriations

Corrective actions completed

In-Progress Forest Service OIG Reports

Audit Number Title Results

08601-0011-41 Forest Service Use of Settlement Funds Audit fieldwork in progress

11601-0001-12 USDA’s 2019 Compliance with the DATA Act Implementation of corrective 

actions in progress

50701-0002-21 Department of Agriculture’s Control to Prevent the Unauthorized 

Access and Transfer of Research Technology

Audit fieldwork in progress
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LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENTS

Lead-Off Tabular Statement (Discretionary Funding)

Forest Service (total of the following accounts)

2020 Enacted ...........................................................................................................................................................$5,500,413,000

Change in Appropriation ............................................................................................................................................ -155,577,000

Budget Estimate, 2021...............................................................................................................................................5,344,836,000

Forest and Rangeland Research

2020 Enacted ..............................................................................................................................................................$305,000,000

Change in Appropriation .............................................................................................................................................. -55,670,000

Budget Estimate, 2021..................................................................................................................................................249,330,000

State and Private Forestry

2020 Enacted ..............................................................................................................................................................$346,990,000

Change in Appropriation........................................ ........................................................................................ -129,547,000

Budget Estimate, 2021............................................... ..........................................................................................217,443,000

National Forest System

2020 Enacted ...........................................................................................................................................................$1,957,510,000

Change in Appropriation ............................................................................................................................................. +47,552,000

Budget Estimate, 2021...............................................................................................................................................2,005,062,000

Capital Improvement and Maintenance

2020 Enacted ..............................................................................................................................................................$455,000,000

Change in Appropriation ................................................................................................................................................ -1,827,000

Budget Estimate, 2021..................................................................................................................................................453,173,000

Land Acquisition

2020 Enacted ................................................................................................................................................................$79,748,000

Change in Appropriation ............................................................................................................................................. -79,748,000

Budget Estimate, 2021................................................................................................................................................................... 0

Other Appropriations

2020 Enacted ..................................................................................................................................................................$5,545,000

Change in Appropriation ............................................................................................................................................... +4,839,000

Budget Estimate, 2021....................................................................................................................................................10,384,000

Wildland Fire Management

2020 Enacted ...........................................................................................................................................................$2,350,620,000

Change in Appropriation ............................................................................................................................................. +58,824,000

Budget Estimate, 2021...............................................................................................................................................2,409,444,000

Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund (not included in the above total of discretionary funding)

2020 Enacted ...........................................................................................................................................................$1,950,000,000

Change in Appropriation ............................................................................................................................................. +90,000,000

Budget Estimate, 2021...............................................................................................................................................2,040,000,000

Lead-Off Tabular Statement (Mandatory Funding)

Forest Service (total of the following accounts)

2020 Enacted ..............................................................................................................................................................$692,264,000

Change due to Proposed Legislation ........................................................................................................................... +60,000,000

Change in Appropriation..............................................................................................................-5,754,000

Net 2021 Request .........................................................................................................................................................746,510,000

Permanent Appropriations

2020 Enacted ..............................................................................................................................................................$528,550,000

Change in Appropriation ................................................................................................................................................ -8,027,000

Budget Estimate, 2021..................................................................................................................................................520,523,000

Budget Estimate, 2021..................................................................................................................................................520,523,000

Change Due to Proposed Legislation........................................................................................................................... +60,000,000

Net 2021 Request .........................................................................................................................................................580,523,000

Trust Funds

2020 Enacted ..............................................................................................................................................................$163,714,000

Change in Appropriations.............................................................................................................................................. +2,273,000

Budget Estimate, 2021..................................................................................................................................................165,987,000
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FOUR-YEAR SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND 2021 PAY, AWARDS AND FERS INCREASES

Four-Year Summary of Appropriations and 2021 pay, awards and FERS increases (dollars in thousands)

Program/Activity

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget 

Request

2021 

Pay Cost a

2021 

Awards a

2021 

FERS a

Forest and Rangeland Research:

Forest and Rangeland Research ...... $220,000 $223,000 $228,000 $170,876 $1,092 $789 $995

Forest Inventory and Analysis ........ 77,000 77,000 77,000 78,454 552 399 503 

Total, Forest and Rangeland 

Research ..................................... 297,000 300,000 305,000 249,330 1,644 1,188 1,498 

State and Private Forestry:

Landscape Scale Restoration .......... 14,000 14,000 14,000 14,004 2 1 1 

FHM - Federal Lands...................... 55,500 56,000 56,000 50,879 334 241 304 

FHM - Cooperative Lands.............. 41,000 42,000 44,000 33,757 98 70 89 

Working Forest Lands..................... 20,500 20,500 21,000 20,656 59 43 54 

Forest Legacy Program................... 67,025 63,990 63,990 0 0 0 0 

Community Forest and Open Space 

Conservation............................. 4,000 4,000 4,000 0 0 0 0 

Urban and Community Forestry...... 28,500 29,500 32,000 0 0 0 0 

International Programs.................... 9,000 9,000 12,000 0 0 0 0 

National Fire Capacity .................... 80,000 81,000 82,000 81,147 56 40 51 

Rural Fire Capacity......................... 16,000 17,000 18,000 17,000 0 0 0 

Total, State and Private Forestry.... 335,525 336,990 346,990 217,443 549 395 499 

National Forest System:

Collaborative Forest Landscape 

Restoration................................ 40,000 40,000 40,000 0 0 0 0 

Land Management Planning, 

Assessment and Monitoring ..... 179,263 180,000 180,000 179,864 228 165 208 

Hazardous Fuels.............................. 430,000 435,000 445,310 510,000 2,944 2,128 2,684 

Recreation, Heritage and 

Wilderness................................ 257,848 260,000 262,000 263,629 2,195 1,586 2,000 

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat 

Management ............................. 136,430 137,000 138,000 139,619 1,210 875 1,104 

Grazing Management...................... 56,856 57,000 57,000 58,223 519 375 473 

Forest Products ............................... 366,000 368,000 373,000 385,000 3,815 2,758 3,478 

Vegetation and Watershed 

Management ............................. 180,000 180,000 182,000 183,849 1,461 1,056 1,332 

Minerals and Geology Management 74,200 75,000 74,200 75,618 538 389 491 

Land Use Authorization and Access 74,000 75,000 75,000 76,009 588 425 536 

Law Enforcement Operations ......... 129,153 131,000 131,000 133,251 854 618 779 

Total, National Forest System......... 1,923,750 1,938,000 1,957,510 2,005,062 14,352 10,375 13,085 

Capital Improvement and Maintenance:

Facilities.......................................... 151,000 148,000 154,000 152,501 570 412 519 

Roads.............................................. 218,000 218,000 220,000 221,864 1,467 1,060 1,337 

Trails............................................... 80,000 80,000 81,000 78,808 686 496 626 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Program/Activity

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget 

Request

2021 

Pay Cost a

2021 

Awards a

2021 

FERS a

Total, Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance............................... 449,000 446,000 455,000 453,173 2,723 1,968 2,482 

Land Acquisition:

Land Acquisition............................. 64,337 72,564 78,898 0 0 0 0 

Acquisition of Land for National 

Forests Special Acts.................. 850 700 700 0 0 0 0 

Acquisition of Lands to Complete 

Land Exchanges........................ 192 115 150 0 0 0 0 

Total, Land Acquisition b................. 65,379 73,379 79,748 0 0 0 0 

Other Appropriations:

Range Betterment Fund .................. 2,065 2,857 2,000 2,017 6 5 6 

Gifts, Donations, & Bequest for 

Forest & Rangeland Research .. 45 0 45 45 0 0 0 

Management of National Forest 

Lands for Subsistence Uses...... 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,322 14 10 13 

Communication Site 

Administration.......................... 0 0 1,000 6,000 0 0 0 

Total, Other Appropriations b......... 4,610 5,357 5,545 10,384 20 15 19 

Wildland Fire Management:

Preparedness................................... 1,323,520 1,339,620 1,339,620 1,398,444 13,283 9,601 12,104 

Suppression..................................... 1,556,818 1,665,366 1,011,000 1,011,000 0 0 0 

Total, Wildland Fire Management . 2,880,338 3,004,986 2,350,620 2,409,444 13,283 9,601 12,104 

Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund:

Wildfire Suppression Operations 

Reserve Fund............................ 0 0 1,950,000 2,040,000 0 0 0 

Total, Wildfire Suppression 

Operations Reserve Fund.......... 0 0 1,950,000 2,040,000 0 0 0 

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund:

FLAME........................................... 342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total, FLAME Wildfire 

Suppression Reserve Fund........ 342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Total, Discretionary 

Appropriations........................... 6,297,602 6,104,712 7,450,413 7,384,836 32,571 23,542 29,687 

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Relief (P.L. 115-72).......... 184,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Disaster Relief (P.L. 115-123)........ 119,752 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Disaster Relief (P.L. 116-20).......... 0 854,271 0 0 0 0 0 

Total, Supplemental 

Appropriations........................... 304,252 854,271 0 0 0 0 0 

Total, Discretionary and 

Supplemental.............................. 6,601,854 6,958,983 7,450,413 7,384,836 32,571 23,542 29,687 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

8

Program/Activity

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget 

Request

2021 

Pay Cost a

2021 

Awards a

2021 

FERS a

Permanent Appropriations:

Brush Disposal................................ 7,595 9,432 10,357 10,520 0 0 0 

Timber Salvage Sales...................... 41,924 45,816 50,311 51,104 0 0 0 

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration .. 4,593 3,044 3,343 3,395 0 0 0 

Forest Botanical Products............... 1,713 1,507 1,655 1,681 0 0 0 

Stewardship Contracting................. 23,635 26,263 26,709 27,164 0 0 0 

Recreation Fees, Forest Service ...... 100,602 97,009 98,658 100,336 0 0 0 

Timber Purchaser Election Road 

Construction ............................. 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 0 0 0 

Operation and Maintenance of 

Forest Service Quarters ............ 10,036 10,073 11,061 11,235 0 0 0 

Roads and Trails for States............. 0 0 19,651 19,986 0 0 0 

Land Between The Lakes 

Management ............................. 4,515 5,193 5,703 5,792 0 0 0 

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie 

Rental Fees............................... 725 696 764 776 0 0 0 

Restoration of Forest Lands and 

Improvements........................... 1,705 5,982 6,568 6,672 0 0 0 

Commercial Filming and Still 

Photography Land Use Fee 

Retention .................................. 653 626 687 698 0 0 0 

Organizational Camps Program...... 497 542 596 605 0 0 0 

Cost Recovery (Land Uses) ............ 11,005 4,954 5,793 65,807 0 0 0 

Licensee Program Smokey Bear..... 440 449 497 504 0 0 0 

Licensee Program Woodsy Owl...... 33 12 25 26 0 0 0 

Forest Service Go Green Program 

(Conservation).......................... 128 159 160 163 0 0 0 

Conveyance of Administrative 

Sites.......................................... 4,709 2,716 2,991 3,037 0 0 0 

Site-Specific Lands Act .................. 26 26 21 22 0 0 0 

Payments to States Funds c ............. 234,609 293,464 281,000 269,000 0 0 0 

Total, Permanent Appropriations... 451,143 509,963 528,550 580,523 0 0 0 

Trust Funds:

Cooperative Work - KnutsonVandenberg .............................. 187,239 253,638 83,000 84,411 0 0 0 

Cooperative Work – Other.............. 39,405 89,526 50,602 51,462 0 0 0 

Reforestation Trust Fund ................ 27,246 30,000 30,000 30,000 0 0 0 

Land Between The Lakes Trust 

Fund.......................................... 84 109 112 114 0 0 0 

Total, Trust Funds........................... 253,974 373,273 163,714 165,987 0 0 0 

Grand Total, Forest Service ............ 7,306,971 7,842,219 8,142,677 8,131,346 32,571 23,542 29,687 

Rescissions:

State and Private Forestry ............... -5,938 -1,503 0 0 0 0 0 

Land Acquisition............................. 0 0 -2,000 0 0 0 0 

Total, Rescissions ............................. -5,938 -1,503 -2,000 0 0 0 0 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

9

Program/Activity

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget 

Request

2021 

Pay Cost a

2021 

Awards a

2021 

FERS a

Deferrals (CHIMP):

Roads and Trails for States............. -15,000 -15,000 -15,000 0 0 0 0 

Total, Deferrals ................................ -15,000 -15,000 -15,000 0 0 0 0 

a Amounts are included within each appropriations for FY 2021.

b Appropriations for these programs are determined by collections and are not equal to enacted levels in the appropriations bill, which are estimates. c Payments to States amounts reflect budget authority; it does not include Treasury supplementals.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

10

FOUR-YEAR SUMMARY OF STAFF YEARS (SY)

Program/Activity 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Forest and Rangeland Research:

Forest and Rangeland Research ................ 1,126 1,149 1,149 862 

Forest Inventory and Analysis.................. 458 436 436 436 

Total, Forest and Rangeland Research .... 1,584 1,585 1,585 1,298 

State & Private Forestry:

Landscape Scale Restoration .................... 1 0 0 1 

FHM - Federal Lands................................ 275 273 273 263 

FHM - Cooperative Lands........................ 126 77 77 77 

Working Forest Lands .............................. 47 50 50 47 

Forest Legacy Program............................. 26 24 24 0 

Urban and Community Forestry ............... 48 49 49 0 

International Programs.............................. 46 22 22 0 

National Fire Capacity.............................. 0 56 56 44 

Total, State & Private Forestry................. 569 551 551 432 

National Forest System:

Collaborative Forest Landscape 

Restoration ......................................... 240 248 248 99 

Land Management Planning, Assessment 

and Monitoring................................... 182 180 180 180 

Hazardous Fuels........................................ 2,098 2,320 2,348 2,325 

Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness........ 1,715 1,742 1,742 1,733 

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat 

Management....................................... 894 958 958 956 

Grazing Management................................ 413 411 411 410 

Forest Products......................................... 2,881 2,979 2,979 3,013 

Vegetation and Watershed Management .. 1,108 1,154 1,154 1,154 

Minerals and Geology Management......... 431 428 428 425 

Land Use Authorization and Access......... 454 468 468 464 

Law Enforcement Operations................... 663 669 669 675 

Total, National Forest System................... 11,079 11,557 11,585 11,434 

Capital Improvement & Maintenance:

Facilities ................................................... 365 445 445 450 

Roads........................................................ 1,059 1,158 1,158 1,158 

Trails......................................................... 527 554 554 542 

Legacy Roads and Trails........................... 41 0 0 0 

Total, Capital Improvement & 

Maintenance......................................... 1,992 2,157 2,157 2,150 

Land Acquisition:

Land Acquisition ...................................... 48 48 49 49

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land 

Exchanges........................................... 1 1 1 1 

Total, Land Acquisition............................. 49 49 50 50

Other Appropriations:

Range Betterment Fund ............................ 9 6 6 5 

Management of National Forest Lands for 

Subsistence Uses ................................ 11 12 12 11 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

11

Program/Activity 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Total, Other Appropriations..................... 20 18 18 16 

Wildland Fire Management:

Preparedness............................................. 9,575 9,965 9,965 9,965 

Suppression............................................... 2,030 522 522 522 

Hazardous Fuels........................................ 0 28 0 0 

Total, Wildland Fire Management ........... 11,605 10,515 10,487 10,487 

Total, Discretionary Appropriations........ 26,898 26,432 26,433 25,867

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Supplemental .............................. 0 42 0 0 

Total, Supplemental Appropriations........ 0 42 0 0 

Total, Discretionary and Supplemental.... 26,898 26,474 26,433 25,867

Permanent Appropriations:

Brush Disposal.......................................... 74 62 63 66 

Timber Salvage Sales................................ 332 316 320 337 

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration............ 44 36 36 38 

Forest Botanical Products......................... 20 18 18 19 

Recreation Fees, Forest Service................ 705 681 687 726

Operation and Maintenance of Forest 

Service Quarters................................. 31 18 18 19 

Land Between The Lakes Management.... 10 11 11 12 

Restoration of Forest Lands and 

Improvements..................................... 101 49 50 53 

Commercial Filming and Still 

Photography Land Use Fee Retention 8 4 4 4 

Organizational Camps Program................ 9 5 5 5 

Cost Recovery (Land Uses) ...................... 8 7 7 8 

Licensee Program Smokey Bear............... 0 1 1 1 

Conveyance of Administrative Sites......... 2 0 1 1 

Payments to States Funds ......................... 43 20 20 21 

Total, Permanent Appropriations ............ 1,387 1,228 1,241 1,310

Trust Funds:

Cooperative Work - Knutson-Vandenberg 360 266 198 202 

Cooperative Work – Other........................ 53 42 143 153 

Reforestation Trust Fund .......................... 128 118 93 99 

Total, Trust Funds..................................... 541 426 434 454 

Full-time Equivalent (FTE) Only:

Allocation .................................................

 1,223 1,209 

 

1,209

 

1,208

Discretionary Reimbursable...................... 887 887 887 887

Working Capital Fund .............................. 613 646 646 646

Total, FTE Only ......................................... 2,723 2,742 2,742 2,741

Grand Total, Forest Service...................... 31,549 30,870 30,850 30,372
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

12

REVENUE, RECEIPTS AND TRANSFERS

Fiscal Year 2018 - 2021 National Forest Fund (NFF) Receipts Availability (dollars in thousands)

Receipt Type 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Estimate

2021 

Estimate

Class 1 - Timber................................................ $39,977 $22,000 $22,000 $22,000

Class 2 - Grazing East....................................... 128 81 81 81

Class 3 - Land Use ............................................ 24,139 23,022 23,022 23,022

Class 4 - Recreation Spec. Uses........................ 84,711 90,247 90,247 90,247

Class 5 – Power................................................. 8,281 8,266 8,266 8,266

Class 6 – Minerals............................................. 299 969 969 969

Class 8 - Grazing West ..................................... 5,714 5,316 5,316 5,316

Class 9 – Quartz Crystals.................................. 0 1 1 1

Total NFF Receipts ............................................ 163,249 149,902 149,902 149,902

KV Revenue...................................................... 57,385 68,000 68,000 68,000

Specified Road Costs........................................ 14,639 17,585 17,585 17,585

Timber Salvage Sale ......................................... 41,566 43,000 43,000 43,000

Timber Pipeline Revenue.................................. 1,088 2,888 2,888 2,888

Total Other Timber Related Receipts .............. 114,678 131,473 131,473 131,473

Grand Total........................................................ 277,927 281,375 281,375 281,375

Funding Additions and Reductions - Special Acts (dollars in thousands)

Receipt Type 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Estimate

2021 

Estimate

Total NFF Receipts ............................................... 163,249 149,902 149,902 149,902

DOI:ONRR/MMS Minerals Revenue NFF.......... 19,702 14,160 14,160 14,160

Additions/Reductions other than Payments to 

States:

Minnesota Boundary Water Canoe Area 

(BWCA) a ................................................... -6,150 -6,150 -6,150 -6,150

Timber Roads - Purch Elect Program ............... -2,000 -2,000 -2,000 -2,000

Acquisition of Lands for Nat Forests-Spec Act -700 -700 -700 -700

50% Grazing (Range Betterment Fund) - Est. .. --3,804 -2,658 -2,658 -2,658

10% Roads & Trails - Est. ................................ -15,000 -13,984 -13,984 -13,984

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Expansion. -725 -576 -576 -576

Other Special Act Payments (Arkansas Quartz 

and Quinault Special Management Area) 

Prior to Sequester ....................................... -51 -1 -1 -1

Subtotal Additions/Reductions other than 

Payments to States...................................... -28,430 -26,069 -26,069 -26,069

Total Receipts Available for Payments to States 154,521 137,993 137,993 137,993

Funds Availability for Payments to States (PTS) under Current Legislation: 1908 Act or SRS (dollars in 

thousands)

Receipt Type 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Estimate

2021 

Estimate

Total Receipts Available for Payments to States 154,621 137,993 137,993 137,993

PTS - 25% 7-year Rolling Average of Receipts 

Payment (Prior to Sequester)...................... -12,217 -12,648 -12,648 -12,648

SRS - Title II Allocation - SRS2....................... -24,268 -23,153 -21,996 -20,896

SRS - Failure to Elect Allocation – SRSA........ -185 -181 -172 -164

SRS - Allocation to Treasury............................ -117 -107 -102 -97

Initial Receipt Reductions for PTS ................... -36,787 -36,090 -34,918 -33,805

Receipts Available for SRS - Title I & III........ 117,834 101,903 103,075 104,188

a At the time this document was submitted, the new current appraisal used to determine the FY 2019 and future payments was not yet finalized.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

13

ORGANIZATION CHART
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

14

AVAILABLE FUNDS AND STAFF YEARS

Available Funds and Staff Years (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Forest and Rangeland Research:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. $297,000 1,584 $300,000 1,585 $305,000 1,585 $249,330 1,298

Supplemental Appropriations ................. 0 0 1,000 0 0 0 0 0

State and Private Forestry:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. 335,525 569 336,990 551 346,990 551 217,443 432

Supplemental Appropriations ................. 7,500 0 12,000 1 0 0 0 0

National Forest Systems:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. 1,923,750 11,079 1,938,000 11,557 1,957,510 11,585 2,005,062 11,434

Supplemental Appropriations ................. 20,652 0 84,960 7 0 0 0 0

Capital Improvement and Maintenance:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. 449,000 1,992 446,000 2,157 455,000 2,157 453,173 2,150

Supplemental Appropriations ................. 91,600 0 36,040 34 0 0 0 0

Land Acquisition:

Discretionary Appropriations a................ 65,187 49 73,379 49 79,748 50 0 50

Other Appropriations:

Discretionary Appropriations a................ 6,333 20 5,357 18 5,545 18 10,384 16

Wildland Fire Management:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. 2,880,338 11,605 3,004,986 10,515 2,350,620 10,487 2,409,444 10,487

Supplemental Appropriations ................. 184,500 0 720,271 0 0 0 0 0

Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. 0 0 0 0 1,950,000 0 2,040,000 0

FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund:

Discretionary Appropriations.................. 342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Permanent Appropriations:

Mandatory Appropriations...................... 451,143 1,387 509,963 1,228 528,550 1,241 580,523 1,310

Trust Funds:

Mandatory Appropriations...................... 253,974 541 373,273 426 163,714 434 165,987 454

Adjustment for Change in Uncollected 

Payments.............................................. 10 0 -10 0 0 0 0 0

Adjustment for Expenditure Transfer from 

Trust Fund ........................................... 234,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rescission .................................................. -5,938 0 -1,503 0 -2,000 0 0 0

Sequestration.............................................. 180 0 -4,644 0 2,000 0 17,000 0

Transfers In ................................................ 878,295 0 428,487 0 244,000 0 1,113,000 0

Transfers Out ............................................. -879,383 0 -473,791 0 -244,000 0 -1,113,000 0

Adjusted Appropriation .......................... 7,536,166 28,826 7,790,758 28,128 8,142,677 28,108 8,148,346 27,631

Balance Available, SOY ............................ 813,211 0 667,366 0 2,253,046 0 3,383,356 0

Other Adjustments (Net)............................ 213,469 0 336,242 0 136,513 0 136,513 0

Total Available ......................................... 8,562,846 28,826 8,794,366 28,128 10,532,236 28,108 11,668,215 27,631

Lapsing Balances....................................... -289 0 -4,403 0 0 0 0 0

Balance Available, EOY............................ -667,366 0 -2,253,046 0 -3,384,277 0 -4,694,700 0

Total Obligations...................................... 7,895,191 28,826 6,536,917 28,128 7,147,959 28,108 6,973,515 27,631
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

15

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Other Funding:

Discretionary Federal and Non-Federal 

Reimbursements and Working 

Capital Fund ..................................... 586,892 2,723 644,676 2,742 650,000 2,742 655,000 2,741

Total, Forest Service ................................ 8,482,083 31,549 7,181,593 30,870 7,797,959 30,850 7,628,515 30,372

a Appropriations for these programs are determined by collections and are not equal to enacted levels in the appropriations bill, which are estimates.

b Sequestrations include mandatory appropriations previously unavailable. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

16

PERMANENT POSITIONS BY GRADE AND STAFF YEARS

Permanent Positions by Grade and Staff Years

Item

D.C. Field

2018 

Actual 

Total D.C. Field

2019 

Actual 

Total D.C. Field

2020 

Enacted

Total D.C. Field

2021 

Budget 

Total

SES ............................. 27 46 73 37 35 72 37 35 72 37 35 72

SL................................ 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1

GS-15.......................... 48 391 439 89 347 436 89 347 436 89 347 436

GS-14.......................... 183 568 751 190 533 723 190 533 723 190 533 723

GS-13.......................... 201 2,168 2,369 145 2,164 2,309 145 2,164 2,309 145 2,164 2,309

GS-12.......................... 167 3,114 3,281 72 3,088 3,160 72 3,088 3,160 72 3,088 3,160

GS-11.......................... 65 4,838 4,903 50 4,729 4,779 50 4,729 4,779 50 4,729 4,779

GS-10.......................... 1 424 425 0 154 154 0 154 154 0 154 154

GS-9............................ 59 4,806 4,865 37 4,327 4,364 37 4,327 4,364 37 4,327 4,364

GS-8............................ 10 1,772 1,782 2 1,458 1,460 2 1,458 1,460 2 1,458 1,460

GS-7............................ 23 4,338 4,361 9 4,288 4,297 9 4,288 4,297 9 4,288 4,297

GS-6............................ 3 2,468 2,471 4 2,294 2,298 4 2,294 2,298 4 2,294 2,298

GS-5............................ 3 5,024 5,027 7 4,926 4,933 7 4,926 4,933 7 4,926 4,933

GS-4............................ 9 4,145 4,154 1 3,901 3,902 1 3,901 3,902 1 3,901 3,902

GS-3............................ 2 1,526 1,528 0 1,241 1,241 0 1,241 1,241 0 1,241 1,241

GS-2............................ 1 151 152 1 54 55 1 54 55 1 54 55

GS-1............................ 1 15 16 0 5 5 0 5 5 0 5 5

Total Permanent.......... 804 35,794 36,598 645 33,544 34,189 645 33,544 34,189 645 33,544 34,189

Unfilled, EOY............. 263 9,273 9,536 133 6,925 7,058 133 6,925 7,058 138 7,173 7,311

Total Perm. FT EOY... 541 26,521 27,062 512 26,619 27,131 512 26,619 27,131 507 26,371 26,878

Staff Year Est.............. 693 30,856 31,549 582 30,288 30,870 582 30,268 30,850 573 29,799 30,372
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

17

VEHICLE FLEET

Motor Vehicle Fleet

The Forest Service uses a revolving Working Capital Fund (WCF) to finance its fleet operations. A monthly Fixed 

Ownership Rate and a per-mile use rate are assessed for each owned and GSA-leased vehicle. These expenses are then 

pooled from the agency’s annual appropriated funds and are deposited into specific WCF accounts which make up the 

revolving fund. Funds are used to finance the cradle-to-grave management of the agency fleet operation, which includes 

repairs, fuel, maintenance, infrastructure support, program management costs, vehicle depreciation, and vehicle replacements.

The Forest Service vehicle fleet supports approximately 28,000 year-round full-time employees, and an additional 12,000 

seasonal employees hired primarily for fire suppression activities. These vehicles are retained for an additional two-years 

beyond their minimum replacement standard and provide a cost-effective alternative to commercial leases or rentals. Both 

groups of vehicles are required to be reported annually through the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal 

Automotive Statistical Tool (FAST).

The Forest Service is structured into regions, forests/grasslands/stations, and districts. The line officers in charge of these 

different levels of the organization are responsible for determining the composition and quantity of vehicles required to meet 

their mission goals. Fleet composition is facilitated using a vehicle allocation methodology (VAM), which considers how 

often a vehicle is used, the total cost of ownership (TCO) lifecycle analysis, budgetary constraints, operating environment, 

and personnel supported. Line officers are responsible for assigning vehicles to drivers per specific mission requirements. 

Fleet program managers coordinate the certification and authorization of drivers with supervisors, monitor fleet composition 

and utilization rates through the TCO and VAM process, and recommend how to optimize fleet size.

The agency aims to manage its fleet program in the most cost-effective way possible. The agency strives to use alternativefueled vehicles for mission needs such as transporting personnel, materials and equipment, where infrastructure for these 

vehicles is available and where the vehicles can meet agency mission needs. The agency also works to meet the required 

annual utilization rates for vehicles given the seasonality of agency work (many areas have a limited number of months per 

year to access remote sites or work areas within the forests). Even with the seasonal nature of the work, the Forest Service 

has found through financial analysis that it is still more cost effective to own or lease a vehicle year-round than to have a 

commercially leased vehicle. The Forest Service continues to share vehicles and explore other opportunities to increase 

utilization rates. Finally, as oversight of fleet programs increases, the agency is aligning and automating data, so the agency 

can respond to USDA Office of Property and Fleet Management oversight and audit requirements in an efficient and costeffective manner.

In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the GSA Federal Fleet Management System (FedFMS) as 

the official USDA Fleet Management Information System of record. The Forest Service completed a data interface with 

FedFMS in Spring 2019. The Forest Service will continue to use the WCF Fleet Equipment Database which provides the

necessary interface with the Forest Service financial system, the Wright Express Fleet Card system, the USDA FedFMS 

system, and with the GSA AutoChoice vehicle ordering system.

Replacement Criteria

Passenger motor vehicles are replaced based on motor vehicle replacement standards which specify the minimum number of 

years in use or miles traveled. Agencies may keep a Government-owned motor vehicle longer than the standard shown if the 

motor vehicle can be operated without excessive maintenance costs or substantial reduction in resale value. The minimum 

replacement standards for passenger motor vehicles are:

Minimum Vehicle Replacement Standards

Vehicle/Equipment Type Minimum Replacement 

Standards (miles)

Minimum Replacement 

Standards (age)

Passenger carrying vehicles – sedans, station wagons, mini-vans 60,000 mi 3 years

Reductions to Fleet

The Forest Service is committed to continuously evaluating our fleet composition and any underutilized assets to look for 

further reductions. As of the end of FY 2019, the agency’s motor vehicle fleet, which includes both active inventory and 

vehicles sold, totaled 20,439 in FY 2019.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

18

Size, Composition, and Annual Costs of Motor Vehicle Fleet

Fiscal Year

Sedans and 

Station 

Wagons

Light Duty 

Trucks, 

SUVs, and 

Vans (4x2)

Light Duty 

Trucks, 

SUVs, and 

Vans (4x4)

Medium 

Duty 

Vehicles Buses

Heavy Duty 

Vehicles

Total 

Vehicles a

Annual 

Operating 

Costs b

2018 390 890 9,786 7,602 87 2,185 20,940 $60,832,812 

Change -42 -69 -255 -145 +1 +9 -501 -2,806,699 

2019 348 821 9,531 7,457 88 2,194 20,439 58,026,113

Change -12 -31 -339 -263 -3 -75 -723 -1,377,966

2020 336 790 9,192 7,194 85 2,119 19,716 56,648,147

Change - - - - - - - +943,018

2021 336 790 9,192 7,194 85 2,119 19,716 57,591,165

a Vehicle count includes those owned by agency and leased from commercial sources or GSA and includes vehicles sold during the fiscal year. FY 2019

active inventory excluding vehicles sold was 18,120. b Annual Operating Costs (AOCs) include fuel, maintenance, accidental damage, overhead and GSA lease expenses. The AOCs do not include

 acquisition costs or proceeds from sales.

Statement of Proposed Purchase of Passenger Motor Vehicles

Fiscal Year

Net Active Fleet, 

SOY Disposals Replacements Additions

Total 

Acquisitions

Net Active Fleet, 

EOY

2018 477 112 25 0 25 390

2019 390 62 20 0 20 348

2020 348 31 19 0 19 336

2021 336 25 25 0 25 336

Wildland Fire Management Resource Summary FY 2019 to FY 2021 (Engines, Heavy Equipment Aviation fleet and 

personnel)

Resource 2019 Actual 2020 Enacted 2021 Budget

Engines a ................................................................................. 900 900 900

Heavy Equipment – Dozers, Tractor Plow Units, Tenders...... 210 210 210

Helicopters

Type 1 b............................................................................ 28 28 28

Type 2 c............................................................................ 34 34 34

Type 3 d............................................................................ 46 46 46

Airtankers

Next Generation Airtankers e ........................................... 13 18 18

Scoopers........................................................................... 0 0 0

U.S. Coast Guard converted HC-130H airtankers f.......... 0 0 0

Firefighters (FFTR) – Total is inclusive of categories below.. 10,000 10,000 10,000

Type I Interagency Hot Shot Crews (20-person) ............. 67 crews; 1,340 FFTR 67 crews; 1,340 FFTR 67 crews; 1,340 FFTR

Other Firefighters............................................................. 7,940 7,940 7,940

Smoke Jumpers................................................................ 320 320 320

Prevention Technicians.................................................... 400 400 400

a Refers to the suite of wheeled vehicles used to carry firefighters and water to the site of a fire. b Includes only agency owned/leased or exclusive use contracted assets. Type 1 are the heaviest class of helicopters. c Medium-sized helicopters. d Includes only helicopters whose primary purpose is wildland fire response. Type 3 are the lightest class of helicopters. e Numbers reflect maximum number of aircraft allowed under the exclusive use contracts. f The program to transfer HC-130H airtankers from the U.S. Coast Guard and convert them to firefighting capable resources was terminated at the

 end of FY 2018.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

19

SHARED FUNDING PROJECTS

Shared Funding Projects (dollars in thousands)

Item 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Working Capital Fund:

Administration:

Mail and Reproduction Services ................................................... $469 $580 $820 $832

Material Management Service Center........................................... 697 717 928 941

Integrated Procurement Systems................................................... 7,814 8,269 8,235 8,233

Procurement Operations Division ................................................. 147 124 126 94

Human Resources Enterprise Management Systems..................... 838 1,094 1,154 1,204

Subtotal, Administration............................................................ 9,965 10,784 11,263 11,304

Communications:

Creative Media & Broadcast Center.............................................. 644 317 496 173

Subtotal, Communications......................................................... 644 317 496 173

Correspondence Management:

Office of the Executive Secretariat................................................ 787 506 509 546

Subtotal, Correspondence Management..................................... 787 506 509 546

Finance and Management:

National Finance Center................................................................ 9,637 8,839 8,116 8,167

Financial Shared Services............................................................. 48,745 48,738 47,085 46,674

Internal Control Support Services................................................. 398 277 489 404

Subtotal, Finance and Management ........................................... 58,780 57,854 55,690 55,245

Information Technology:

Digital Infrastructure Services Center........................................... 18,469 19,198 41,791 39,786

Client Technology Center ............................................................. 13,553 20,168 23,159 23,697

Enterprise Network Services......................................................... 7,308 4,659 16,940 17,023

Subtotal, Information Technology ............................................. 39,330 44,025 81,890 80,506

Total, Working Capital Fund ........................................................... 109,507 113,486 149,848 147,774

Department-Wide Shared Cost Programs:

Advisory Committee Liaison Services............................................. 216 209 210 210

Agency Partnership Outreach........................................................... 2,350 2,406 2,374 2,374

Honor Awards.................................................................................. 7 3 3 3

Human Resources Self-Service Dashboard ...................................... 184 186 181 0

Human Resources Transformation ................................................... 279 0 0 0

Intertribal Technical Assistance Network......................................... 979 994 976 976

Medical Services.............................................................................. 35 37 25 0

Office of Customer Experience ........................................................ 605 813 903 903

People’s Garden ............................................................................... 150 0 0 0

Personnel and Document Security.................................................... 577 537 535 535

Physical Security .............................................................................. 0 0 1,779 1,287

Security Detail.................................................................................. 1,395 1,349 1,402 1,402

Security Operations.......................................................................... 3,272 3,286 1,762 1,925

TARGET Center............................................................................... 413 384 351 351

USDA Enterprise Data Analytics Services....................................... 0 0 1,639 1,639

Virtual University............................................................................. 317 0 0 0

Total, Department-wide Shared Cost Programs............................. 10,779 10,204 12,140 11,605
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Item 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

E-Gov:

Budget Formulation and Execution Line of Business....................... 30 30 30 18

Enterprise Human Resource Integration........................................... 616 616 0 0

Financial Management Line of Business.......................................... 100 100 100 100

Human Resource Management Line of Business ............................. 90 90 90 90

Integrated Acquisition Environment................................................. 786 786 573 573

E-Rulemaking................................................................................... 50 49 9 9

Geospatial Line of Business............................................................. 13 13 12 12

Grants.gov ........................................................................................ 1 1 5 5

Total, E-Gov....................................................................................... 1,686 1,685 819 807

Agency Total ...................................................................................... $121,971 $125,375 $162,807 $160,186
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $305,000,000 

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... -55,670,000 

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 249,330,000 

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

For necessary expenses of forest and rangeland research as authorized by law, 

[$305,000,000]$249,330,000, to remain available through September 30, [2023]2024: Provided, 

That of the funds provided, [$77,000,000]$78,454,000 is for the forest inventory and analysis 

program: Provided further, That all authorities for the use of funds, including the use of contracts, 

grants, and cooperative agreements, available to execute the Forest and Rangeland Research 

appropriation, are also available in the utilization of these funds for Fire Science Research.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Forest and Rangeland Research... $220,000 1,126 $223,000 1,149 $228,000 1,149 $170,876 862 -$57,124 -287

Forest Inventory and Analysis..... 77,000 458 77,000 436 77,000 436 78,454 436 1,454 0

Subtotal, Direct Appropriations 297,000 1,584 300,000 1,585 305,000 1,585 249,330 1,298 -55,670 -287

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Relief (P.L. 116-20)....... 0 0 1,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Supplemental 

Appropriations................... 0 0 1,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers In:

Fire Transfer Repayment............. 1,362 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers In ............... 1,362 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Discretionary Funding....... 298,362 1,584 301,000 1,585 305,000 1,585 249,330 1,298 -55,670 -287

Carryover from Prior Years:

Forest and Rangeland Research... 796 0 4,224 0 5,899 0 4,248 0 -1,651 0

Forest Inventory and Analysis..... 327 0 234 0 1,456 0 1,048 0 -408 0

National Fire Plan........................ 176 0 29 0 70 0 50 0 -20 0

Joint Fire Science ........................ 310 0 0 0 15 0 11 0 -4 0

Forest Products............................ 23 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0

Forest and Rangeland Research –

Other ..................................... 167 0 -1,605 0 404 0 291 0 -113 0

Disaster Supplemental................. 0 0 0 0 1,000 0 720 0 -280 0

Subtotal, Carryover .................. 1,799 0 2,883 0 8,845 0 6,369 0 -2,476 0

Transfers Out:

Fire Transfer................................ -1,436 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out............. -1,436 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Recoveries, Other ........................... 2,865 0 3,087 0 4,124 0 4,124 0 0 0

Total Available.............................. 301,590 1,584 306,970 1,585 317,969 1,585 259,823 1,298 -58,146 -287

Balances, Available End of Year.... -2,883 0 -8,845 0 -6,369 0 -5,204 0 1,165 0

Total Obligations .......................... $298,707 1,584 $298,125 1,585 $311,600 1,585 $254,619 1,298 -$56,981 -287
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Forest and Rangeland Research: A decrease of $57,124,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of 

287 staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $1,092,000 for pay costs ($500,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $592,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow Forest and Rangeland Research (Forest Service 

R&D) to provide scientific information and new technology that supports the sustainable management of the Nation’s 

forests and grasslands.

b. An increase of $789,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $995,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $52,000,000 for facility closures, consolidations, and termination of lower-priority research portfolios.

This funding decrease will eliminate of 287 staff years, and terminate lower priority research activities. The agency 

would close the Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) (-$18.5 million) and the International Institute of Tropical 

Forestry (IITF) (-$2.5 million). Remaining priority research from those stations would be reorganized and managed by 

the Pacific Northwest Research Station and Southern Research Station, respectively. The closures of the PSW and the 

IITF would streamline Forest Service R&D’s research enterprise and reduce administrative overhead. These closures 

would require the use of reduction in force authority, voluntary early retirement authority and voluntary separation 

incentive authority. Nationally, the agency would eliminate recreation research (-$8.5 million) and wildlife and fish 

research (-$22.5 million). 

e. A decrease of $8,000,000 for reductions in other Forest Service R&D programs.

The funding decrease will necessitate research reductions in in forest and grassland health, forest soils, air quality, 

hydrology, silviculture, and forest ecology, as well as in applied science to improve forest conditions, forest inventory 

and trend analysis, and wood product and market innovations.

Forest Inventory and Analysis: An increase of $1,454,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level, which includes 

the following:

a. An increase of $552,000 for pay costs ($253,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $299,000 for the 2021 

pay increase.

This critical increase is needed to support the Forest Service’s national priority to improve the conditions of forests and 

grasslands. 

b. An increase of $399,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $503,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Compared to the FY 2020 Enacted level, base funding for Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) is the same. Funding will 

focus on providing reliable data, analysis, and tools to identify current status and trends of the Nation’s forests and 

rangelands, management options and impacts, and threats and effects of fire, insects, disease, and other natural processes. The 

FIA data enables the natural resource community to determine the magnitude of changes in forest conditions and trends, and 

to make projections of future conditions - information which is vital to the long-term health of forests and the sustained 

availability of multiple uses from forests.

The FY 2021 President’s Budget will allow the Forest Service to focus on our most critical research priorities; including

investing more than $12.5 million in initiatives to strengthen the link between research and wildfire suppression operations. 

Upgrading decision support systems and new analytic tools will help fire incident managers better consider alternative

strategies and the inherent tradeoffs in cost and risk to firefighter exposure, protection of highly valued infrastructure and 

natural resources, and opportunities for fire benefits, including managing fire for the reduction of hazardous fuels. These 

tools will support spatial fire management planning, track and monitor fire and fire-related resources, and increase 

suppression resource efficiency. In addition, to enhance firefighter safety, researchers will develop a mobile app that allows 

firefighters to determine safety zones and escape routes in real time using their smart phones. Supporting research into fuel 

characterization, fire response to meteorological conditions, and smoke and fire behavior modeling will also continue, 

undergirding progressive improvements to the tools and applications described above.

Focusing our R&D on our most critical research priorities requires difficult decisions. The Pacific Southwest Research 

Station and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry facilities are proposed for closure to reallocate resources for 

critical science needs. The proposed closures of the Pacific Southwest Research Station and the International Institute of 

Tropical Forestry will streamline Research and Development’s research enterprise and will reduce administrative overhead. 

Forest Service scientists will continue to work in the affected geographies (California, Hawaii, U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands, 

and Puerto Rico) to conduct priority research and to deliver the most critical science needed to inform the management of 

public and private lands. The Wildlife and Fish Research and Recreation Research programs are proposed for elimination. 

These proposed eliminations are also necessary to achieve the cost savings needed to sustain research programs that are 

currently higher priority for informing Forest Service management responsibilities. Scientists with expertise in the programs

proposed for elimination and who are currently doing this research will shift to other programs.

The proposed consolidation of units and the proposed elimination of a portion of Research and Development’s current 

research portfolio will make it possible for the Forest Service to sufficiently allocate funds to the remaining research 

programs and units to produce strategic research deliverables that support the agency’s current priority research needs. 

Pacific Southwest Research Station Proposed Closure: The Pacific Southwest Research Station, whose boundaries include 

the States of California and Hawaii, and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands, has the fewest personnel and the smallest budget 

of R&D’s five research stations, facilitating its proposed merger with Pacific Northwest Research Station. Moreover, the 

Pacific Southwest Research Station does not host a Forest Inventory and Analysis program. Forest Inventory and Analysis, 

the Nation’s forest census, is Research and Development’s largest single research program and Forest Inventory and Analysis 

activities in California are already managed by the Forest Inventory and Analysis program located at Pacific Northwest 

Research Station. The proposed closure of the administrative headquarters of the Pacific Southwest Research Station will not 

result in the cessation of Forest Service research in California, Hawaii, and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands. Instead, an 

administrative restructuring is proposed and Forest Service scientists conducting priority research will continue to work in the 

station’s geographic footprint and will continue to deliver valuable science to inform the management of public and private 

lands. 

International Institute of Tropical Forestry Proposed Closure: The International Institute of Tropical Forestry is 

Research and Development’s smallest research unit. The proposed restructuring of the Research and Development 

organization so that the Southern Research Station has oversight responsibility for the priority research conducted in Puerto

Rico and the Caribbean will cause relatively few disruptions. A significant portion of the International Institute of Tropical 

Forestry’s funding comes from the State & Private Forestry mission area of the Forest Service and the proposed restructuring 

of the International Institute of Tropical Forestry will allow the agency to re-align aspects of the International Institute of 

Tropical Forestry’s program of work with the Southern Region of the National Forest System and State & Private Forestry, as 

well as the El Yunque National Forest. 

Wildlife and Fish Research Program Proposed Elimination: The Wildlife and Fish Research program is proposed for 

elimination because it has less correspondence to the Forest Service’s current national research priorities and management 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

25

responsibilities than Research and Development’s other research programs. This elimination will allow Research and 

Development to achieve the cost savings necessary to sustain current national priority research, including fire and fuels 

science, forest inventory and assessment, and forest products and operations. Although it will be a significant change to the 

overall research agenda, wildlife and fish research contributions from academic institutions, and the Wildlife and Fisheries 

Habitat Management Budget request, will continue to inform habitat management programs.

Recreation Research Program Proposed Elimination: The Recreation Research program is proposed for elimination 

because it has less correspondence to the Forest Service’s current national research priorities and management responsibilities 

than Research and Development’s other research programs. The proposed elimination of the Recreation Research Program 

will allow Research and Development to achieve the cost savings necessary to sustain current national priority research. 

Although it will be a notable change to the overall research agenda, the Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness Budget request 

will continue to inform land management decisions agency communication with the public about recreational opportunities. . 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $913 $865 $892 $730 

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 143,359 135,931 140,145 114,768

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 144,272 136,796 141,037 115,498

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 50,424 50,176 51,731 42,364

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 936 853 879 720

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 195,632 187,825 193,647 158,582

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 6,032 6,787 7,258 5,909

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 1,224 1,482 1,585 1,290

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 3,511 2,066 2,209 1,799

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 3,407 2,066 2,209 1,799

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 5,895 10,332 11,049 8,996

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 412 222 237 193

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 138 89 95 77

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 15,206 14,464 15,471 12,595

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 14,630 20,082 21,475 17,485

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 365 494 528 430

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 33,387 28,929 30,936 25,188

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 3 4 4 3

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 1,083 550 588 479

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 4,940 5,049 5,399 4,396

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 4,252 5,656 6,048 4,925

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 15 2 2 2

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 8,575 11,965 12,795 10,418

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 0 61 65 53

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 103,075 110,300 117,953 96,037

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 298,707 298,125 311,600 254,619

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $25 $20 $20 $21 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $179,539 $182,104 $184,836 $187,608 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $85,180 $86,083 $87,374 $88,685 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 10.8 10.5 10.5 10.5 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Forest and Rangeland Research

Forest Service R&D provides scientific information and innovative technology to support sustainable management of the 

Nation’s diverse forests and rangelands. Four priority research areas align with and inform agency land management 

priorities: (1) applied science to support shared stewardship and improve forest conditions; (2) forest inventory and trend 

analysis; (3) wood product and market innovations; and (4) enhanced prediction, planning, decision support, impact 

assessment, and recovery guidance for the wildland fire system. Examples of recent notable projects include:

Enhanced wildland fire system,

Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE), is a large-scale interagency effort designed to collect 

observations from large prescribed fires. In June 2019, FASMEE completed data collection during a prescribed burn on the 

Fishlake National Forest in Utah. More than 40 scientists participated using ground sampling methods, drones carrying state 

of the art imagery and air quality sampling instrumentation, fire hardened video and still cameras, and Light Detection and 

Ranging (LiDAR) to collect a suite of data including fuel loading, fuel consumption, fire behavior, plume dynamics, and 

smoke data.

Wood product and market innovations

Since 2015, Forest Service Research and Development has been working on projects to accelerate the adoption of crosslaminated timber (CLT) in the U.S. market. The projects are in the areas of life cycle and economic assessments, fire 

performance, performance in different moisture conditions, blast resistance, structural properties, wood adhesives and 

providing technical assistance. Project costs through FY 2019 total $9.4 million with $7 million from Forest Service 

investments and $2.4 million from industry and university partners. Investments in these projects will provide data for 

building code consideration of cross-laminated timber, determine its environmental advantages over competitive products,

and educate builders and architects about how to build with CLT. In 2018 in the U.S., CLT to 57.8 million square feet of 

wood project construction, 511 million board feet of incremental lumber use, and $421 million incremental lumber sales.

Forest Inventory and Analysis

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is the Nation's foremost continuous forest census covering all 50 States. 

FIA generates data on past, current, and projected tree numbers by species; the size and health of trees; tree growth, 

mortality, and harvest removals; loss of forested lands due to disturbances, such as hurricanes and wildland fires; wood 

production and utilization; and forest landownership. Working with State forestry agencies and other partners, FIA leverages 

one partner dollar for every six Federal dollars spent.

The FIA program is delivering authoritative information on the status and trends of the forests of the U.S. in response to 

evolving partner and customer requirements. The One-Click Factsheet is available to the public through dashboard software 

(Tableau) to display and distribute current, State-level, annual forest inventory estimates across the entire Nation to better 

inform decision making. 

As requested by Congress, FIA continues to expand the Urban FIA program from 26 cities to now include 35 cities in 

collaboration with State and local partners. FIA and partners are realizing the goal of a seamless reporting system that uses

the existing FIA protocols to provide new information on trees in previously unmeasured urban trees and forests.

Forest and Rangeland Research Primary Authorities

Title of Act or 

Program Summary of Authority

Expiration 

Date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

U.S.C. 

Reference

Forest and Rangeland 

Renewable Resources 

Research Act of 1978

An Act to direct the Secretary of 

Agriculture to carry out forest and 

rangeland renewable resources 

research, and for other purposes.

R&D P.L. 95-307 16 U.S.C. 1641 

et seq.

Agricultural Research, 

Extension, and 

Education Reform 

Act of 1998 

Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to 

establish a program to inventory and 

analyze, in a timely manner, public 

and private forests and their resources 

in the United States. 

R&D P.L. 105-185 16 U.S.C. 

1642(e)
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of Act or 

Program Summary of Authority

Expiration 

Date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

U.S.C. 

Reference

Agricultural Act of 

2014

Amends the Agricultural Research, 

Extension and Education Reform Act 

of 1998 to require the Secretary of 

Agriculture to establish a forestry and 

forest products research and 

extension initiative to develop and 

disseminate science-based tools that 

address the needs of the forestry 

sector. Activities must be carried out 

in coordination with the Forest 

Service, including the Forest 

Product’s Laboratory.

09/30/2023 R&D P.L. 113-79 7 U.S.C. 9013

Forest and Rangeland 

Renewable Resources 

Planning Act of 1974

Requires preparation of a renewable 

resource assessment, program plans, 

inventories, and budget request, and 

an update to these plans every 10-

years.

R&D P.L. 93-378 16 U.S.C. 1601 

et seq.

Global Change 

Research Act of 1990

Establishes the Committee on Earth and 

Environmental Sciences to carry out 

the United States Global Change 

Research Program, including the 

Forest Service Global Change 

Research Program.

R&D P.L. 101-606 15 U.S.C. 2931

Global Climate Change 

Prevention Act of 

1990

Establishes a Global Climate Change 

Program at USDA to study the effects 

of global climate change on 

agriculture and forestry. The Program 

Director shall coordinate policy 

analysis, long range planning and 

research across the Department and 

with other agencies. The Act also 

establishes the Office of International 

Forestry to be responsible for the 

international forestry activities of the 

Forest Service and establishes the 

Institutes of Tropical Forestry; 

authorizes the creation of a pilot 

project in urban forestry.

09/30/2018 International 

Forestry; 

R&D

P.L. 101-

624; P.L. 

107-171; 

P.L. 110-

234

7 U.S.C. 6701 to 

6710

Granger-Thye Act of 

April 24, 1950

This Act authorizes cooperation with 

other parties to perform work for 

permittees, agencies, organizations, 

and persons for work that the Forest 

Service is authorized to do on lands 

of the United States. Also allows for 

research funds to be advanced to 

cooperators. Authorizes assistance for 

work on lands other than Forest 

Service jurisdictions.

ALL P.L. 81-478 16 U.S.C. 572
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of Act or 

Program Summary of Authority

Expiration 

Date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

U.S.C. 

Reference

McIntire-Stennis Act of 

1962

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture 

to cooperate and assist State colleges 

and universities in forestry research 

on a matching funds basis. 

Authorizes the Secretary of 

Agriculture to make competitive 

grants to a State agricultural 

experiment station, college, or 

university, research institution or 

organization, Federal agency, private 

organization, or corporation with the 

demonstrable capacity to conduct 

forestry, natural resource, and 

environmental research; and to 

update research facilities and 

equipment available for this type of 

research.

R&D and 

SPF

P.L. 87-788; 

P.L. 101-

624

16 U.S.C. 582a 

and 582a-1-

582a-7

Research Facilities Act 

of 1963

This Act authorizes support for 

agricultural research (including 

forestry) at eligible institutions 

through Federal grant funds, on a 

matching funds basis, to help finance 

physical facilities and equipment as 

required for the effective conduct of 

agricultural research and related 

academic programs.

R&D P.L. 88-74; 

P.L. 95-

113; P.L. 

99-198

7 U.S.C. 390 -

390c

Research Grants Act of 

1958

Provides, authorized agencies to enter 

into contracts for basic scientific 

research with nonprofit institution 

and organizations, authority to 

make grants to such institutions and 

organizations; title to equipment 

purchased with such grants being 

vested with the nonprofit 

organization or institution. Such 

sums as are necessary; no 

expiration date.

R&D P.L. 85-934 42 U.S.C. 1891-

1893
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $346,990,000 

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... -129,547,000 

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 217,443,000 

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

For necessary expenses of cooperating with and providing technical and financial assistance to 

States, territories, possessions, and others, and for forest health management, [and conducting an 

international program as authorized, $346,990,000]$217,443,000, to remain available through 

September 30, [2023]2024, as authorized by law[; of which $63,990,000 is to be derived from the 

Land and Water Conservation Fund to be used for the Forest Legacy Program, to remain available 

until expended].

Change Description

The first change (first paragraph) removes reference to the Forest Legacy program as funding is not proposed.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands), staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Landscape Scale Restoration ....... $14,000 1 $14,000 0 $14,000 0 $14,004 1 $4 1

FHM - Federal Lands................... 55,500 275 56,000 273 56,000 273 50,879 263 -5,121 -10

FHM - Cooperative Lands........... 41,000 126 42,000 77 44,000 77 33,757 77 -10,243 0

Working Forest Lands.................. 20,500 47 20,500 50 21,000 50 20,656 47 -344 -3

Forest Legacy Program................ 67,025 26 63,990 24 63,990 24 0 0 -63,990 -24

Community Forest and Open 

Space Conservation ............... 4,000 0 4,000 0 4,000 0 0 0 -4,000 0

Urban and Community Forestry... 28,500 48 29,500 49 32,000 49 0 0 -32,000 -49

International Programs................. 9,000 46 9,000 22 12,000 22 0 0 -12,000 -22

National Fire Capacity ................. 80,000 0 81,000 56 82,000 56 81,147 44 -853 -12

Rural Fire Capacity...................... 16,000 0 17,000 0 18,000 0 17,000 0 -1,000 0

Subtotal, Direct Appropriations 335,525 569 336,990 551 346,990 551 217,443 432 -129,547 -119

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Relief (P.L. 115-123)..... 7,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Disaster Relief (P.L. 116-20)....... 0 0 12,000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Supplemental 

Appropriations.................... 7,500 0 12,000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers In:

Agency for International 

Development ......................... 1,300 0 1,124 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Department of the Navy............... 0 0 117 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Transfer Repayment ............. 21,249 0 19,400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

National Forest System................ 0 0 0 0 15,000 0 15,000 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers In................ 22,549 0 20,641 0 15,000 0 15,000 0 0 0

Total, Discretionary Funding....... 365,574 569 369,631 552 361,990 551 232,443 432 -129,547 -119

Carryover from Prior Years:

Landscape Scale Restoration ....... 88 0 208 0 126 0 114 0 -12 0

FHM - Federal Lands................... 417 0 1,150 0 1,583 0 1,428 0 -155 0

FHM - Cooperative Lands........... 556 0 1,774 0 1,069 0 965 0 -104 0

Working Forest Lands.................. 472 0 930 0 1,450 0 1,308 0 -142 0

Forest Legacy Program................ 7,077 0 3,030 0 28,594 0 25,800 0 -2,794 0

Community Forest and Open 

Space Conservation ............... 212 0 226 0 29 0 26 0 -3 0

Urban and Community Forestry... 459 0 584 0 967 0 873 0 -94 0

International Programs................. 1,748 0 1,449 0 1,130 0 1,020 0 -110 0

National Fire Capacity ................. 0 0 0 0 3,041 0 2,744 0 -297 0

Rural Fire Capacity...................... 0 0 0 0 14 0 13 0 -1 0

State and Private Forestry – Other 8,782 0 15,317 0 9,636 0 8,695 0 -941 0

Disaster Supplemental ................. 0 0 5,189 0 14,920 0 13,463 0 -1,457 0

Subtotal, Carryover................... 19,811 0 29,857 0 62,559 0 56,449 0 -6,110 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Transfers Out:

Department of the Interior............ 0 0 -171 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Transfer ................................ -22,773 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out............. -22,773 0 -171 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rescissions...................................... -5,938 0 -1,503 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Recoveries, Other............................ 13,957 0 13,033 0 15,900 0 15,900 0 0 0

Total Available .............................. 370,631 569 410,847 552 440,449 551 304,792 432 -135,657 -119

Balances, Available End of Year .... -29,857 0 -62,559 0 -56,449 0 -38,792 0 17,657 0

Total Obligations........................... $340,774 569 $348,288 552 $384,000 551 $266,000 432 -$118,000 -119

JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Landscape Scale Restoration: An increase of $4,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and an increase of one 

staff year, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $2,000 for pay costs ($1,000 for the annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $1,000 for the 2021 pay 

increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the Landscape Scale Restoration program to 

award competitive grants that carry out science-based, landscape-scale restoration work.

b. An increase of $1,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $1,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These increases were 

effective January 1, 2020.

Compared to the FY 2020 Enacted level, base funding for the Landscape Scale Restoration program is the same. Funds will 

be used for competitive grants that support collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes. Projects will 

cover agency priorities such as reducing risk of unwanted wildfire; improving fish and wildlife habitats; maintaining or 

improving water quality and watershed function; mitigating invasive species, insect infestation, and disease; improving

important forest ecosystems; and measure economic and ecological benefits, including air quality and soil quality and 

productivity. Funding will support 55-60 landscape-scale projects across the Nation, one staff year, and associated operating 

expenses necessary to achieve program success.

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands: A decrease of $5,121,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a 

decrease of 10 staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $334,000 for pay costs ($153,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $181,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow Forest Health Management-Federal Lands to 

provide technical knowledge and applied science innovations to assist forest managers in making treatment decisions and 

taking actions to improve forest health. 

b. An increase of $241,000 for performance awards.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $304,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $6,000,000 for Forest Health Management-Federal Lands program activities.

Funding for FHM-Federal Lands will continue to inform appropriate and timely responses that protect the Nation’s 

forests from insects and diseases. Funding will support the most pressing needs of forest restoration and treatment and 

reducing communities’ risk to catastrophic fire. For example, about $1.5 million will be used to treat at least 7,000 acres 

of southern pine forests at high risk for southern pine beetle outbreaks on National Forest System lands. This will

increase the health and resilience of these forests, support rural economies, and reduce infestation risk to adjacent lands 

and communities. The reduced funding level eliminates ten staff years, and would result in a marginal decrease in acres 

treated to suppress or prevent pest infestations. The table below highlights funding for major insects, diseases, and 

invasive plants.

Funding for selected insects, diseases, and invasive plants by Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

RD - (Research Appropriation) SPF – (State and Private Forestry, 

Forest Health Appropriation)

FY 2018 

Actual

FY 2019

Actual

FY 2020 

Enacted

FY 2021

Budget

Request

Asian Longhorned Beetle (Total) $119 $119 $98 $119

SPF 0 0 0 0

RD 119 119 98 119

Douglas-fir Tussock Moth (Total) 33 33 0 0

SPF 33 33 0 0

RD 0 0 0 0

Emerald Ash Borer (Total) 1,758 1,633 1,436 1,577

SPF 512 512 500 426

RD 1,246 1,121 936 1,151

Gold Spotted Oak Borer, Thousand Canker Disease, Laurel Wilt 

(Total) 552 552 57 69

SPF 483 483 0 0

RD 69 69 57 69

Gypsy Moth (Total) 8,272 8,172 5,466 4,747

SPF 7,846 7,846 5,200 4,426

RD 426 326 266 321

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Total) 2,624 2,657 1,601 1,633

SPF 1,770 1,770 900 766

RD 854 887 701 867

Invasive Plants (Total) 3,185 3,308 2,185 2,456

SPF 1,755 1,755 1,000 851

RD 1,430 1,553 1,185 1605

Oak Wilt (Total) 499 499 274 245

SPF 425 425 200 170

RD 74 74 74 75

Port Orford Cedar Root Disease (Total) 20 20 0 0

SPF 20 20 0 0

RD 0 0 0 0

Sirex Woodwasp (Total) 365 336 185 222

SPF 80 80 0 0

RD 285 256 185 222
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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RD - (Research Appropriation) SPF – (State and Private Forestry, 

Forest Health Appropriation)

FY 2018 

Actual

FY 2019

Actual

FY 2020 

Enacted

FY 2021

Budget

Request

Southern Pine Beetle (Total) 4,898 4,843 3,998 3,532

SPF 4,500 4,400 3,500 2,979

RD 398 443 498 553

Subterranean Termites (Total) 1,202 1,200 827 1,000

SPF 0 0 0 0

RD 1,202 1,200 827 1,000

Sudden Oak Death (Total) 1,848 1,500 1,041 929

SPF 1,560 1,210 750 638

RD 288 290 291 291

Western Bark Beetles (Total) 4,875 4,725 3,540 3,093

SPF 4,325 4,200 3,000 2,553

RD 550 525 540 540

Whitebark Pine Pests (Total) 100 100 0 0

SPF 100 100 0 0

RD 0 0 0 0

White Pine Blister Rust (Total) 580 360 129 266

SPF 360 360 0 0

RD 220 0 129 266

Total Funding $30,930 $30,057 $20,837 $19,888

SPF Total $23,769 $23,194 $15,050 $12,809

RD Total $7,161 $6,863 $5,787 $7,079

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands: A decrease of $10,243,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted 

level, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $98,000 for pay costs ($45,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $53,000 for the 2021 pay 

increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow Forest Health Management-Cooperative Lands to 

coordinate activities with States, local, and private land owners to maintain and restore non-Federal forest lands damaged 

by insects, disease, and invasive plants. 

b. An increase of $70,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $89,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $10,500,000 for Forest Health Management-Cooperative Lands program activities.

At this funding level, the agency will provide financial assistance to States to treat State and private lands for insect, 

disease, and invasive plant issues. This supports State Forest Action Plan priorities and addresses management needs 

determined at the State level through shared decision-making. For example, the gypsy moth Slow-the-Spread program 

works with States to treat low populations of the invasive gypsy moth before they spread into new un-infested 

forests. Approximately $4 million will be used to treat about 250,000 acres of State and private lands in priority 

landscapes and watersheds. This program utilizes a species-specific virus and pheromone that has low impact on nontarget species. Once gypsy moth populations increase, other insecticides are needed to minimize forest damage. FHM –

Cooperative Lands funds will also ensure that stewards of State and local public lands, and private forest partners,

continue to have capacity to successfully manage their forested lands for the good of all public and private forests in the 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Nation. This funding decrease will marginally reduce the extent of acres treated to prevent the spread of insects and 

disease and. Funding will be prioritized to high risk areas will support 77 staff years, the same as in FY 2020.

Working Forest Lands: A decrease of $344,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of three staff 

years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $59,000 for pay costs ($27,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $32,000 for the 2021 pay 

increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow Working Forest Lands to assist landowners with 

private forestland management and conservation concerns. 

b. An increase of $43,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels,.

c. An increase of $54,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $500,000 for Working Forest Lands program activities.

At this funding level, the agency will focus on priority areas identified in State Forest Action Plans to ensure family 

forests continue to provide numerous public benefits. These public benefits include wildland fire risk reduction, water 

security, and rural economic development achieved through local collaboration across public and private lands. Reduced 

funding means three staff years will be eliminated.

Forest Legacy Program: A decrease of $63,990,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of 

twenty-three staff years.

Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021, because the Forest Service will focus on active forest management, 

maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. Twenty-four staff years would be eliminated.

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation: A decrease of $4,000,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted 

level.

Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021, because the Forest Service will focus on active forest management, 

maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response.

Urban and Community Forestry: A decrease of $32,000,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease 

of forty-nine staff years.

Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021, because the Forest Service will focus on active forest management, 

maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. Forty-nine staff years would be eliminated.

International Programs: A decrease of $12,000,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of 

twenty-two staff years.

Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021, because the Forest Service will focus on active forest management, 

maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. Twenty-two staff years would be eliminated.

National Fire Capacity: A decrease of $853,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of 12 staff 

years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $56,000 for pay costs ($26,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $30,000 for the 2021 pay 

increase).
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the National Fire Capacity program to provide 

financial assistance through partnership agreements with State Foresters for the prevention, mitigation, control, and 

suppression of wildfires on non-Federal lands. 

b. An increase of $40,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $51,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $1,000,000 for National Fire Capacity program activities.

At this funding level, 12 staff years will be eliminated, and funding will be targeted to support activities on fire-affected 

landscapes to sustain forest health, reduce the risk of damaging wildland fires, and ensure firefighter safety. Funding will

support risk assessments and fire management planning projects in communities nationwide. Hazardous fuels treatments 

in the wildland-urban interface, firefighter training, and prevention and education programs are also provided by this 

program. Additionally, program funds aid in the purchase, maintenance, and rehabilitation of needed firefighting 

equipment for State agencies. Rural Fire Capacity: A decrease of $1,000,000 from the FY 2021 Enacted level 

At this funding level, funds will be prioritized to assist local communities in rural areas to prepare for, mitigate, and 

respond to wildfires, and to reduce the risk, cost, and impact of wildfires. Funds will be used to provide grants for 

equipment, training, and technical assistance in organizing or expanding rural fire departments where little or no fire 

protection is available.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $3,339 $2,729 $2,809 $2,202

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 58,011 47,409 48,790 38,253

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 61,350 50,138 51,599 40,455

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 20,919 23,585 24,272 19,030

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 266 226 233 182

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 82,535 73,949 76,104 59,667

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 4,807 4,162 3,671 3,130

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 673 752 844 566

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 2,735 1,000 1,122 752

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 1,455 0 0 0

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 1,938 3,999 4,488 3,008

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 589 213 239 160

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 16 2 2 2

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 19,981 10,996 12,342 7,269

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 8,701 10,996 12,341 8,270

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 58 26 29 20

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 38 6 7 5

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 4 3 3 2

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 293 326 366 245

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 2,363 2,585 2,901 1,944

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 1,473 318 357 239

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 8 1 1 1

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 213,066 238,922 269,147 180,696

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 41 32 36 24

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 258,239 274,339 307,896 206,333

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 340,774 348,288 384,000 266,000

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $10 $11 $11 $11 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $171,080 $177,178 $179,836 $182,533 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $87,496 $90,019 $91,369 $92,740 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 10.7 11.1 11.1 11.1 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Landscape Scale Restoration

The Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) program funds competitive cross-boundary projects in high-priority areas by 

leveraging State capacity with strategic Federal investments. The program helps ensure the Nation’s non-Federal forestlands 

continue to provide public benefits by enabling States to develop innovative landscape-scale projects that focus on priorities 

identified in State Forest Action Plans and deliver on-the-ground results.

In FY 2019, the LSR program restored healthy, resilient landscapes and communities within State priority areas via $12.5 

million in competitive grants to accomplish 49 projects in 31 States and one territory. By addressing threats to forest 

sustainability, such as damaging wildfires or the spread of insects and disease, these projects also benefit adjacent National 

Forest System lands, creating healthier, more resilient landscapes overall.

The Gallatin Headwaters Landscape Restoration Partnership targets 15 impaired streams within the Gallatin Valley for 

riparian forest management, assessment, and conservation planning with willing private landowners. Projects will restore 

deciduous forests, improve water quality and habitat connectivity, and provide public benefits. Vibrant riparian vegetation 

will shade streams and enhance the agricultural, scenic, and economic value of a landscape that has experienced significant 

land use change and fragmentation. To date, project partners have developed three restoration plans with landowners, treated 

472 acres, and established 6.6 miles of fencing to create 106 acres of floodplain pastures. This project also planted 46 

deciduous trees to stabilize banks and shade streams. 

Michigan is home to over 36,000 miles of streams, and nearly one-third of those miles are designated trout waters. While 

much of Northern Michigan streams are relatively intact, invasive species (e.g., emerald ash borer), stream bank erosion and 

sedimentation, and a changing climate all threaten the integrity of cold-water streams and adjacent riparian forests. This 

multi-county effort will conserve and protect cold-water streams and surrounding forests and support efforts to conserve and 

restore native forest and stream communities. This project also builds upon existing programs, such as the Trout Unlimited 

Home Rivers Initiative and Great Lakes Stream Restoration. To date, project partners have enhanced approximately 25 acres 

of high priority ecosystems, planted nearly 5,000 trees in riparian areas, and restored approximately 3 linear miles of stream 

habitat.

The Forest Service is adapting the LSR program to implement the 2018 Farm Bill. The agency has finalized 2020 interim 

national guidance, is working on 2021 national guidance, and has developed a strategic map viewer to identify 

geographically eligible and strategic landscapes for project development. Program changes will focus public and private 

resources on the collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes.

Forest Health Management on Federal Lands

Damage to forests from insects and diseases is costly, especially when uncontained or improperly managed. Reduced timber 

volume, loss of recreation opportunities, adverse watershed and water supply impacts, increased safety hazards on forested 

lands, and increased chance of abnormally severe wildland fire can all be mitigated through efficient, effective forest health 

management.

The Forest Health Management on Federal Lands program (FHM-Federal Lands) helps the National Forest System and other 

Federal lands in active management to suppress forest insects and diseases. FHM-Federal Lands’ work includes technical 

assistance, suppression and eradication efforts, as well as long-term management strategies, to slow the spread of certain 

forest insects and diseases. FHM-Federal Lands program funds support forest insect and disease detection surveys and longterm monitoring activities which gather data and review forest health conditions across Federal forested lands in the United 

States. The program also produces annual reports for agency decision makers and partners.

FHM-Federal Lands works with partners at the Department of the Interior (DOI)’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land 

Management, and National Park Service, and the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide technical assistance, survey, and 

treat lands that have infestations of insects and diseases. In FY 2019, FHM-Federal Lands provided $1.8 million to DOI and 

DOD agencies to treat infestations at more than 30 facilities. 

A recent outbreak of the southern pine beetle (SPB) on national forests in Mississippi was addressed by the FHM-Federal 

Lands program. From 2013 to 2018, nearly 11,000 acres were treated to suppress infestations of SPB on national forest lands 

in the State. Treatment success in managing the outbreak has been observed, and in FY 2019, only 1,500 acres needed 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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treatment. As the infestation wanes, treatments will shift to forest management activities (as part of the SPB Prevention 

Program) that will make forests less susceptible to future outbreaks. Stewardship agreements with The Nature Conservancy 

and National Wild Turkey Federation have already treated several thousand acres as part of the prevention program. 

Forest Health Management on Cooperative Lands

Pest management methods are more effective in an all-lands approach. Threats do not stop at the wildland-urban interface, a

State line, or property boundary. Forest Health Management on Cooperative Lands (FHM-Cooperative Lands) works with 

States, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and Freely Associated States to provide technical and financial assistance to 

monitor, assess, and mitigate forest health threats on non-Federal lands. Investments in this program are typically matched 

dollar for dollar by partners.

FHM-Cooperative Lands works in partnership with State land management agencies to conduct aerial detection surveys on 

forested lands, recording approximately 5,000 flight hours and surveying about 500 million acres in FY 2019. Aerial survey 

work includes sketch mapping – observation and mapping of forest health conditions on the ground – and other forms of 

remote sensing, such as satellite imagery and aerial photography. The equipment and technical expertise required to conduct 

these surveys provide job opportunities and economic benefits to rural communities. The program produces an annual 

conditions report for agency decision makers and partners and maintains a website with yearly and historical maps, data, and 

trends.

The gypsy moth Slow-the-Spread program continues to be an effective program that reduces the spread of gypsy moths from 

North Carolina to Minnesota. The Slow-the Spread program targets low populations of gypsy moths along the leading edge 

of the infestation before they develop into larger populations that require more costly suppression methods. In FY 2019, the 

program monitored gypsy moth levels in 13 States and worked with eight States to treat more than 270,000 acres. 

The FHM-Cooperative Lands program has been working closely with the State of Alaska to address the growing spruce 

beetle infestation on state and private lands outside of Anchorage. Since 2015, more than 1 million acres have been infested 

by spruce beetle, including more than 100,000 acres in FY 2019. The FHM-Cooperative Lands program has worked closely 

with partners and landowners including the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, the University of 

Alaska Cooperative Extension Service, and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks to protect high-value trees, mitigate infested 

sites, and address tree mortality to reduce fire risk. The program has also worked closely with the State to survey more than 

30 million acres to identify areas of infestation and increase public awareness of the outbreak. 

Working Forest Lands (Previously Forest Stewardship Program)

Actively-managed State and private forests provide timber, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, recreational opportunities, 

and many other benefits for landowners, communities, and nearby national forests and grasslands at a landscape scale. More 

than half of the forest land in the United States (441 million acres) is owned and managed by 11 million private forest 

owners. The Working Forest Lands program focuses on active management and conservation, providing non-industrial 

private forest landowners with comprehensive technical assistance, forest management plans, and tools to access other 

Federal, State, and private programs that deliver on-the-ground results to help sustain the productivity, health, and resilience 

of their land and forest resources. The program works at meaningful scales to address key resource issues (fire, water, jobs, 

and wildlife habitat) identified in State Forest Action Plans. The program creates jobs in rural communities by sustaining 

local forest product markets and increasing demand for qualified private forestry consultants, loggers, and State agency field 

foresters.

Assistance offered through the Working Forest Lands program qualifies landowners to access multiple services and 

incentives, such as USDA conservation programs, forest certification programs, forest product and ecosystem service 

markets, and tax incentives. The Forest Service maintains longstanding partnerships to coordinate and streamline technical 

assistance and address diverse landowner needs. The Working Forest Lands program also supports forest products markets 

by offering grants, agreements, and market development support to landowners. Supporting these markets, such as mass 

timber products, can reduce wildfire risk by removing and utilizing hazardous fuels, support rural economic development, 

and contribute to a more sustainable building sector. Landowners with access to markets are more inclined to keep their 

forests as forests rather than convert the land to other uses. See the Biomass and Wood Innovations Special Exhibit for 

additional information on wood products, energy, markets, and more.

The Forest Stewards Guild, in partnership with the Working Forest Lands Program, is strategically expanding the 

national Women Owning Woodlands network to strengthen the connections between women woodland owners and 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

41

their land to advance the stewardship of America’s privately-owned forestlands. This project has targeted and invested 

in an underserved constituency: women woodland owners who have the potential to influence the decisions on more 

than 290 million acres of family-owned forest lands. The project supports these women across the country by providing 

education and technical assistance through websites, workshops, and outreach. In FY 2019, the Forest Stewards Guild 

expanded this program to 20 States (threefold increase), offering field trips, chainsaw safety workshops, conference 

calls, event planning efforts, webinars, articles, and an online networking group. As a result, coordinated and informed 

decisions are being made by forest landowners that will impact the amount and vitality of forested lands for decades to 

come.

Through a Working Forest Lands grant, American Forest Foundation (AFF) is collaborating with The Nature Conservancy,

multiple State agencies and national, State, and local non-government organizations to focus efforts in locations where family 

forest landowners can play a substantial management role by addressing threats to their working forests. The AFF and

partners are using innovative approaches to engage landowners with forester visits, workshops, and outreach to maintain 

landowner interest and move them towards active forest management. In FY 2019, the Forest Service and its partners worked

with more than 11,000 landowners, with over 1.1 million acres analyzed and ready for the implementation of restoration

projects. Of those landowners, nearly 3,000 previously unengaged landowners owning 283,748 acres are working with 

foresters to develop forest management plans, and 761 landowners have restored over 81,000 acres of forests. The AFF is 

sharing lessons learned and strategies for improving landowner outreach and engagement with Federal and State agencies and 

non-governmental organizations.

In FY 2019, a team of external partners and Forest Service staff worked on the development of options for modernizing the 

Working Forest Lands program to better focus and prioritize the Federal investment, achieve outcomes on priority lands, 

serve landowners, and leverage partnerships. Implementation of the restructured Working Forest Lands program is 

anticipated in 2020.

Forest Legacy Program

Two-thirds of the Nation’s 445 million acres of Forests are privately owned. Conservation across landscapes and ownerships 

is essential to addressing large-scale conservation issues, including watershed protection, reduced wildfire risk, and 

protection of at-risk species. Intact private forests provide clean drinking water, access for recreation opportunities, and 

revenue from ranching, hunting leases, forest products, and outdoor tourism.

The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) protects critical forest landscapes threatened by land conversion through conservation 

easements and fee-simple purchases in partnership with State agencies and private landowners. The program does not add to 

the Federal estate, but rather assists landowners to conserve and actively manage private working forests. To select projects 

for funding, the FLP uses a competitive process. By the end of FY 2019, the FLP had conserved a total of 2.8 million acres, 

including 66,000 acres in that fiscal year. The conserved acres include more than 176,000 acres of water bodies and 3,300 

miles of streams. Historically, the FLP leverages more than one dollar for every Federal dollar spent.

A conservation easement completed in FY 2019 conserves 22,275 acres of highly productive timberland in northwest 

Montana, including habitat for grizzly bear, Canada lynx, and bull trout, while allowing Stimson Lumber Company to 

continue sustainable forest management. An extensive network of public roads provides easy access and allows timber 

management activities to be conducted in a cost-effective manner. The project complements the FY 2012 FLP-funded 

27,992-acre Stimson Forestlands Conservation Project and shares 133 miles of border with the Kootenai National Forest. 

Development of this land could have resulted in 139 independently owned parcels and had major impacts to management of 

the surrounding Federal lands. The conservation easement allows Stimson Lumber to retain these actively managed 

timberlands, protect critical wildlife habitat and landscape connectivity, and provide permanent public access to extraordinary 

recreation lands.

Forest Service-funded research1 examining the economic contributions of the FLP indicated an average of $140 per acre in 

annual contribution to the gross regional product from forest management and recreation. Compared to the $350 average upfront cost per acre of conserving the lands in the study, the annual return on investment is very compelling. The Forest 

1 “Economic Contributions of Land Conserved by the Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program” 

https://www.fs.fed.us/sites/default/files/media_wysiwyg/flp-economiccontributionsreportfullresolution.pdf
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Service is continuing research to evaluate the impact of FLP projects on local economies to ensure the selection and funding 

of projects that promote rural prosperity and collaborative efforts to address cross-boundary landscape conservation.

Community Forest and Open Space Conservation

The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation program (CFP) provides financial assistance grants to local 

governments, Tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations to acquire and establish working community forests that 

provide public benefits. The CFP was authorized in 2008, and the first grants were awarded in FY 2012. Projects are 

selected through a competitive process that evaluates community benefits, contribution to landscape conservation 

initiatives, and likelihood of land conversion. In FY 2019, 15 new grants were awarded, and the program protected five 

tracts of land totaling 3,574 acres. Since the first grant in FY 2012, the program has protected over 16,400 acres. Like 

national forests, community forests provide many benefits, including clean drinking water, wildlife habitat, public 

access and recreation opportunities, economic benefits from timber and non-timber products, and educational 

opportunities to local communities.

The 978-acre Bethel (Maine) Community Forest project, completed in FY 2019, provides multiple benefits including 

drinking water supply, access to recreation, and revenue from the forest products industry. With 40 acres of wetlands and 1.4

miles of streams, including 2,500 feet of Chapman Brook, which served as Bethel’s primary drinking water supply until 

2007, the Forest is important for water quality and quantity. The 13 miles of existing roads on the forest and three miles of a 

well-used, regionally-recognized snowmobile trail make it a popular destination for hiking, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, 

skiing, and other recreational activities. Adjacent to two existing parcels of conserved land, including a property owned by 

the Town of Bethel, the acquisition of the Forest helps to stabilize the land base for the local forest products industry. Bethel 

Community Forest is projected to generate approximately $10,000 a year in sustainable timber harvest revenue. 

In FY 2019, the Forest Service completed the 7.1-acre Browns Mill Food Forest project in Georgia. This project provides a 

model for community forests in an urban setting. This underserved community in Atlanta now has access to outdoor 

classrooms for educators and students, a gathering place for the community to enjoy forested and stream-side areas, picnic 

sites, a community garden, and carefully planned nature trails to play and explore the forest. Over 100 fruit trees have been 

planted since the community forest was established.

National interest in the CFP continues to grow annually. To address the increased demand and select projects that best 

address conservation and community benefit objectives, the Forest Service developed a robust process to evaluate and 

prioritize projects, including an updated request for applications, as well as project scoring for the selection process. There 

were 15 Community Forests funded FY 2019, the largest number in a single year, including the first community forest 

projects in Arizona and Texas.

Urban and Community Forestry

The Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) program is delivered in a model of shared stewardship with State forestry 

agencies and other national and local partners to provide funding and technical assistance for communities to conserve, 

protect, and enhance trees across jurisdictional boundaries. Urban and community forests can serve as a gateway for 

invasive pests and diseases. Maintaining the health of these forests protects the Nation’s forests, including the national 

forests. The Forest Service works with State forestry agencies and other partners to support science-based management 

of urban and community forest resources in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and affiliated 

Pacific Island Nations. In FY 2019, the program assisted more than 7,750 communities to better manage their trees to 

produce public benefits. With limited exceptions, the program requires a 1:1 match to Federal funds, but this value is 

often far exceeded. 

In FY 2019, the UCF program awarded challenge cost-share grants that will further how research, technology, and 

policy assist communities in monitoring and addressing threats to their urban forests. These projects are expected to 

produce findings that improve the quality of life for American communities of all sizes and assist community leaders in 

making science-based decisions to protect and maintain robust urban and community forests. The 2019 selected grants 

include: cost-effective tree inventory software, a rapid assessment and response tool to address emerging tree diseases,

a statistical model to forecast high-impact insect invasions, a management planning model for catastrophic flooding 

using forest inventory and analysis data, and a cost-effective satellite mapping tool to respond to high priority tree 

threats. A 2017 analysis of the national challenge cost-share grants found that $1 of Federal funds invested in these 

projects was leveraged by an additional $4.92 in additional investment. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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In the wildland-urban interface, UCF is leading the charge to expand the use of Urban Tree Canopy data by publishing the 

first-ever interactive viewer that shows urban tree canopy in California. The viewer allows communities to capture public 

benefits from trees and highlight any environmental or public health risks potentially affecting communities without urban 

tree cover. Through this collaboration with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, forest practitioners and 

fire personnel can directly download the geographic information system data through the site. The i-Tree system, an online 

software suite of assessment tools developed by Forest Service Research and Development, can help strengthen forest 

management and advocacy efforts by quantifying forest structure and the environmental benefits that trees provide. 

International Programs

Forest Service International Programs promote sustainable forest management globally and brings important technologies 

and innovations back to the United States. The program represents the interests of the entire U.S. forestry community and its

stakeholders through international engagement. Effective forest management at the global level is necessary to protect 

American trade interests, such as the ability of domestic timber producers to compete on a level playing field, and to ensure

the sustainability of critical domestic and global natural resources. International Programs provide technical assistance to 

other countries to combat illegal logging, which costs the U.S. forest products industry $1 billion annually due to lost export 

opportunities and depressed wood prices. International Programs also improve the management of forest invasive species, 

which cause $4.2 billion in loss and damage annually in the forest products industry, by supporting collaborative work to 

control and prevent invasions.

International Programs’ Wood Identification and Screening Center (WISC) is developing wood identification technologies 

and databases, providing wood screening and forensic services, and serving as an educational hub on wood identification. 

WISC is using a technology called Direct Analysis in Real Time/Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry to support identification 

of timber species by chemical profiling. The goal is to have a comprehensive global reference database of timber species that 

can be used by customs agents world-wide to quickly and affordably distinguish between legal and illegal timber products. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are already using WISC 

services to test imported wood samples for suspected Lacey Act violations.

Through a partnership with the University of Florida, International Programs is working with partners throughout Asia, 

where the majority of forest related invasive species originate, to proactively identify potential pests that could accidentally 

enter the U.S. through trade. This project is training forest health specialists across Asia to support data collection on 

overseas wood borers that could threaten U.S. tree commodities. By improving the data available on these emerging threats 

from Asia, earlier detection and more rapid response to the most damaging invasive insects becomes possible, mitigating the 

environmental and economic impacts on U.S. forests. 

National Fire Capacity (Previously State Fire Assistance)

More than 46 million homes in the United States (representing 40 percent of the Nation’s housing units) are located in 

fire-prone wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. The first responders on almost 75 percent of wildfires are local fire 

departments or State agencies. Collaboration between the Forest Service, the Department of the Interior, and nonFederal government entities is important to an effective, all-lands approach to wildland fire management.

Through the National Fire Capacity program, the Forest Service supports and assists State Foresters and local 

communities in building capacity for the prevention, mitigation, control, and suppression of wildfires on non-Federal 

lands. The program helps State agencies create more fire-adapted communities by implementing pre-fire prevention 

and mitigation programs described in State Forest Action Plans. The program emphasizes pre-fire planning in the WUI 

and hazardous fuel mitigation near communities at risk of catastrophic wildfire. Training funded by the program 

provides for effective and safer initial attack response to wildfire. Additionally, the program improves capacity to assist 

other Federal, State, and local agencies in aiding communities affected by fire and non-fire emergencies, such as 

hurricanes and floods.

Working under the umbrella of shared stewardship and the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, the 

Forest Service works collaboratively to build the capacity of local fire departments, reduce the number of human-caused 

fires, and support interagency fire preparedness planning to reduce wildfire risk to communities through cross-boundary 

hazardous fuel treatments. The State of Utah, in cooperation with private property owners, local government, the Bureau of 

Land Management, and the Forest Service completed a multi-year hazardous fuel reduction project on over 1,000 acres to 

reduce wildfire risk in a highly prone fire area. The project also contributed to enhanced grazing, improved wildlife habitat, 

promoted aspen regeneration, and paved the way to increased collaboration for future projects in central Utah. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Rural Fire Capacity (Previously Volunteer Fire Assistance)

The Rural Fire Capacity program provides technical and financial assistance to qualifying local volunteer fire 

departments that protect communities with populations of 10,000 or fewer. There are over 26,000 rural and 

predominantly volunteer fire departments nationwide. In many rural areas across the nation, the local volunteer fire 

department is the first responder to protect local communities and actively supports community mitigation efforts. 

Focus areas of the Rural Fire Capacity program include providing critical community mitigation programs and services 

to support local mitigation and community planning efforts. Recipients match grants dollar-for-dollar to maximize the 

value of the Federal investment. Rural fire departments also play a key role in educating constituents about fire 

adaptation and the need for mitigation and help meet expanded fire protection needs within the wildland-urban 

interface. Together, these initiatives combine to create more fire-adapted communities.

In addition to the distribution of Rural Fire Capacity funds to local fire departments, the State of Oregon began awarding 

funds to Rangeland Fire Protection Associations (RFPA). The RFPAs organize and authorize rancher participation in fire 

suppression alongside Federal agency firefighters, including the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. There 

are 23 RFPAs in Eastern Oregon. The RFPAs have used Rural Fire Capacity funds for training, acquiring personal protective 

equipment, compatible radios, hoses, pumps, retrofitting firefighting equipment, and more. 

State and Private Forestry Primary Authorities

Title of the Act or Program Summary of Authority

Expiration 

date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC 

Reference

Carlson-Foley Act of 1968 This Act authorizes use of noxious 

plant control funds to reimburse 

States for such activity on Federal 

land.

NFS, SPF P.L. 90–583 43 U.S.C. 

2701-2703

Community Wood Energy 

Program

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 

2018 authorizes $25,000,000 in 

annual appropriations for a 

Community Wood Energy Program 

through FY 2023. Grants of up to 

$1,500,000 to State and local 

governments or biomass consumer 

cooperatives to develop plans for, or 

to acquire or upgrade community 

wood energy systems.

09/30/2023 SPF P.L. 113-79 7 U.S.C. 8113

Cooperative Forestry 

Assistance Act of 1978

Authorizes cooperation and assistance 

to non-Federal forest landowners and 

communities in rural forest 

management, urban and community 

forest management, production of 

timber and other forest resources, 

insect and disease control, rural fire 

prevention and control, forest 

management and planning assistance, 

and technology implementation. 

Includes authorization for many State 

and Private Forestry programs, 

including the Working Forest Lands 

(previously Forest Stewardship)

Program, the Forest Legacy Program, 

and the Urban and Community 

Forestry Program.

Codifies the Landscape Scale 

Restoration Program and authorizes 

appropriations through FY 2023.

09/30/2023 SPF P.L. 95-313 16 U.S.C. 

2101-2114
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or Program Summary of Authority

Expiration 

date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC 

Reference

Farm Security and Rural 

Investment Act of 2002

Authorizes the Wood Innovation Grant 

Program and expands authority for 

wood innovation grants.

Authorizes appropriations for the 

community wood energy program.

SPF P.L. 107-

171

7 U.S.C. 8113

Food and Agriculture Act of 

1977

Designates the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture as the lead agency of the 

Federal government for agricultural 

research, extension, and teaching. 

Removes restrictions on the use of 

cooperative agreements with 

universities and permits cost 

reimbursable agreements with State 

cooperating institutions without 

competition.

ALL P.L. 95-113 7 U.S.C. 

3318-3319d

Hawaii Tropical Forestry 

Recovery Act of 1992

Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture 

to treat invasive plants on Federal 

and non-Federal ownerships in 

Hawaii and in tropical forests on 

Federal lands in other States.

International 

Forestry

P.L. 102-

574

16 U.S.C. 

4501-4505

International Forestry 

Cooperation Act of 1990

Authorizes support (including 

cooperation, financial, and technical 

assistance, without reimbursement) 

for international forestry and related 

natural resource activities outside the 

United States and its territories. 

Authorizes expansion of the research 

capabilities of the Institute of 

Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico. 

International 

Forestry

P.L. 101-

513; P.L. 

102-574

16 U.S.C. 

4501-4505

Rural Revitalization 

Technologies

Authorizes $5,000,000 in annual 

appropriations for forestry rural 

revitalization technologies to: (A) 

accelerate adoption of technologies 

using biomass and small-diameter 

materials; (B) create communitybased enterprises through marketing 

activities and demonstration projects; 

and (C) establish small-scale 

business enterprises to make use of 

biomass and small-diameter 

materials.

09/30/2023 SPF P.L. 101-

624, P.L. 

110-246;

P.L. 113-

79 

7 U.S.C. 6601

Cooperative Funds and 

Deposits Act of 1975

Authority for the Secretary of 

Agriculture to enter into Cooperative 

Agreements which benefit certain 

Forest Service programs and to 

advance or reimburse funds to 

cooperators for work performed, and 

for other purposes.

ALL P.L. 94-148 16 U.S.C. 

565al–a3, as 

amended
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or Program Summary of Authority

Expiration 

date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC 

Reference

Interior and Related 

Agencies Appropriations 

Act of 1992 – Using 

Cooperative Agreements

“Notwithstanding the provisions of the 

Federal Grant and Cooperative 

Agreements Act of 1977 (31 U.S.C. 

6301-6308), the Forest Service is 

authorized hereafter to negotiate and 

enter into cooperative agreements 

with public and private agencies, 

organizations, institutions, and 

individuals to print educational 

materials and to continue the 

Challenge Cost-Share Program.” 

ALL P.L 102-154 31USC 6305
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $1,957,510,000

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... +47,552,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 2,005,062,000

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

For necessary expenses of the Forest Service, not otherwise provided for, for management, 

protection, improvement, and utilization of the National Forest System, and for hazardous fuels 

management on or adjacent to such lands, [$1,957,510,000]$2,005,062,000, to remain available 

through September 30, [2023]2024: Provided[, That of the funds provided, $40,000,000 shall be 

deposited in the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund for ecological restoration 

treatments as authorized by 16 U.S.C. 7303(f); Provided further], That of the funds provided, 

[373,000,000] $385,000,000 shall be for forest products: Provided further, That of the funds 

provided, [$445,310,000]$510,000,000 shall be for hazardous fuels management activities, of 

which not to exceed $15,000,000 may be used to make grants, using any authorities available to 

the Forest Service under the "State and Private Forestry" appropriation, for the purpose of creating 

incentives for increased use of biomass from National Forest System lands: Provided further, That 

$20,000,000 may be used by the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into procurement contracts or 

cooperative agreements or to issue grants for hazardous fuels management activities, and for 

training or monitoring associated with such hazardous fuels management activities on Federal 

land, or on non-Federal land if the Secretary determines such activities benefit resources on 

Federal land: Provided further, That funds made available to implement the Community Forest 

Restoration Act, Public Law 106–393, title VI, shall be available for use on non-Federal lands in 

accordance with authorities made available to the Forest Service under the "State and Private 

Forestry" appropriations: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 33 of the Bankhead 

Jones Farm Tenant Act (7 U.S.C. 1012), the Secretary of Agriculture, in calculating a fee for 

grazing on a National Grassland, may provide a credit of up to 50 percent of the calculated fee to a 

Grazing Association or direct permittee for a conservation practice approved by the Secretary in 

advance of the fiscal year in which the cost of the conservation practice is incurred[. And, that]: 

Provided further, That the amount credited pursuant to the previous proviso shall remain available 

to the Grazing Association or the direct permittee, as appropriate, in the fiscal year in which the 

credit is made and each fiscal year thereafter for use on the project for conservation practices 

approved by the Secretary.

Change Description

The first change (first paragraph) removes language pertaining to the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund as no 

funding is proposed for that program.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Collaborative Forest Landscape 

Restoration...................................... $40,000 240 $40,000 248 $40,000 248 0 99 -$40,000 -149

Land Management Planning, 

Assessment and Monitoring............ 179,263 182 180,000 180 180,000 180 $179,864 180 -136 0

Hazardous Fuels..................................... 430,000 2,098 435,000 2,320 445,310 2,348 510,000 2,325 64,690 -23

Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness..... 257,848 1,715 260,000 1,742 262,000 1,742 263,629 1,733 1,629 -9

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat 

Management ................................... 136,430 894 137,000 958 138,000 958 139,619 956 1,619 -2

Grazing Management............................. 56,856 413 57,000 411 57,000 411 58,223 410 1,223 -1

Forest Products...................................... 366,000 2,881 368,000 2,979 373,000 2,979 385,000 3,013 12,000 34

Vegetation and Watershed Management 180,000 1,108 180,000 1,154 182,000 1,154 183,849 1,154 1,849 0

Minerals and Geology Management ...... 74,200 431 75,000 428 74,200 428 75,618 425 1,418 -3

Land Use Authorization and Access...... 74,000 454 75,000 468 75,000 468 76,009 464 1,009 -4

Law Enforcement Operations ................ 129,153 663 131,000 669 131,000 669 133,251 675 2,251 6

Subtotal, Direct Appropriations.......... 1,923,750 11,079 1,938,000 11,557 1,957,510 11,585 2,005,062 11,434 47,552 -151

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Relief (P.L. 115-123)............... 20,652 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Disaster Relief (P.L. 116-20)................. 0 0 84,960 7 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Supplemental 

Appropriations ............................ 20,652 0 84,960 7 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers In:

Communication Site Administration...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 6,000 0 0 0

Fire Transfer Repayment ....................... 10,040 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers In ......................... 10,040 0 0 0 0 0 6,000 0 0 0

Total, Discretionary Funding ................. 1,954,442 11,079 2,022,960 11,564 1,957,510 11,585 2,011,062 11,434 47,552 -151

Carryover from Prior Years:

Integrated Resource Restoration Pilot.... 629 0 1,009 0 528 0 212 0 -316 0

Collaborative Forest Landscape 

Restoration...................................... 1,928 0 1,287 0 3,070 0 1,232 0 -1,838 0

Land Management Planning, 

Assessment and Monitoring............ 1,043 0 3,897 0 4,904 0 1,968 0 -2,936 0

Hazardous Fuels..................................... 0 0 9,122 0 8,684 0 3,484 0 -5,200 0

Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness..... 1,407 0 5,774 0 8,413 0 3,376 0 -5,037 0

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat 

Management ................................... 969 0 2,141 0 1,357 0 545 0 -812 0

Grazing Management............................. 137 0 1,032 0 682 0 274 0 -408 0

Forest Products...................................... 163 0 4,023 0 4,750 0 1,906 0 -2,844 0

Vegetation and Watershed Management 1,189 0 3,093 0 2,816 0 1,130 0 -1,686 0

Minerals and Geology Management ...... 2,599 0 3,010 0 4,469 0 1,793 0 -2,676 0

Land Use Authorization and Access...... 761 0 2,977 0 2,313 0 928 0 -1,385 0

Law Enforcement Operations ................ -731 0 2,366 0 3,074 0 1,233 0 -1,841 0

National Forest System – Other............. 740 0 7,887 0 6,582 0 2,641 0 -3,941 0

Disaster Supplemental ........................... 0 0 16,246 0 96,317 0 38,647 0 -57,670 0

Subtotal, Carryover ............................ 10,834 0 63,864 0 147,959 0 59,369 0 -88,590 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Transfers Out:

Department of the Interior...................... -1,871 0 -1,861 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Transfer.......................................... -740 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

State and Private Forestry ...................... 0 0 0 0 -15,000 0 -15,000 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out....................... -2,611 0 -1,861 0 -15,000 0 -15,000 0 0 0

Recoveries, Other...................................... 23,873 0 28,571 0 35,900 0 35,900 0 0 0

Total Available......................................... 1,986,538 11,079 2,113,534 11,564 2,126,369 11,585 2,091,331 11,434 -35,038 -151

Balances, Available End of Year............... -63,864 0 -147,959 0 -59,369 0 -64,331 0 -4,962 0

Total Obligations..................................... $1,922,674 11,079 $1,965,575 11,564 $2,067,000 11,585 $2,027,000 11,434 -$40,000 -151
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration: A decrease of $40,000,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and 

a decrease of one hundred forty-nine staff years.

The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) program promotes collaborative, science-based ecosystem 

restoration of priority forest landscapes. Elimination of this program will reduce duplication among Federal programs, as 

other Forest Service programs also do restoration work on National Forest System lands. The agency will leverage the 

lessons learned in the CFLR program and apply those lessons to existing programs that do similar work. At this funding 

level, 149 staff years would be eliminated. Remaining staff years are assumed to be funded by carryover balances. 

Land Management Planning, Assessment, and Monitoring: A decrease of $136,000 from the FY 2020 

Enacted level, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $228,000 for pay costs ($104,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $124,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to provide for the creation, revision, 

and amendment of land management plans (LMPs) required under the National Forest Management Act and the 

associated regulations. 

b. An increase of $165,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $208,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $737,000 in base program funding.

This decrease in base program funding reflects the agency’s priority to focus on active forest management, maintaining 

and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. Funding will be used for land management plans, revisions 

to plans, plan amendments, and associated assessment and monitoring work. 

The reduced funding request assumes implementation of significant National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulatory 

reform, rule-making, and streamlining. The agency is streamlining processes to reduce the time and staff effort needed to 

complete environmental analysis through the Environmental Analysis and Decision Making (EADM) process. To keep pace 

with current planning accomplishment levels under the proposed funding level, the agency’s goal is a 30 percent reduction in 

processing time on environmental analysis processes by FY 2022.

Hazardous Fuels Reduction: An increase of $64,690,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of 

23 staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $2,944,000 for pay costs ($1,348,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $1,596,000 for the 

2021 pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the Hazardous Fuels Reduction program to 

manage hazardous fuel loads to reduce the risk of severe fires, improve forest health, and ensure the productive and 

sustainable use of National Forest System lands. 

b. An increase of $2,128,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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c. An increase of $2,684,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. An increase of 56,934,000 for Hazardous Fuels Reduction activities.

Funding for this program will be used to mitigate wildfire risk on 3.5 million acres of hazardous fuels in high priority 

and high-risk areas around the Nation, an increase of 200,000 acres from the FY 2020 target. The Forest Service will 

focus investments on changing conditions on the landscape to mitigate wildfire risk to lives and property while 

improving forest conditions. Further, $50 million will not be allocated to the regions, but will be for the Chief to direct to 

highest priority projects to surge capacity where it is needed most. At this funding level, the program will support 2,325 

staff years, a decrease of 23 from FY 2020.

The investments in FY 2021 will be informed by a scientific, outcome-based national investment model targeted at a larger, 

more meaningful geographic scale. Priorities will also be informed by the active management investments made by neighbors 

and partners to reduce the risk of wildfire to communities and reducing exposure to firefighters and the public. Hazardous 

fuel removal is pivotal in ensuring Federal forests and watersheds are sustainable, healthy, and productive, which helps to 

make them safer and more resilient to the destructive impacts of wildfire. The treatment of high priority acres in the wildland 

urban interface typically requires high-cost mechanical methods based on location, terrain, and proximity to communities and 

structures. However, research has shown that fuel treatments result in benefits with values two to three times the costs.2 This 

includes structures and infrastructure saved and avoided suppression and post-fire rehabilitation costs. When practical, the 

agency will integrate hazardous fuels program work with forest products activities by planning, designing, and delivering on 

projects that meet multiple objectives on the ground.

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness: An increase of $1,629,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a 

decrease of nine staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $2,195,000 for pay costs ($1,005,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $1,190,000 for the 

2021 pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to continue supporting nearly 150 

million annual visits for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and other activities on the National Forests and Grasslands.

b. An increase of $1,586,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $2,000,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $4,152,000 in base program funding.

Program funding at this level reflects the agency’s priority to focus on active forest management, maintaining and 

improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. Funding will be used to continue efforts to improve program 

delivery efficiency and prioritize work. The Forest Service is working to accelerate and simplify our permitting process 

for outfitters and guides, maintain and grow strong collaborations with partners and volunteer groups, and find 

innovative ways to address the recreational needs of today’s public who want year-round activities on National Forest 

System lands. 

2 Buckley, M., N. Beck, P. Bowden, M. E. Miller, B. Hill, C. Luce, W. J. Elliot, N. Enstice, K. Podolak, E. Winford, S. L. Smith, M. 

Bokach, M. Reichert, D. Edelson, and J. Gaither. 2014. “Mokelumne watershed avoided cost analysis: Why Sierra fuel treatments make 

economic sense.” A report prepared for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Forest Service. Sierra Nevada Conservancy. Auburn, California. Online: http://www.sierranevadaconservancy.ca.gov/mokelumne.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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This request assumes reauthorization of Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA). If reauthorized, FLREA

would allow the Forest Service to continue current levels of recreation fee collections that are used to fund recreation sites 

and amenities, support water monitoring and testing, support restoration and hazardous fuels management at recreation sites,

provide interpretive and visitor services, and build capacity for increased volunteerism and partnerships.

Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management: An increase of $1,619,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level

and a decrease of two staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $1,210,000 for pay costs ($554,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $656,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to continue maintaining robust 

wildlife and fish populations and creating conditions for clean, abundant water to support hunting and fishing.

b. An increase of $875,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $1,104,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $1,570,000 in base program funding.

Program funding will be used for managing wildlife and fish habitat. The agency will continue to focus on completing 

the highest priority habitat improvements, maintaining important partnerships, and sustaining support for other key 

program areas. The agency is working to maintain and enhance wildlife and fish habitat while increasing the efficiency 

of environmental analysis to help accelerate the accomplishment of effective management activities on the ground. 

Grazing Management: An increase of $1,223,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of one 

staff year, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $519,000 for pay costs ($238,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $281,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to continue maintaining healthy 

rangelands and restoring historically depleted rangelands to maintain a sustainable supply of forage for livestock, open 

space, and wildlife habitat.

b. An increase of $375,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $473,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $144,000 in base program funding.

Funding will be used to administer grazing permits and complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

requirements. However, this funding level will limit our ability to fully support grazing activities, which is a significant 

economic driver of many rural economies. The agency will focus on basic stewardship to ensure grazing is maintained at 

appropriate levels and to use funds as effectively as possible on permit administration and serving permittees.
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The request assumes implementation of significant National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulatory reform, 

rulemaking, and streamlining. The agency anticipates efficiencies in processing time will be gained through the 

Environmental Analysis Decision Making (EADM) initiative. Reforms will have to result in a 30 percent reduction in 

processing time on environmental analysis processes in order to keep pace with current planning accomplishment levels 

under the proposed funding level.

Forest Products: An increase of $12,000,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and an increase of 34 staff 

years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $3,815,000 for pay costs ($1,747,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $2,068,000 for the 

2021 pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to continue promoting healthy 

forests, improving forest conditions, and contributing to rural prosperity through the sale and disposal of timber.

b. An increase of $2,758,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a one percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $3,478,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. An increase of $1,949,000 in base program funding.

Funding will be used to support an increase in timber sales and to achieve a timber output target of 4.0 billion board feet 

in fiscal year 2021. The agency will advance its forest products modernization efforts to improve efficiency in timber 

sales. The forest products modernization initiative is designed to make the agency more agile, allowing us to better meet 

current and future market demand for forest products in ways that simultaneously improve forest conditions. Efforts are 

underway to improve program efficiency by updating policies, practices, tools, and technologies needed to fully 

implement authorities for offering forest products for sale. The agency is also encouraging the use of cross-laminated 

timber technology to construct tall buildings from mass timber derived from small-diameter trees, which can include 

materials removed to reduce wildfire fuels and improve forest health.

Vegetation and Watershed Management: An increase of $1,849,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level, which 

includes the following:

a. An increase of $1,461,000 for pay costs ($669,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $792,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to continue planting, forest thinning, 

and invasive species management activities to improve the growth and health of timber stands and to improve water 

quality. 

b. An increase of $1,056,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $1,332,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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d. A decrease of $2,000,000 in base program funding.

Program funding at this level reflects the agency’s priority to focus on active forest management, maintaining and 

improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. 

Program funding will be used for reforestation and vegetation management to restore, maintain, and protect water and soil 

resources. The agency will emphasize post-wildfire restoration work to stabilize soils and restore appropriate forest cover to 

impacted lands. The agency will also continue to treat existing timber stands to increase resilience to wildfires and insects

and improve the quality of timber for future sales. 

Minerals and Geology Management: An increase of $1,418,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a 

decrease of three staff years which includes the following:

a. An increase of $538,000 for pay costs ($246,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $292,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow the program to continue encouraging the

development of industries and domestic resources to meet the Nation’s energy and mineral requirements while providing 

jobs and protecting National Forest System watersheds and resources.

b. An increase of $389,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $491,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

Compared to the FY 2020 Enacted level, the total requested change represents no change in program funding. The increase of 

$1,418,000 would be used for pay costs, awards, and Federal Retirement System contributions. Program funding will be 

prioritized for the processing of mineral applications and high priority projects, particularly those associated with proposed 

mineral withdrawals and large scale mine permitting which are inherently controversial and complex, as well as maintaining 

general operations with enhanced customer service. 

This request assumes passage of a FY 2021 mandatory legislative proposal for “Use of Minerals Receipts from National 

Forest System Lands to Accelerate Minerals Permitting-Cost Recovery.” Enactment of the new authority would allow the 

Secretary to recover the costs of processing applications for, and monitoring compliance with, locatable mineral plans of 

operation, surface use plans of operation, and other written Forest Service authorizations relating to the disposal of locatable 

and leasable minerals on National Forest System lands. Enactment of the authority would greatly enhance customer service 

and expedite those activities that normally occur within the limits of appropriated funding. Enactment of the cost recovery 

authority would not provide additional funding for the majority of the program of work normally funded by the Minerals and 

Geology Management budget line item beyond those minerals related activities listed above. 

Land Use Authorization and Access: An increase of $1,009,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a 

decrease of four staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $588,000 for pay costs ($269,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $319,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels that will enable the Forest Service to manage permits for uses

like cell towers, oil and gas pipelines, internet fiber optic lines and electric transmission lines and to host emergency 

communications facilities, road rights-of-way, and other infrastructure that provide critical services to the public.

b. An increase of $425,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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c. An increase of $536,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $540,000 in base program funding. 

Program funding at this level reflects the agency’s priority to focus on active forest management, maintaining and 

improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response. The agency will prioritize efforts to modernize and streamline 

special use processes, development of an “ePermit” system to expedite the permitting process, and deployment of

regional and national “strike teams” to increase permitting efficiency and reduce backlogs.

Law Enforcement Operations: An increase of 2,251,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and an increase of 

six staff years, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $854,000 for pay costs ($391,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $463,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will allow Law Enforcement Operations to protect natural 

resources, the public, Forest Service employees, and visitors to National Forest System lands. 

b. An increase of $618,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $779,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

Compared to the FY 2020 Enacted level, the requested change in funding represents no change in program funding (the net 

increase is due to $2,251,000 in increases for pay costs, awards, and FERS contributions). Law Enforcement Operations will 

continue to provide protection to the public, to employees, and for natural resources on National Forest System lands. As 

visitor rates and other non-recreation activities on National Forest System lands are expected to continue to rise, Law 

Enforcement Operations activity is increasingly critical for enforcing laws and regulations, investigating crimes, and 

minimizing risks to public and employee health and safety

Additionally, these funds will support marijuana eradication operations and marijuana grow site clean-up and reclamation on 

National Forest System lands. Many of these marijuana sites have extremely toxic chemicals and pesticides that significantly 

impact the environment, including the water sources that many communities rely on for clean, safe drinking water.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $3,960 $4,020 $4,152 $4,098

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 854,953 867,895 896,425 884,741

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 858,913 871,915 900,577 888,839

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 337,190 342,287 353,539 348,931

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 11,064 1,412 1,458 1,439

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 1,207,167 1,215,614 1,255,574 1,239,209

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 34,457 38,005 41,120 39,922

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 17,227 11,182 12,098 11,746

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 17,685 3,001 3,247 3,152

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 25,753 2,001 2,165 2,102

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 35,537 77,038 83,352 81,924

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 3,106 2,001 2,165 2,102

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 196 91 98 96

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 209,078 209,103 235,745 225,373

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 183,377 195,448 214,678 210,282

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 1,816 141 153 148

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 1,267 60 65 63

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 158 120 130 126

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 9,747 5,002 5,412 5,254

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 49,640 40,018 43,298 42,037

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 28,699 19,361 20,948 20,338

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 831 367 397 386

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 95,848 146,195 145,460 141,871

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 1,085 827 895 869

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 715,507 749,961 811,426 787,791

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 1,922,674 1,965,575 2,067,000 2,027,000

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $218 $228 $231 $235 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $179,273 $181,073 $183,789 $186,546 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $65,834 $53,518 $54,321 $55,136 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 9.3 9.3 9.3 9.3 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration

By working closely with communities, Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) projects are 

identifying innovative techniques for getting work done, increasing community support for restoration projects, 

leveraging capacity, and expanding the scale of restoration. Through its place-based investments in restoration, the 

CFLRP program also supports local rural communities through the generation of forest products such as timber and 

biomass for bioenergy production, as well as the creation and maintenance of jobs.

With its focused investment on priority landscapes, partner capacity, and community support, CFLRP projects are expanding 

the pace and the scale of treatments implemented to reduce the risk of widespread, high-mortality fires. Annually, CFLRP 

projects treat an average of 458,000 acres to reduce hazardous fuels and produce 412 million board feet of timber volume 

sold.3

The program continues to advance community engagement and shared stewardship. Projects involve over 200 local partners 

investments to support shared priorities and coordinate work across landscapes. These partner investments average $19

million per year in partner match on National Forest Service lands and an additional $44 million per year in investments 

across the full CFLRP landscape boundary.

4 This leveraged capacity and support extends beyond CFLRP efforts to influence 

the overall operating environment in communities.

In FY 2019, CFLRP projects contributed 14 percent of the agency’s overall hazardous fuels reduction accomplishments. 

These treatments are reducing wildfire risk. For example, the Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative CFLRP has experienced

wildfires either igniting or burning in previous fuels treatment units. In all cases, the rate of spread and fire intensity was 

noticeably reduced where the fire met these areas. In recent examples – the Bethlehem fire in 2015 and the Mount Hall fire in 

2017 – treatment allowed firefighters to bring these fires under control during initial attack and while still small. As a 

testament to fuels reduction effectiveness, if this area had not been treated, extended attack would have been likely, 

significantly driving up suppression costs. 

By promoting shared leadership, shared capacity, and shared risk, CFLRP projects generate social consensus, durable 

decisions, and the ability to solve problems when challenges arise. The majority of CFLRP participants have reported 

reduced conflict and improved decision-making processes.

5 For example, the Dinkey Landscape Restoration Project in 

California brings together diverse perspectives around the common goals of protecting resources and reducing fire risk. The 

collaboration has had strong payoffs in creating social license and reducing the risk of litigation. The collaborative approach 

has expanded beyond the CFLRP landscape and has become a standard business practice across the agency.

Land Management Planning, Assessment and Monitoring

Land management plans (LMPs) guide management activities on the 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in the National 

Forest System. Managing lands requires a continuous cycle of assessing, planning, implementing, and adjusting programs 

and projects based on new information. In FY 2019, Forest Service researchers prioritized the use of collaborative science 

with resource managers on National Forest System lands to identify and accomplish mutually beneficial goals and further 

common interests to study and to improve forest and grassland conditions. 

In FY 2019, the agency continued to revise 26 LMPs (22 under the 2012 Planning Rule and four under the 1982 Planning 

Procedures). During FY 2019, the agency released 10 land management plans (six draft, two final and two final Records of 

Decision) and one national monument plan. 

In FY 2019, 18 units representing all regions participated in the first of a two-year pilot to develop more clear and concise 

monitoring evaluation reports that fulfil the 2012 Planning Rule’s requirement to provide information to responsible officials 

and the public about the success of land management plans. A Data Stewardship community of practice was initiated to 

improve the quality of data available for USDA monitoring and performance dashboards, and the Regional Analysts Cadre 

will work to promote more consistent analysis methods.

3 Average based on 2013-2019 data. 4 Average based on 2012-2018 data, as 2018 is the most recent year for which data is currently available. Partner investments includes 

through agreement and in-kind contributions. 5 Schultz et al (2017). Strategies for Success Under Forest Service Restoration Initiatives. Ecosystem Workforce Program Working Paper 

Number 81.
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Hazardous Fuels Reduction

The Nation’s forests and grasslands are stressed by extended drought, severe wildfires, and large outbreaks of insects and 

diseases. These stressors and disturbances impact forests, grasslands, and watersheds, and threaten rural communities, timber, 

and other forest products, utility corridors, and more, causing millions of dollars in damage each year. Hazardous fuel 

treatments include any vegetation manipulation, removal, or modification of wildland fuels to reduce the likelihood of 

ignition, reduce potential fire intensity and rate of spread, lessen potential damage, or limit the spread of invasive species and 

diseases. These treatments promote the natural role of fire by reducing the likelihood of uncharacteristically intense wildland 

fire and increase the agency’s capabilities to protect life and property (including communities-at-risk and sensitive municipal 

watersheds), sensitive natural resources (including native plant communities and threatened and endangered species), and 

other socially important cultural resources.

In FY 2019, the Forest Service treated about 2.9 million acres of National Forest System lands and adjacent areas to mitigate 

wildfire risk. Over 1.6 million of the treated acres were in high risk wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. The treated areas 

that were not in the WUI were identified as high priority for other important values at risk to wildfire, including protection of 

municipal watersheds; avoiding wildfire side effects like poor air quality, loss of habitat, and area closures; and other 

objectives such as harvesting forest products and ecosystem restoration occurring outside of WUI areas. Nearly one million 

acres treated were categorized as having a high to very high hazard of a large wildfire that would be difficult to contain. 

About 60 percent of the total acres were treated with prescribed fire, one of the most cost-effective methods of treatment. 

Seven out of nine regions exceeded their target in FY 2019, however, the national total acreage was below FY 2018, and 

about 20 percent below the target. The national shortfall was primarily a result of an unusually wet spring in the southeast 

that reduced the number of days suitable for prescribed fire. The agency will continue to prioritize the use of authorities 

provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115–141), and take the necessary steps to reach the goal of 

treating 3.5 million acres of National Forest System lands and adjacent areas in FY 2021.

The Hazardous Fuels program prioritizes treating areas with high potential for damaging wildfires within the WUI using a 

scenario planning tool and by identifying areas where there is high and very high wildfire hazard potential adjacent to 

communities. Mitigating wildfire risk to these communities requires an all-lands approach to be effective. Working with 

community partners across boundaries allows the agency to leverage resources and work efficiently to reduce wildfire risk 

while creating resilient landscapes and encouraging fire-adapted communities. Hazardous fuels treatments also focus on fireadapted ecosystems that require periodic fire to maintain forest health and resilient landscapes.

In August 2019, multiple fires were reported on the Umatilla National Forest in Oregon. A total of 12 new fires were 

identified and managed as the “HK Complex”. Hot and dry conditions, as well as strong winds, contributed to rapid fire 

growth. Driven by the strong winds, the Little Bear incident within the complex burned into the Wildcat Fuels Reduction and 

Vegetation Management Project area. Once in the treated area, the wildfire behavior moderated and flame lengths were 

reduced. This allowed firefighters to more safely and effectively suppress the wildfire. The fire interrupted and reset natural 

ecological succession, providing high quality forage for big game and good brood rearing habitat for upland game birds, like 

grouse and wild turkeys. Additionally, 59 percent of the entire area burned at low severity, and only one percent was deemed 

a high severity fire.

Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness

The national forests and grasslands receive over 150 million visits annually for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and other 

activities. To sustain and grow this level of use, the Forest Service is investing resources in simplifying the permitting 

process for outfitters and guides, maintaining and encouraging strong collaborations with partners and volunteer groups, and 

working to meet the recreational desires of today’s public, who want year-round activities on National Forest System lands. 

This program provides public recreational access to over 193 million acres of scenic lands, with 158,000 miles of trails, 

27,000 developed recreation sites, 220,000 miles of fishable streams, 122 ski areas, and over 450,000 heritage sites.

On October 1, 2018, the Forest Service launched the updated Recreation.gov to the public. As part of the Recreation OneStop E-Gov initiative, Recreation.gov offers a single point of access to comprehensive information about Federal recreation 

activities. Site services include reservation and trip planning for 100,000 individual sites and activities, and 3,500 recreation 

areas managed by seven Federal agencies. The new site also offers new and improved features for managers. In FY 2019, 

Recreation.gov had over 19 million users, 162.9 million page views, and processed over 4.7 million transactions and 

reservations. Customer Service Satisfaction Survey scores for this past fiscal year indicate that the site is on par with leading 

e-commerce websites and stands as a new benchmark in how the Federal government can interact with citizens in a digital 

age. The Forest Service will continue modernizing Recreation.gov in FY 2020.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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FY 2018 was the pilot year for 29 Wilderness Areas across the National Forest System to establish baseline assessments.

Wilderness Character Monitoring (WCM) uses existing performance data to help the agency understand how wilderness 

character is changing over time. Wilderness quality trends will be characterized as stable, improving or degrading, and this 

information can be used in the future to help inform decisions and manage impacts to wilderness character. In FY 2019, 50 

units began WCM Baseline Assessment reports, which we anticipate completing in FY 2020. All Wilderness areas are on a 

five-year cycle to repeat the monitoring program and determine trends for each measure.

Following the 50th Anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 2018, the Forest Service strengthened shared river 

stewardship efforts through various interagency collaborations and nongovernmental partnerships to engage local 

communities. In 2019, the Forest Service continued to prioritize collaborative legacy projects that will support updating and 

completing comprehensive river management plans, implementing water quality enhancement in wild and scenic river basins, 

and developing a sustainable training program for river management.

Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management

The Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management program works toward keeping wildlife and fish populations robust, and 

fosters conditions for clean, abundant water to help ensure the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System

lands. The program emphasizes reforestation and revegetation efforts in support of ecological restoration and post-wildfire 

recovery. Restoring ecosystems ensures that vital amenities such as clean water and recreational opportunities are available to 

society. In the lower 48 States, National Forest System lands contain 80 percent of elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat 

habitat; the majority of habitat remaining for rare and wide-ranging carnivores such as grizzly bear and Canada Lynx; greater 

than 28 million acres of wild turkey habitat; and 50 percent of the Nation’s premier trout and salmon habitat.6,7

The agency implemented the third year of a strategic approach, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, to accelerate improving 

Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) at road-stream crossings. Through this ongoing partnership the Forest Service 

accomplished approximately 120 AOP projects in FY 2019, keeping the agency on track to accomplish its goal of making 

another 1,000 culverts fish-passage friendly by 2020.

In FY 2019, the agency targeted investments in the National Best Management Practices (BMP) Program and completed 

nearly 500 BMP monitoring evaluations to improve how the agency meets its requirements under the Clean Water Act to 

protect clean water. The program made advancements to increase the effectiveness of its monitoring to improve the sharing 

of important information with State water quality agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other partners.

Grazing Management

The Grazing Management program ensures the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands for grazing 

and supports the U.S. ranching community’s use of National Forest System lands by maintaining a sustainable supply of

forage for their livestock. This program manages rangeland ecosystems that provide secure food sources, sustain water 

resources, and provide wildlife habitat and ecosystem services.

Providing forage for livestock promotes economic stability for rural communities, while using livestock grazing as a 

management tool to reduce fine fuels, invasive plant populations and enhance habitat for native plants and animals. To find 

the best solutions and monitoring strategies for vegetation management, the agency works with livestock permittees and the 

relevant regulatory agencies (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service).

Grazing management practices are also informed by Forest Service research. Our scientists recently completed a model to 

investigate different climate and grazing scenarios for New Mexico, and the results predicted accelerated changes in 

vegetation composition. With rangelands in New Mexico and other semiarid ecosystems already facing challenges, such as 

invasions by exotic species, the expansion of woody vegetation, altered fire regimes, and drought, this and similar Forest 

Service research contribute to the development of long-term risk management strategies to improve rangeland management.

In FY 2019, the agency continued its focus on building and maintaining good working relationships with livestock grazing 

permittees, recognizing them as partners who share a stewardship to maintain and improve America’s forests and grasslands. 

Significant partners in FY 2019 included the Society for Range Management, the Public Lands Council, the Sustainable 

6U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1993. “Grizzly bear recovery plan.” Missoula, MT. 181 pp. Online: https://www.fws.gov/mountainprairie/es/species/mammals/grizzly/Grizzly_bear_recovery_plan.pdf. 7Interagency Lynx Biology Team. 2013. “Canada lynx conservation assessment and strategy. 3rd edition.” Forest Service, DOI Fish and 

Wildlife Service, DOI Bureau of Land Management, and DOI National Park Service. Forest Service Publication RI-13-19, Missoula, MT. 

129 pp. Online: https://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/wildlife/LCAS_revisedAugust2013.pdf.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Rangeland Roundtable, and numerous local livestock producer organizations. The agency is in the process of revising the 

Grazing Handbook and Manual, which will modernize business processes and make doing business with permittees easier. 

The revisions will be out for public review and comment in FY 2020.

The effort to maintain and sustain current levels of livestock grazing has been largely tied to agency site-specific allotment 

analysis and NEPA efforts on thousands of active grazing allotments for over 25 years. These efforts have been in 

compliance with existing and revised Forest and Grassland Management Plans as required by passage of the 1995 

Rescissions Act. While drought and fires can and do reduce the number of livestock grazing on allotments in some years, the 

Forest Service has successfully maintained and sustained livestock numbers on National Forest System lands.

Forest Products

The Forest Products program ensures the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands by supporting 

healthy and resilient forests and communities. This program generates timber jobs in rural America through the sale of 

billions of board feet of timber annually.

In FY 2019, the Forest Service completed more than 259,000 forest product sales, including over 900 timber sales or 

stewardship contracts. In total, these sales of timber, firewood, Christmas trees, mushrooms, and other forest products had a 

value of just over $186.7 million. In addition to meeting subsistence and personal use needs, the Forest Products program is 

critical to local economies, generating over 43,000 jobs and about $3.2 billion of gross domestic product as reported in the 

agency’s FY 2017 economic analysis.

The agency sold about 3.272 billion board feet in FY 2019, a slight increase over FY 2018, and an amount last reached in 

1997. This includes 2.8 billion board feet of timber sold with Forest Products funding, and over 486 million board feet sold 

using salvage sale funds, other permanent and trust funds, and Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration funding. This

achievement was, in part, made possible by use of tools authorized or amended in the 2014 Farm Bill and Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115–141), including the Good Neighbor Authority, insect and disease designations, 

stewardship contracting, and the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services Program. The agency will continue to 

prioritize the use of authorities provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115–141), and take the 

necessary steps to increase capacity to reach the output goal of 4.0 billion board feet of timber in FY 2021.

The agency continues to grow relationships with State partners using the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), which allows 

States to restore watersheds and manage forests on National Forest System lands via agreements or contracts. There are a 

total of 244 different GNA agreements in place in 38 States, with 66 new agreements and one additional State added in FY 

2019. Agreements cover a variety of activities. There are 67 agreements for forest health, 39 for watershed management, 28 

for wildlife management, 27 for timber management, 18 for ecosystem management, 18 for fire management, and 47 other 

agreements. Timber Volume Sold under Good Neighbor Authority in FY 2019 was 182 million board feet, up from 89 

million in FY 2018.

Many GNAs are long-term agreements up to 10-years and all rely on the permanent authority provided in the 2014 and 2018 

Farm Bill. With the 2018 Farm Bill, this authority has expanded to allow counties and Tribes to participate in the program. 

This expansion was implemented in 2019 with a signed GNA agreement with Crawford County in Missouri for a watershed 

management project. Tribes have expressed interest in working with the agency on GNA projects, so the agency is exploring 

opportunities to develop such agreements. Training has been provided to both employees and interested States, counties and 

Tribes.

In FY 2019, the Forest Products program finalized and published a five-year strategy to modernize and improve the policies, 

authorities, practices, and tools that drive how the agency plans and implements projects that deliver forest products. During 

the year, the agency made measurable progress across the strategy’s four key areas: recruitment, retention, and training; 

technology; business practices; and policy. Over 230 new positions, primarily forester and forestry technicians, were 

approved for hiring in calendar year 2019. The agency launched several new training courses including basic timber sale 

preparation, timber sale administration and Designation by Prescription, and developed a desk guide for use of virtual 

boundaries for sale layout. The Forest Products program also revised and updated Forest Service Manuals and Handbooks for 

timber cruising, timber sale administration, timber appraisal, Knutson-Vandenberg authority, stewardship contracting and a 

new chapter on Good Neighbor Authority. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Vegetation and Watershed Management

Vegetation and Watershed Management ensures the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands by 

improving the growth and health of both forested stands and rangelands, controlling the spread of invasive species, reducing 

the risk of severe flooding and erosion in areas affected by severe fire, and helping to keep water clean.

The Forest Service tracks improvements to landscapes through the Terrestrial Condition Assessment, which identifies the 

ecological integrity and health of terrestrial ecosystems. The landscape condition is integrated with management activities 

tracked through the Forest Service Activity Tracking System (FACTS) to determine the outcomes of work accomplished. In 

FY 2019, across all funding sources, restoration treatments included establishing more than 171,056 acres of new forest 

vegetation, improving over 207,289 acres of forest vegetation, improving over 494,494 acres of soil and water, improving 

nearly 771,865 acres of rangeland vegetation, and treating about 274,277 acres of invasive plants and noxious weeds. 

The Forest Service has been using the Watershed Condition Framework to focus watershed restoration work on priority areas 

since FY 2011. In FY 2019, the Forest Service completed work necessary to improve or maintain conditions in 12 priority 

watersheds. The total area soil and water resources restored or enhanced in FY 2019, including those in priority watersheds, 

was 494,497 acres. In addition, in FY 2019, 49,833 acres of lakes and 3,518 miles of rivers and streams were restored or 

enhanced. 

Minerals and Geology Management

The Minerals and Geology Management program ensures the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands 

for energy production and mineral development, contributes almost $5 billion to the Nation’s economy, and supports 

approximately 32,000 jobs.8 The program also secures and protects unique resources, such as fossils, caves, groundwater, 

wildlife habitat, and places of scientific, cultural, and recreational interest; protects people and the environment by 

monitoring and mitigating geologic hazards like landslides; and cleans, restores, and monitors environmentally compromised 

lands contaminated by mines or other hazards. In FY 2019, the agency continued to revise our Oil and Gas Resource 

regulations (36 CFR 228, Subpart E). Revisions to these regulations are intended to streamline oil and gas leasing for 

approximately 44 national forests or grasslands that have ongoing Federal oil and gas interest or operations. The agency 

anticipates publishing the Draft regulations in spring 2020. The revision of the locatable mining regulations (36 CFR 228, 

Subpart A) is proceeding with a contracted Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). A draft EIS and proposed rule will be 

published in October 2020.

In FY 2019 the agency administered operations on over 6,700 Federal mineral leases covering over 5.3 million acres of 

National Forest System lands. Lands are currently leased for oil, natural gas, coal, phosphates, and other mineral 

commodities. Federal mineral, oil, and gas operations include approximately 4,000 wells on these leases, as well as a variety 

of coal and other mineral mines. Royalties are paid to the government on any production. The agency also managed

approximately 15,000 oil and gas wells for privately owned minerals on National Forest System lands in FY 2019.

Approximately 75,000 mining claims were in place on National Forest System lands in FY 2019, resulting in administration 

of Plans of Operations for extraction of hard rock (e.g., gold, silver, cobalt), and critical minerals mines (deemed by use, 

geography, and availability of supply), including both small operations and world-class mines. In addition, the agency 

processed approximately 2,300 mineral material (e.g., sand, gravel) sale contracts and permits in FY 2019.

Land Use Authorization and Access (Previously Landownership Management)

The Land Use Authorization and Access program ensures the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands 

for rural and national infrastructure and lays the foundation for all land and natural resource management activities on 

National Forest System lands. The program secures and protects National Forest System lands and land interests. The Forest 

Service is surveying lands in advance of timber sales, acquiring rights-of-ways, and administering road agreements necessary 

for public and agency access for activities including timber production, transportation, recreation, and utility inspection.

This program oversees permit processing, administration, and surveying for energy infrastructure and commercial interests 

on national forests and grasslands. Energy, utility, and communications infrastructure on National Forest System lands 

provides approximately $30 billion annually to the gross domestic product, supports approximately 120,000 private sector 

jobs, and generates $70 million in land use authorization fees to the U.S. Treasury. Current agency permits include about 

2,700 power line authorizations, supporting approximately 18,000 miles of powerlines and carrying electricity to 70 million 

8 FY 2017 Energy & Mineral Production Information for National Forest System Lands.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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homes; 1,600 oil and gas pipelines covering 6,600 linear miles; 300 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensed 

facilities; 14,000 recreation residences; 1,530 designated communications sites for cellular and broadband technology; and 

significant water delivery infrastructure for communities.

The agency is continuing the use of strike teams and strategic project funding to improve permit approval efficiency and 

reduce the permitting backlog. Regional strike teams continue to improve the efficiency of processing special use cases and 

continue to reduce the backlog of cases needing approval or closure. The ePermitting/Open Forest project delivered the 

Christmas tree pilot on four forests in FY 2019. Overall, in FY 2019, the regional strike teams reduced the permitting backlog 

by an additional 28 percent over the prior year.

The Forest Service and BLM are working together to update our land status records, to make them more accurate and 

aligned, by using BLM's CADNSDI (Cadastral National Spatial Database Infrastructure) and aligning it with the Forest 

Service LSRS (Land Status Records System). The final result of this effort will be to improve our ability to provide accurate

landownership records and mapping products. The Forest Service has added easements and rights-of-way to its publicly 

available Lands Status and Encumbrance map, which will be updated in real time as new easements and rights-of-way are 

acquired and as historical rights are mapped. This ongoing effort also improves implementation of the Dingell Act, passed in 

2018, that requires the Forest Service to prepare a public list of priority Federal lands where hunting, fishing or other 

recreational uses are allowed, but where public access is not available or is significantly restricted.

Law Enforcement Operations

Law Enforcement Operation’s primary focus is the protection of natural resources, the public, Forest Service employees, and 

visitors on National Forest System lands. Forest Service law enforcement staff provide a critical presence on a vast amount of 

public lands, roads, and recreation sites. Enforcement activities and criminal and civil investigations involve incidents of 

theft, assault, alcohol and drug use; unauthorized motor vehicle use; illegal occupancy; trespassing; wildland fire arson; drug 

smuggling and manufacturing; fraud; and assaults and threats to employees. The program maintains numerous cooperative 

partnerships with local agencies and communities to provide a wide range of services.

Under FEMA’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) #13, Public Safety and Security Annex, the Forest Service partners with 

the Department of Justice and other partners to help with law enforcement emergencies during the fiscal year. Nearly $5 

million in funding has been dedicated to maintaining approximately 500 Cooperative Law Enforcement Agreements with 

State, county, and local partners. The agreements provide funding to law enforcement cooperators to enhance law 

enforcement coverage on National Forest System lands and ensure public safety. During FY 2019, Law Enforcement 

Operations teams were deployed to North Carolina, Florida, and Puerto Rico to assist with assessment and recovery efforts 

following hurricane Dorian. The teams were qualified to operate in these types of disaster areas with little or no support and 

were capable of self-sustaining operations for 72-96 hours.

In FY 2019, the Forest Service continued to conduct multi-agency eradication operations and investigations to target 

marijuana cultivated on National Forest System lands and adjacent public lands and to prioritize clean up and reclamation 

activities in support of the National Drug Control Strategy. Drug trafficking organizations produce large amounts of trash, 

hazardous materials, and toxic chemicals that create a significant risk to wildlife, water, and habitat near grow areas. The Law 

Enforcement Operations program continues to partner with Forest Service Research and Development to introduce tools to 

detect these highly destructive, illegal marijuana cultivation sites using satellite imagery and innovative machine-learning 

algorithms. FY 2019, over 780,000 marijuana plants were eradicated from approximately 270 grow sites on National Forest 

System and adjacent lands.

Also, in coordination with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the 

Forest Service conducted Operation Forest Watch II, a multi-agency operation with Federal, State, and local partners to 

investigate, eradicate, and reclaim illegal marijuana grow sites on public lands. The operation provided a surge in resources to 

aggressively deter and disrupt Drug Trafficking Organizations and reclaim public lands from illegal occupation and 

marijuana grows.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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National Forest System Primary Authorities

Title of the Act or 

Program

Summary of Authority Expiration date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC Reference

Archaeological 

Resources 

Protection Act of 

1979

Authorizes the use of 

appropriated funds for the 

preservation and protection 

of historical and 

archaeological resources.

NFS P.L. 96-95 16 U.S.C. 470aa et 

seq.

Agriculture 

Improvement Act 

of 2018

Authorizes the use of various 

wildfire/fuels management 

and forest management 

practices.

Various NFS P.L. 115-334 16 U.S.C. 6513-

6591 et seq.

Bankhead-Jones Farm 

Tenant Act of 1937

Authorizes and directs the 

Secretary of Agriculture to 

develop a program of land 

conservation and land 

utilization, in order to assist 

in controlling soil erosion, 

reforestation, preserving 

natural resources, and to 

cooperate with Federal, 

State, Territorial, and other 

public agencies in 

development and 

implementation of plans. 

NFS P.L. 75-210 7 U.S.C. 1011-

1013a

Cooperative Funds 

Act of June 30, 

1914 

Authorizes the acceptance of 

contributions for cooperative 

work in forest 

investigations, protection, 

management, and 

improvement of the National 

Forest System.

NFS 38 Stat. 430 16 U.S.C. 498

Endangered Species 

Act of 1973

The Endangered Species Act 

(ESA) provides a program 

for the conservation of 

threatened and endangered 

plants and animals and the 

habitats in which they are 

found. Section 7 requires 

federal agencies to consult 

with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service and/or the 

NOAA Fisheries Service to 

ensure that actions they 

authorize, fund or carry out 

are not likely to jeopardize 

the continued existence of 

any listed species or destroy 

or adversely modify 

designated critical habitat of 

such species.

NFS P.L. 93–205 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or 

Program

Summary of Authority Expiration date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC Reference

Federal Lands 

Recreation 

Enhancement Act

Authorizes a fee retention 

program for certain 

recreation sites on Federal 

lands. Fees collected from 

users of recreation facilities 

are used to pay for on-theground operation, 

maintenance, and 

improvements of recreation 

sites and services to 

maintain and enhance 

recreation opportunities, 

visitor experiences, and 

related habitat. 

09/30/2020 NFS P.L. 108-447; 

P.L. 113-235; 

P.L. 114-53; 

P.L. 114-223; 

P.L. 115-56; 

P.L. 115-245

16 U.S.C. 6801-

6814

Good Neighbor 

Authority

Authorizes the Secretary of 

Agriculture, via cooperative 

agreement or contract, to 

allow State, County and 

Tribal agencies to perform 

watershed restoration and 

forest management services 

on National Forest System 

lands when similar and 

complementary restoration 

services are being performed 

on adjacent non-Federal or 

private lands. 

NFS P.L. 113-79; 

P.L. 115-141; 

P.L. 115-334

16 U.S.C. 2113a

Grazing Permits / 

Rescissions Act of 

1995

The terms and conditions 

contained in the expired, 

transferred, or waived 

permit or lease shall 

continue in effect under the 

renewed permit or lease 

until such time as the 

Secretary completes 

processing of such permit or 

lease in compliance with all 

applicable laws and 

regulations or until the 

expiration of the renewed 

permit, whichever comes 

first. At which time such 

permit or lease may be 

canceled, suspended or 

modified, in whole or in 

part, to meet the 

requirements of such 

applicable laws and 

regulations.

09/30/2016 NFS P.L. 108-108, 

Sec. 325; P.L. 

111-88; P.L. 

112-74; P.L. 

113-46; P.L. 

113-76; P.L. 

114-113; P.L. 

104-19, Sec. 

504

43 U.S.C. 1752
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or 

Program

Summary of Authority Expiration date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC Reference

Healthy Forests 

Restoration Act 

(HFRA) of 2003

Authorizes $20 million 

annually for cross-boundary 

fuels reduction 

appropriations and $660 

million annually for 

hazardous fuel reduction 

through FY 2023. 

Authorizes various forest 

health restoration programs 

including the Water Source 

Protection Program, the 

Watershed Condition 

Framework, and hazardous 

fuels reduction. Provides for 

expedited environmental 

review, a pre-decisional 

Forest Service 

administrative review 

process, and other measures 

on National Forest lands that 

are at-risk of catastrophic 

fire. Authorizes various 

forest health restoration 

programs, including 

promoting the use of woody 

biomass, creating the Health 

Forest Reserve Program, and 

providing watershed forestry 

assistance.

ALL P.L. 108-148; 

P.L. 110-246;

P.L. 113-79;

P.L. 115-141;

P.L. 115-334

16 U.S.C. 6501 et 

seq.

Historic Preservation 

Act of 1966

This Act authorizes use of 

appropriated funds for the 

preservation and protection 

of historical and 

archaeological resources.

NFS P.L. 89-665 54 U.S.C. 100101 

et seq.

Land and Water 

Conservation Fund 

Act of 1965

Created by Congress in 1964, 

the Land and Water 

Conservation Fund (LWCF) 

provides money to Federal, 

State, and local governments 

to purchase land, water and 

wetlands for the benefit of 

all Americans. The Fund 

receives money from fees 

paid by companies drilling 

offshore for oil and gas. 

Other funding sources 

include the sale of surplus 

Federal real estate and taxes 

on motorboat fuel.

09/30/2018 NFS P.L. 113-287; 

P.L. 114-113

54 U.S.C. Ch. 

2003

Mineral Materials Act 

of 1947

This Act provides authority to: 

(a) dispose of mineral 

material and (b) approve and 

issue permits to explore and 

develop oil and gas leases.

NFS P.L. 96-470 30 U.S.C. 226, 

601-602, and 

611
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or 

Program

Summary of Authority Expiration date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC Reference

Multiple-Use 

Sustained-Yield 

Act of 1960

Provides that forest lands are 

to be administered for 

outdoor recreation, range, 

timber, watershed, wildlife, 

and fish. Authorized and 

directed the development 

and administration of the 

renewable surface resources 

of the National Forests for 

multiple use and sustained 

yield of the several products 

and services obtained there 

from.

NFS P.L. 86-517 16 U.S.C. 528-531

Mutually Beneficial 

Agreements

Authority for the Forest 

Service to enter in to 

mutually beneficial 

agreements with public or 

private agencies, 

organizations, institutions, 

or persons.

ALL P.L. 111-11 sec. 

3001

16 U.S.C. 1011; 

16 U.S.C. 565a1

Forest and Rangeland 

Renewable 

Resources Planning 

Act of 1976 as 

amended by the 

National Forest 

Management Act 

(NFMA) of 1976

Requires that the Forest 

Service prepare and revise 

land management plans 

(LMP) for national forests to 

provide for multiple use and 

sustained yield of the 

products and services 

obtained from the forest. 

Directs the Secretary to 

develop regulations to set 

out the process for the 

development and revision of 

land management plans.

NFS P.L. 94-588 16 U.S.C. 472a, 

1061 et seq.

National Forest Ski 

Area Permit Act of 

1986

Authorizes the issuance of 

permits for use and 

occupancy of suitable lands 

within the National Forest 

System for construction and 

maintenance of buildings, 

structures, and other 

facilities for hotels, resorts, 

summer homes, stores, 

industrial or commercial 

purposes, education or other 

public use, alpine and 

Nordic skiing operations, 

and so forth.

NFS P.L. 99-522 16 U.S.C. 497 and 

497b

Omnibus Public Land 

Management Act of 

2009

Authorizes the Collaborative 

Forest Management 

Program to select and fund 

ecological restoration 

treatments for priority forest 

landscapes for up to $80 

million annually and for 

proposals up to 10 years.

09/30/2023 CFLRP P.L. 111-11 16 U.S.C. 7303
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or 

Program

Summary of Authority Expiration date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC Reference

Organic 

Administration Act 

of 1897

Authorizes the administration, 

protection, and management 

of the National Forests, for 

the purposes of improving 

and protecting the forest, 

securing favorable 

conditions of water flows, 

and to furnish a continuous 

supply of timber for the use 

and necessities of citizens of 

the United States. The Act 

also directs the Secretary of 

Agriculture to protect 

National Forests against 

destruction by fire and 

depredations. 

NFS; WFM 16 U.S.C. 473-

478, 479-482, 

and 551

Pipelines Act of 

1920, Mineral 

Leasing Act

Rights-of-way through any 

Federal lands may be 

granted by the Secretary of 

the Interior or appropriate 

agency head for pipeline 

purposes for the 

transportation of oil, natural 

gas, synthetic liquid or 

gaseous fuels, or any refined 

product.

NFS P.L. 66-146 30 U.S.C. 185

Service First Establish a program for 

Federal land management 

agencies to conduct projects, 

planning, permitting, 

leasing, contracting and 

other activities, either jointly 

or on behalf of one another.

ALL P.L. 106-291; 

P.L. 109-54; 

P.L. 111-8;

P.L. 112-74

43 U.S.C. 1703; 

43 U.S.C. 1701 

note

Cooperative Law 

Enforcement

Authorizes cooperation with 

States and political 

subdivisions in enforcement 

of State and local laws on 

National Forest System 

lands, and reimbursement of 

States and political 

subdivisions for 

expenditures incurred in 

such activities.

NFS; SPF 85 Stat. 303 16 U.S.C. 551a
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of the Act or 

Program

Summary of Authority Expiration date (if 

applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC Reference

Southwest Forest 

Health and Wildfire 

Prevention Act of 

2004, Ecological 

Restoration 

Institutes

Establishes institutes to 

demonstrate and promote the 

use of adaptive ecosystem 

management to reduce the 

risk of wildfires and restore 

the health of fire-adapted 

forest and woodland 

ecosystems of the interior 

west. If the Secretary 

determines that an Institute 

does not qualify for further 

Federal assistance under this 

Act, the Institute shall 

receive no further Federal 

assistance under this Act 

until such time as the 

qualifications of the Institute 

are re-established. 

Authorizes $15 million 

annually.

NFS P.L. 108-317 16 U.S.C. 6701-

6707

Small Tracts Act of 

January 12, 1983

This Act authorizes the sale, 

exchange, or interchange of 

various categories of 

National Forest System 

lands of forty acres or less 

and of $500,000 or less in 

value.

NFS P.L. 97-465; 

P.L. 115-334

16 U.S.C. 521e

U.S. Mining Laws 

Act of May 10, 

1872

This Act governs mining 

activities for valuable 

minerals on public domain 

lands.

ALL 30 U.S.C. 22 and 

28

Weeks Act of 1911 Sections 1 and 2 authorize 

land acquisition for 

watershed protection and 

timber production. One of 

the primary authorities for 

land acquisition with Land 

and Water Conservation 

Fund moneys.

NFS P.L. 61435 16 U.S.C. 516, 

521b

Wild and Scenic 

Rivers Act of 1968

Sections 6 and 16 authorize 

land acquisition, exchange, 

and donation of land for 

inclusion in the Wild and 

Scenic River System.

NFS P.L. 890-542 16 U.S.C. 1277

Wilderness Act of 

1964

Sections 5 and 6 provide 

authority for acquisition, 

exchange, and donation of 

land for inclusion in the 

Wilderness System.

NFS P.L. 88-577 16 U.S.C. 1131-

1136
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $455,000,000

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... -1,827,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 453,173,000

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

For necessary expenses of the Forest Service, not otherwise provided for, [$455,000,000]$453,173,000,

to remain available through September 30, [2023]2024, for construction, capital improvement, 

maintenance and acquisition of buildings and other facilities and infrastructure; and for construction, 

reconstruction, and decommissioning of roads that are no longer needed, including unauthorized roads 

that are not part of the transportation system[,]; and for maintenance of forest roads and trails by the 

Forest Service as authorized by 16 U.S.C 532-538 and 23 U.S.C 101 and 205[: Provided, that funds 

becoming available in fiscal year 2020 under the Act of March 4, 1913 (16 U.S.C. 501) shall be 

transferred to the General Fund of the Treasury and shall not be available for transfer or obligation for 

any other purpose unless the funds are appropriated].

Change Description

The change removes the CHIMP to defer this amount by remittance to the Treasury, thereby making the Roads and Trails 

(Ten Percent) Fund set aside available for obligation.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Facilities.......................................... $151,000 365 $148,000 445 $154,000 445 $152,501 450 -$1,499 5

Roads.............................................. 218,000 1,059 218,000 1,158 220,000 1,158 221,864 1,158 1,864 0

Trails............................................... 80,000 527 80,000 554 81,000 554 78,808 542 -2,192 -12

Legacy Roads and Trails................. 0 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Direct Appropriations... 449,000 1,992 446,000 2,157 455,000 2,157 453,173 2,150 -1,827 -7

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Relief (P.L. 115-123)........ 91,600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Disaster Relief (P.L. 116-20).......... 0 0 36,040 34 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Supplemental 

Appropriations....................... 91,600 0 36,040 34 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers In:

Fire Transfer Repayment ................ 5,917 0 15,662 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers In................... 5,917 0 15,662 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Discretionary Funding.......... 546,517 1,992 497,702 2,191 455,000 2,157 453,173 2,150 -1,827 -7

Carryover from Prior Years:

Facilities.......................................... 554 0 20,447 0 21,344 0 11,397 0 -9,947 0

Roads.............................................. 484 0 3,877 0 3,984 0 2,127 0 -1,857 0

Trails............................................... 155 0 1,734 0 3,139 0 1,676 0 -1,463 0

Deferred Maintenance and 

Infrastructure Improvement...... 6 0 44 0 91 0 49 0 -42 0

Legacy Roads and Trails................. 115 0 1,002 0 952 0 508 0 -444 0

Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance – Other ................ 1,106 0 2,365 0 2,785 0 1,487 0 -1,298 0

Disaster Supplemental .................... 0 0 60,728 0 64,464 0 34,422 0 -30,042 0

Subtotal, Carryover...................... 2,420 0 90,197 0 96,759 0 51,666 0 -45,093 0

Transfers Out:

Fire Transfer ................................... -15,662 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out................ -15,662 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Recoveries, Other............................... 7,273 0 7,437 0 9,500 0 9,500 0 0 0

Total Available ................................. 540,548 1,992 595,336 2,191 561,259 2,157 514,339 2,150 -46,920 -7

Balances, Available End of Year ....... -90,197 0 -96,759 0 -51,666 0 -47,347 0 4,319 0

Total Obligations.............................. $450,351 1,992 $498,577 2,191 $509,593 2,157 $466,992 2,150 -$42,601 -7
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Facilities: A decrease of $1,499,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and an increase of five staff years

which includes the following:

a. An increase of $570,000 for pay costs ($261,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $309,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will enable the Forest Service to continue operating its 

recreational, research, and administrative facilities. This program provides the largest number and widest range of 

accessible recreation facilities in the country, including campgrounds, picnic areas, visitor centers, target ranges, and 

observation sites.

b. An increase of $412,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $519,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $3,000,000 in base program funding. 

At this reduced funding level, the Forest Service will continue to address health and safety issues, operations and 

maintenance of high priority facilities that support fire suppression and fuels management, administration of national 

forests, recreation and research. In addition, investment will continue in the oversight needed to ensure compliance of 

Forest Service owned dams with Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety. Investments will also focus on critical repairs for 

High Hazard dams. 

The agency will continue implementation of its comprehensive capital improvement plan (CCIP) which will guide 

investments in capital improvement projects that will address repairs and rehabilitation of mission critical buildings and 

decommissioning projects and reduce the deferred maintenance backlog. However, after fixed costs and maintenance, there 

are only about $40 million available for projects at the requested funding level. 

Per Congressional directive, the Forest Service was asked to provide a list of planned national capital improvement projects 

over $1 million. The below list is a pre-decisional list with cost estimates based on the FY 2021 funding request. This list

may change upon review by the national Asset Management Review Board’s recommendations.

FY 2021 - FY 2025 Capital Improvement Projects over $1 Million Selected in FY 2021

Project Name Region Estimated FY 

2021 Cost

Estimated Total Cost 

FY 2021 - FY 2025

Facilities:

R615 Supervisor's Office Colocation R6 Pacific Northwest $7,000,000 $7,000,000

Spirit Lake Tunnel Gate Dewatering Structure R6 Pacific Northwest 5,000,000 5,000,000

Fishlake SO Purchase R4 Intermountain 3,250,000 3,750,000

Cow Creek South Boat Launch Site R2 Rocky Mountain 2,700,000 2,700,000

Minidoka RD Office and Warehouse Purchase R4 Intermountain 2,300,000 2,300,000

Devil's Nose Developed Shooting Area R2 Rocky Mountain 1,324,257 1,324,257

BTNF Vault Toilet Replacement Project R4 Intermountain 1,010,000 1,010,000

0804 Tellico River Corridor Facilities & Access R8 Southern 838,000 1,551,000

R607 Lamonta Interagency Fire Operations Building R6 Pacific Northwest 351,000 5,651,000

Kenai Lake Work Center Site Development and 

Decommissioning R10 Alaska 275,000 1,495,000
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Project Name Region Estimated FY 

2021 Cost

Estimated Total Cost 

FY 2021 - FY 2025

Timberline Lodge Hydrant Loop Replacement: Phase II and III R6 Pacific Northwest 250,000 2,415,000

DM08 - Upper Letts Lake Dam Rehabilitation R5 Pacific Southwest 250,000 2,770,000

R601 Sisters Ph2 District Warehouse/Fire Cache R6 Pacific Northwest 175,000 1,610,000

Total, Facilities 24,723,257 38,576,257

Roads:

0806 Kisatchie - Multiple Bridges Replacement R8 Southern 1,869,060 4,076,225

Little Joe Road BMP, AOP, and Safety Improvements R1 Northern 1,418,450 2,389,005

R4 Bundled Road Surfacing and Pavement Maintenance R4 Intermountain 1,069,800 4,695,200

Manti-La Sal Road Improvement R4 Intermountain 1,000,000 1,000,000

CVRD Camp and Covel Creek AOP R6 Pacific Northwest 23,000 1,023,000

Total, Roads 5,380,310 13,183,430

Decommissioning Projects:

Nez Perce - Clearwater NFs Decommissioning R1 Northern 1,419,000 1,419,000

DC15 - Forest Wide Building Demolition Project R5 Pacific Southwest 1,250,000 1,250,000

R6 Frewin Lakeview Ranger Station Complex 

Decommissioning R6 Pacific Northwest 1,100,000 1,100,000

Total, Decommissioning Projects 3,769,000 3,769,000

Grand Total $33,872,567 $55,528,687

Roads: An increase of $1,864,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $1,467,000 for pay costs ($672,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $795,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will enable the Forest Service to manage, protect, and 

provide safe public access to National Forest System lands, and to meet the agency’s goal of offering 4.0 billion board 

feet of timber in FY 2021. Virtually all agency and public use of national forests and grasslands require travel over the 

roads system. Roads provide critical access for first responders in emergencies, improving forest conditions, harvesting 

timber, and reducing hazardous fuels.

b. An increase of $1,060,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $1,337,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $2,000,000 in base program funding. 

At this level, the Forest Service will continue to provide access to National Forest System lands for public recreation and 

for rural communities whose local economies are comprised of timber, mining, grazing, and other natural resource 

benefits provided by these lands would be reduced. 

Program funding will be used for the operations and maintenance of existing roads and reconstruction of existing roads. 

Funds will also be used to invest in road and bridge projects that support timber production and fuel reduction, enhance or 

improve safe access to high-use recreation areas, rehabilitation of bridges in poor condition, and protection water quality and 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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natural resources. A pre-decisional list of road and bridge projects proposed for FY 2021 is found in the Capital 

Improvement Projects table above.

Trails: A decrease of $2,192,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of 12 staff years, which 

includes the following: 

a. An increase of $686,000 for pay costs ($314,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $372,000 for the 2021 

pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will enable the Forest Service to continue providing

158,000 miles of trails, which serve more than 50 million hikers annually, and to address the $300 million in trail and 

trail bridge deferred maintenance backlog.

b. An increase of $496,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $626,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $4,000,000 in base program funding. 

As the public demand for trails to access and recreate on National Forest lands continues to grow, funding will be used to 

maintain priority trail facilities to provide for public safety. The agency will also use the funding to implement 

recommendations in the National Forest System Trail Stewardship Act of 2016 and the agency’s 2017 National Trail 

Strategy, if those activities can be funded after maintaining priority trail facilities. At this request level, 12 staff years and 

associated operating expenses would be eliminated. 

This funding request, in part, assumes that the FY 2020 budget request proposal for the Forest Service to retain roads and 

trails funds (10 percent fund) now returned to the Treasury is passed by Congress, which would make an extra $15 million 

available for roads and trails work. This funding request also assumes that the Department of Interior’s FY 2020 legislative 

proposal for the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund (PLIF) is passed by Congress. This fund would support infrastructure 

improvements including deferred maintenance for roads and trails through an allocation of 10 percent for national forests.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $117 $118 $120 $119

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 149,665 149,867 152,115 151,621

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 149,782 149,985 152,235 151,740

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 55,931 56,981 57,836 57,648

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 2,883 356 361 360

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 208,596 207,322 210,432 209,748

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 6,033 5,641 5,791 4,979

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 2,960 1,957 2,009 1,728

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 3,511 948 973 837

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 5,417 948 973 837

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 7,911 13,276 13,630 11,720

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 593 315 324 278

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 54 37 38 32

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 104,141 145,101 148,961 128,087

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 57,921 53,601 55,028 47,318

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 4,473 8,605 8,834 7,597

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 47 -153 0 0

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 23 27 27 23

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 5,163 5,099 5,235 4,502

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 11,575 12,996 13,342 11,473

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 5,596 7,186 7,377 6,344

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 7,212 17,350 17,811 15,316

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 19,052 18,200 18,684 16,067

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 73 121 124 106

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 241,755 291,255 299,161 257,244

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 450,351 498,577 509,593 466,992

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $45 $41 $42 $42 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $181,055 $184,223 $186,986 $189,791 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $68,190 $69,191 $70,229 $71,282 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 9.5 9.2 9.2 9.2 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

In FY 2019, the Forest Service completed a Comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan report that establishes a data-driven

framework to prioritize capital improvement projects which directly support agency priorities. The framework emphasizes a 

new, comprehensive process which standardizes across all asset types in order to prioritize and select projects and develop 

long-term program schedules.

Facilities

The Facilities program manages assets that serve recreation, research, fire and aviation management, nurseries, and 

administrative program areas. The program manages the largest number, and widest range, of accessible recreation facilities 

in the country, including campgrounds, picnic areas, visitor centers, trails, shooting ranges, and interpretive sites. 

Additionally, the program manages infrastructure used for fire suppression and fuels management, including aircraft 

maintenance and operations facilities, air-tanker bases, retardant facilities, fire cache warehouses, and fire lookouts. Facilities 

managed by the agency also include administrative offices, communication sites, dams, warehouses, bunkhouses, employee 

housing, fire engine bays, and fleet management and maintenance buildings.

In FY 2019, the Forest Service dedicated $39.5 million to facilities’ capital improvement and decommissioning projects. Of 

that, $30.5 million was used for capital improvement projects that renovate and replace existing infrastructure assets that 

deliver agency-wide benefits, and $9 million was used to decommission 69 unneeded structures. The investment reduced 

facility deferred maintenance by $8.1 million and the gross footprint by 70,000 square feet.

The Forest Service is continuing to implement an interagency agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to 

perform structural safety inspections for all communications towers within the next five years. The agreement will improve 

compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration and American National Standards Institute requirements for 

periodic safety inspections. The agency owns, operates, and maintains more than 1,700 communications assets nationwide

that are used to facilitate law enforcement, wildland fire suppression, public safety, and routine forest management. In FY 

2019, the FAA inspected 428 communication towers and lookouts on behalf of the Forest Service.

The agency is developing national facilities strategies and processes that will support the Comprehensive Capital 

Improvement Plan. This includes identifying a multi-year program of work for facilities: identifying projects to 

decommission facilities assets, improving consistency and transparency in facilities asset management, and updating facilities 

data management processes to improve data quality, and accuracy. The 2017 OIG Audit Report 08601-0004-31 investigated 

Forest Service management and controls associated with the $5.2 billion backlog of deferred maintenance, specifically: 

reducing deferred maintenance; mitigating threats to public health and safety; and accurately and consistently reporting 

deferred maintenance costs. The agency continues to implement the Forest Service Five-Year Deferred Maintenance 

Management Strategy 2018-2022, and it is incorporated into the Comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan. The strategy and 

plan are helping the agency right-size the portfolio of agency-owned assets, improve planning and decision-making for 

capital investments, decrease the deferred maintenance backlog, and reduce the overall demand for facilities maintenance.

Roads

The Roads program enables access for the productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands for many 

purposes, including hunting, fishing, and hiking, use by first responders in emergencies, timber harvests, and access for rural 

communities. The Roads program is essential for the management, protection, public use, and enjoyment of 193 million acres 

of National Forest System lands, as well as meeting the FY 2020 timber target.

The Forest Service addressed the backlog of road and bridge rehabilitation and replacement needs in FY 2019 by directing $8 

million towards projects to improve access to support agency restoration goals and recreation opportunities. The agency

continued to implement comprehensive bridge construction and inspection programs to improve bridge quality. These actions 

help to ensures public safety, adequate access, and resource protection.

In FY 2019, the Forest Service also continued improving access by maintaining the quality of Forest Service roads. This 

provides safe and improved access to recreation, restoration, timber harvest, and other uses while protecting water quality and 

natural resources. The agency also continued the removal of fish passage barriers where Forest Service roads, bridges, and 

trails may be contributing to water quality problems in streams and water bodies that support threatened, endangered, and 

sensitive species or community resources.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Trails

With 158,000 miles of trail, the Forest Service manages the largest system of trails in the country. Trails provide access and 

connect people to their public lands, foster partnerships and volunteerism, and generate health and economic benefits to 

communities through shared stewardship. The Forest Service is the lead agency responsible for trail-wide coordination and 

administration of six congressionally designated National Scenic and Historic Trails. Two prevailing efforts guided and 

catalyzed improved trail conditions and access agency-wide in FY 2019: (1) implementation of the agency’s National 

Strategy for a Sustainable Trail System; and (2) implementation of the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act. Both 

efforts provide solutions to enhance agency capacity through focus on increasing the role of partners and volunteers in trail 

maintenance. Through these and associated efforts, the agency continued to support outdoor recreation and tourism by 

supporting 148,000 jobs, contributing over $11 billion to GDP, and providing access for 94.5 million people to enjoy 

National Forest System trails annually.

In FY 2019, the 15 national trail maintenance priority areas, established per the National Forest System Trails Stewardship 

Act, resulted in innovative solutions and improvements to on-the-ground trail conditions, with multiple coalitions of partners 

and volunteers providing a wide array of trail maintenance assistance. These large geographic areas are the focus of the 

agency’s targeted trail maintenance and improvement efforts across nearly 30,000 miles of trails. The agency delivered trail 

maintenance and improved trail conditions in all 15 areas including, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Adjacent 

Lands, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, Northern California Wilderness Areas, Angeles National Forest, White 

Mountain National Forest Partner Complex, and Iditarod National Historic Trail ‘Southern Trek’ trail maintenance priority 

areas. The FY 2019 accomplishments in these areas included over 9,700 miles maintained, including over 5,000 miles (52 

percent) maintained by partners and volunteers.

In FY 2019, the Trails program enhanced and sustained the National Forest trail system by improving the operation, 

maintenance, capital improvement, and management of 158,000 miles of trails, including nearly 7,200 trail bridges. Specific 

FY 2019 accomplishments across the trail system included 59,400 miles maintained, including 48 percent maintained by 

partners and volunteers, and 1,500 miles improved, resulting in 24 percent of the trail system meeting standard. 

Capital Improvement and Maintenance Primary Authorities

Title of the Act or 

Program Summary of Authority Expiration date (if applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC 

Reference

General Exchange Act 

of 1922

Authorizes the exchange of lands 

within the boundaries of National 

Forests and cutting of timber in 

National Forests for exchange of 

lands. 

NFS 42 Stat. 465; 

43 Stat. 

1098

16 U.S.C. 485, 

486

Weeks Act Authorizes the purchase land for 

National Forests if the purchase 

was deemed necessary to protect 

rivers, watersheds, and headwaters 

in the eastern United States.

NFS 36 Stat. 961 16 U.S.C. 515
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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LAND ACQUISITION

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $79,748,000

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... -79,748,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 0 ,000

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

[LAND ACQUISITION]

[For expenses necessary to carry out the provisions of chapter 2003 of title 54, United States 

Code, including administrative expenses, and for acquisition of land or waters, or interest therein, 

in accordance with statutory authority applicable to the Forest Service, $78,898,000, to be derived 

from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and to remain available until expended.]

[Of the unobligated balances from amounts made available for Forest Service and derived from 

the Land and Water Conservation Fund, $2,000,000 is hereby permanently rescinded from 

projects with costs savings or failed projects or partially failed that had funds returned: Provided, 

That no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that were designated by the Congress as an 

emergency requirement pursuant to the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget or Balanced Budget 

and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.]

[ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS]

[For acquisition of lands within the exterior boundaries of the Cache, Uinta, and Wasatch National 

Forests, Utah; the Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada; and the Angeles, San Bernardino, Sequoia, 

and Cleveland National Forests, California; and the Ozark-St. Francis and Ouachita National 

Forests, Arkansas; as authorized by law, $700,000, to be derived from forest receipts.]

[ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES]

[For acquisition of lands, such sums, to be derived from funds deposited by State, county, or 

municipal governments, public school districts, or other public school authorities, and for 

authorized expenditures from funds deposited by non-Federal parties pursuant to Land Sale and 

Exchange Acts, pursuant to the Act of December 4, 1967 (16 U.S.C. 484a), to remain available 

through September 30, 2023 (16 U.S.C. 516–617a, 555a; Public Law 96–586; Public Law 76–589, 

76–591; and Public Law 78–310).]

Change Description

The first change (first paragraph) proposes elimination of funding for the Land Acquisition program and removes 

cancellation language as no cancellations are proposed.

The second change (second paragraph) proposes elimination of funding for the Acquisition of Lands for National Forest 

Special Acts program.

The third change (third paragraph) proposes elimination of funding for the Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land 

Exchanges program.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Land Acquisition............................. $64,337 48 $72,564 48 $78,898 49 0 49 -$78,898 0

Acquisition of Land for National 

Forest Special Acts................... 850 0 700 0 700 0 0 0 -700 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete 

Land Exchanges........................ 0 1 115 1 150 1 0 1 -150 0

Subtotal, Direct Appropriations... 65,187 49 73,379 49 79,748 50 0 50 -79,748 0

Transfers In:

Fire Transfer Repayment ................ 25,038 0 40,600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers In................... 25,038 0 40,600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Discretionary Funding a........ 90,225 49 113,979 49 79,748 50 0 50 -79,748 0

Carryover from Prior Years:

Land Acquisition............................. 18,782 0 32,899 0 84,702 0 $69,708 0 -14,994 0

Acquisition of Land for National 

Forest Special Acts................... 1,094 0 935 0 935 0 769 0 -166 0

Acquisition of Lands to Complete 

Land Exchanges........................ 936 0 936 0 1,051 0 865 0 -186 0

Subtotal, Carryover...................... 20,812 0 34,770 0 86,688 0 71,342 0 -15,346 0

Transfers Out:

Fire Transfer ................................... -40,600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out................ -40,600 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Rescissions......................................... 0 0 0 0 -2,000 0 0 0 2,000 0

Recoveries, Other............................... 7,682 0 3,724 0 2,000 0 2,000 0 0 0

Total Available ................................. 78,119 49 152,473 49 166,436 50 73,342 50 -93,094 0

Lapsing Balances............................... -289 0 -7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Balances, Available End of Year ....... -34,770 0 -86,688 0 -71,342 0 -31,438 0 39,904 0

Total Obligations.............................. $43,060 49 $65,778 49 $95,094 50 $41,904 50 -$53,190 0

a Appropriations for these programs are determined by collections and are not equal to enacted levels in the appropriations bill, which are estimates.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Land Acquisition: A decrease of $78,898,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level.

The Land Acquisition program funds the acquisition and donation of lands, waters, and related interests within the National 

Forest System to further agency goals for restoration, outdoor recreation and public access, habitat for wildlife, and to protect 

water quality.

Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021 because the Forest Service will focus on active forest management, 

maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response.

Remaining staff years are assumed to be funded by carryover balances. 

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts: A decrease of $700,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted 

level.

This program provides for the acquisition of lands to protect watersheds, minimize soil erosion, and rehabilitate specified 

national forests in Nevada, Utah, California, and Arkansas. Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021, because the 

Forest Service will focus on active forest management, maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire 

response.

Remaining staff years are assumed to be funded by carryover balances. 

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges: A decrease of $150,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted 

level.

This program provides for the acquisition of lands with funds collected from the exchange or sale of National Forest System 

lands with State, county, or municipal governments, public school authorities, or other non-Federal parties, allowed under 

various authorities. Elimination of the program is proposed in FY 2021 because the Forest Service will focus on active forest 

management, maintaining and improving infrastructure, and effective wildfire response.

Remaining staff years are assumed to be funded by carryover balances.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Personnel Compensation, Field....................................... $4,210 $3,970 $4,177 $4,133

11.0 Total personnel compensation...................................... 4,210 3,970 4,177 4,133

12.0 Personal benefits ............................................................. 1,532 1,394 1,467 1,451

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 13 8 8 8

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 5,755 5,372 5,652 5,592

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons............................... 115 91 135 55

22.0 Transportation of things.................................................. 97 9 13 5

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 55 68 101 41

23.2 Rental payments to others ............................................... 91 97 144 58

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 98 126 187 76

24.0 Printing and reproduction................................................ 4 46 68 28

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 3 0 0 0

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources........................ 510 580 859 348

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources .............. 437 595 881 358

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities.......................... 4 0 0 0

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment ....................... 21 7 10 4

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 53 54 80 32

31.0 Equipment ....................................................................... 39 25 37 15

32.0 Land and structures ......................................................... 35,764 58,609 86,781 35,232

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions................................ 14 98 145 59

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 0 1 1 1

Total, Other Objects..................................................... 37,305 60,406 89,442 36,312

99.9 Total, new obligations........................................................ 43,060 65,778 95,094 41,904

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a ....... $1 $1 $1 $1 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position ............................. $182,853 $184,223 $186,986 $189,791 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position............................. $85,176 $82,075 $83,306 $84,556 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 11.5 11.0 11.0 11.0 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Land Acquisition

The Forest Service uses Federal land acquisition funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965 

to acquire land within or adjacent to the boundaries of national forests and within Wilderness Areas, and to acquire 

inholdings. Land acquisitions improve recreational access and create efficiencies for priority stewardship activities such as

hazardous fuels treatments and watershed protection. The LWCF appropriations also support land exchanges by funding cash 

equalization payments and needed staff.

Acquisitions completed in 2019 supported new and improved recreational access for a wide array of outdoor activities across 

all regions. In 2019, the average acquisition size across all projects was 383 acres. In the same year, the Forest Service 

completed seventeen land exchanges totaling 6,256 acres of high-value lands to the national forests and transferred lands of 

nearly equal value to members of the public.

The Forest Service acquired Fall Creeks, Montana in FY 2019, which is located on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National 

Forest about 30 miles southwest of Augusta. Its entire eastern boundary is bordered by more than one mile of Falls Creek, 

including the scenic Falls Creek waterfall at the back of the acreage, while the western and northern boundaries are bordered 

by private lands and the Dearborn River. The landscape provides quality habitat for many species of wildlife including elk, 

whitetail deer, grizzly and black bears, and mountain lions, and provides important spring, summer and fall range for elk in a 

hunting district. The acquisition permanently opened access to 26,000 acres of public land along the majestic Rocky 

Mountain Front.

In FY 2019, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) completed an audit of the agency’s LWCF-funded Land 

Acquisition work. The audits final report had no recommendations for changes to the Forest Service program. A secondary 

GAO audit focused on the 100th Meridian provision in LWCF, which requires that not more than 15 percent of the acreage 

acquired using LWCF funds and added to the National Forest System be west of the 100th meridian. 

Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts

The Acquisition of Lands for National Forests Special Acts provides for the acquisition of lands to protect watersheds, 

minimize soil erosion, and rehabilitate specific national forests in Nevada, Utah, California, and Arkansas.

In FY 2019, the San Bernardino National Forest began the process of purchasing approximately 150 acres of the Coyote 

Rock property, which is important for its open space, wildlife and unique habitat values for the southern rubber boa, the San 

Bernardino flying squirrel, and the California spotted owl, which are some of the more rare and critical indigenous species 

that depend on a healthy forest for their survival. Also, its primarily north- and west-facing slopes feature sugar, ponderosa, 

Jeffrey and Coulter pines; incense cedar; white fir; and California black oak.

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges

The Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges provides for the acquisition of lands with funds collected from the 

exchange or sale of National Forest System lands with States, county, or municipal governments, public school authorities, or

other non-Federal parties. The Forest Service utilizes the authority granted in the Sisk Act, which allows certain parties to 

deposit cash in lieu of land, to complete land exchanges. The funds are then utilized by the Secretary to acquire non-Federal 

properties. 

By connecting fragmented landscapes, the Forest Service can effectively promote the long-term health and sustainability of 

the Nation’s forests and grasslands, provide greater recreation access, and manage lands more effectively and efficiently.

Connecting fragmented landscapes enhances restoration and protects watersheds, especially in the wildland-urban interface

where wildfire can cause economic and ecological losses, and can pose threats to people, property, and communities.

Revenues received from the sale of agency land or structures are deposited into the Sisk Act Fund and are available without 

further appropriation. In FY 2019, the Forest Service initiated inholding acquisitions in Mississippi, Arizona, and New 

Mexico that are eligible to receive Sisk Act funds.
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Land Acquisition Primary Authorities

Title of the Act or 

Program Summary of Authority Expiration date (if applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

USC 

Reference

General Exchange Act 

of 1922

Authorizes the exchange of lands 

within the boundaries of National 

Forests and cutting of timber in 

National Forests for exchange of 

lands. 

NFS 42 Stat. 465; 

43 Stat. 

1098

16 U.S.C. 485, 

486

Sisk Act An exchange authority that allows 

certain parties to deposit cash, in 

lieu of land, to complete a land 

exchange. 

NFS P.L. 90-171 16 U.S.C. 484a

Weeks Act Authorizes the purchase land for 

National Forests if the purchase 

was deemed necessary to protect 

rivers, watersheds, and headwaters 

in the eastern United States.

NFS 36 Stat. 961 16 U.S.C. 515
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OTHER APPROPRIATIONS

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted.................................................................................................................... $5,545,000

Change in Appropriation.................................................................................................. +4,839,000 

Budget Estimate, 2021 ..................................................................................................... 10,384,000 

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

COMMUNICATION SITES ADMINISTRATION

Amounts collected in this fiscal year pursuant to section 8705(f)(2) of the Agriculture Improvement Act 

of 2018 (Public Law 115-334), as amended [by this Act], shall be deposited in the special account 

established by section 8705(f)(1) of such Act[,]:Provided, That up to 6,000,000 of such amounts collected

shall be available to cover the costs described in subsection (c)(3) of such section of such Act[,] and shall 

remain available until expended: Provided further, That [such] amounts made available under this heading

shall be transferred to the "National Forest System" account.

RANGE BETTERMENT FUND

For necessary expenses of range rehabilitation, protection, and improvement, 50 percent of all 

moneys received during the prior fiscal year[,] as fees for grazing domestic livestock on National

Grasslands and lands in National Forests in the 16 Western States[,] pursuant to section 401(b)(1) 

of Public Law 94–579, as amended, to remain available through September 30, [2023]2024, of 

which not to exceed 6 percent shall be available for administrative expenses associated with onthe-ground range rehabilitation, protection, and improvements.

GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS FOR RANGELAND RESEARCH

For expenses authorized by 16 U.S.C. 1643(b), $45,000, to remain available through September 

30, [2023]2024, to be derived from the fund established pursuant to the above Act.

MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES

For necessary expenses of the Forest Service to manage Federal lands in Alaska for subsistence 

uses under title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 3111 et 

seq.), [$2,500,000]$2,322,000, to remain available through September 30, [2023]2024.

Change Description

The first change (first paragraph) proposes changes to the language as specified above.
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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Range Betterment Fund .................. $3,804 9 $2,857 6 $2,000 6 $2,017 5 $17 -1

Gifts, Donations and Bequest for 

Forest and Rangeland Research 29 0 0 0 45 0 45 0 0 0

Management of National Forest 

Lands for Subsistence Uses...... 2,500 11 2,500 12 2,500 12 2,322 11 -178 -1

Communication Site 

Administration a........................ 0 0 0 0 1,000 0 6,000 0 5,000 0

Total, Discretionary Funding b........ 6,333 20 5,357 18 5,545 18 10,384 16 4,839 -2

Carryover from Prior Years:

Range Betterment Fund .................. 2,002 0 2,339 0 2,383 0 2,045 0 -338 0

Gifts, Donations and Bequest for 

Forest and Rangeland Research 125 0 119 0 116 0 100 0 -16 0

Management of National Forest 

Lands for Subsistence Uses...... 126 0 47 0 88 0 76 0 -12 0

Subtotal, Carryover...................... 2,253 0 2,505 0 2,587 0 2,221 0 -366 0

Transfers Out:

National Forest System................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 -6,000 0 6,000 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 -6,000 0 6,000 0

Recoveries, Other............................... 80 0 95 0 89 0 89 0 0 0

Total Available ................................. 8,666 20 7,957 18 8,221 18 6,694 16 -1,527 -2

Balances, Available End of Year ....... -2,505 0 -2,587 0 -2,221 0 -2,694 0 -473 0

Total Obligations.............................. $6,161 20 $5,370 18 $6,000 18 $4,000 16 -$2,000 -2

a Enacted appropriations are $1 million; however OMB scores it as $6 million. b Appropriations for this program are determined by collections and are not equal to enacted levels in the appropriations bill,

which are estimates.
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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Range Betterment Fund: An increase of $17,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level and a decrease of one staff 

year, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $6,000 for pay costs ($3,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $3,000 for the 2021 pay 

increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will enable the Forest Service to provide range management

and vegetation management activities important to grazing permittees for effective livestock management. The program 

is authorized to allocate one-half of grazing receipts from National Forest System lands in 16 Western States for 

rangeland rehabilitation, protection, and improvements on the lands from which the receipts were collected.

b. An increase of $5,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $6,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These increases were 

effective January 1, 2020.

Compared to the FY 2020 Enacted level, the total requested change represents no change in program funding. The increase 

requested would be used for pay costs, awards, and FERS contributions. Program funds will be used to carry out nonstructural rangeland improvement activities, such as removing noxious weeds and invasive plants, controlling brush, and 

reducing fire risk on rangelands by limiting plant densities and/or by changing species composition.

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses: A decrease of $178,000 from the FY 2020 

Enacted level and a decrease of one staff year, which includes the following: 

a. An increase of $14,000 for pay costs ($6,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $8,000 for the 2021 pay 

increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and will enable the Forest Service to continue providing rural 

Alaskan residents a subsistence priority to harvest fish and wildlife on Federal lands above sport and commercial uses.

This program provides vital employment in remote rural areas, keeps fish and wildlife harvests sustainable, enforces 

regulations, and educates subsistence users.

b. An increase of $10,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $13,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS).

This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These increases were 

effective January 1, 2020.

d. A decrease of $215,000 in base program funding. 

The Forest Service will continue to focus on managing fish and wildlife populations for sustainability and on providing 

vital employment in remote rural communities for the many Alaskans that rely on subsistence resources for their 

livelihoods. Funding will be used for analyzing and implementing special actions to address conservation and 

subsistence use issues.
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Communication Sites: An increase of $5,000,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level.

This program provides funding for administration of communication site uses on National Forest System lands by providing 

telecommunications capabilities, including cellular coverage and broadband access, to rural communities.

Increased funding will be used to better manage the growing use of Forest Service land for communications facilities. The 

agency will use the funds to improve services to its customers, emergency responders, and visitors by providing expanded 

telecommunications capabilities, including cellular coverage and broadband access. These expanded capabilities will benefit 

rural communities and areas where little or no capability currently exists, enable greater coordination in emergency response 

situations, and increase overall safety for visitors, agency staff, and first responders.
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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... $1,481 $1,249 $1,288 $1,145

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 1,481 1,249 1,288 1,145

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 548 487 502 446

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 2,029 1,736 1,790 1,591

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 94 116 134 77

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 8 13 15 9

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 1 0 0 0

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 16 13 15 9

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 3 0 0 0

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 1,491 1,250 1,450 827

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 176 165 191 109

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 0 3 3 2

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 8 28 32 19

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 1,879 1,802 2,088 1,195

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 158 65 75 43

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 14 0 0 0

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 284 179 207 119

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 4,132 3,634 4,210 2,409

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 6,161 5,370 6,000 4,000

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $64,694 $68,500 $69,528 $70,570 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 8.9 8.7 8.7 8.7 
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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Range Betterment Fund

This program allocates one-half of grazing receipts from National Forest System lands in 16 western States to rehabilitate, 

protect, and improve rangelands on the National Forest System lands from which the receipts were collected. Funds are used 

to carry out non-structural rangeland improvement activities, such as removing noxious weeds and invasive plants,

controlling brush, and reducing fire risk on rangelands by limiting plant densities and/or by changing species composition.

The program is currently addressing proper range management, including range rehabilitation, protection, and improvement 

of lands on national forests in western States, which are essential to grazing permittees. The program also continues to 

manage vegetation to foster healthy, resilient rangeland ecosystems by removing invasive plants and reducing fire risk.

In FY 2019, the Range Betterment program conducted over 169,000 acres of rangeland vegetation improvement work and 

treated over 16,200 acres of noxious weeds.

Gifts, Donations and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland Research

Gifts, Donations and Bequests for Forest and Rangeland Research is a special account that holds gifts, donations, and 

bequests that are used to establish or operate any forest and rangeland research facility. The Forest Service continues to 

receive donations from individuals and businesses for research work units and other organizational sub-units to further their 

research and development programs.

Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Use

This program provides vital employment and reliable food supply to rural Alaska residents; monitors fish and wildlife 

populations and adjusts regulations to keep harvests sustainable; enforces regulations; and educates subsistence users. The 

Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) (16 U.S.C. 3101) provides a subsistence priority to harvest fish 

and wildlife over sport and commercial uses on Federal lands. ANILCA envisioned that the State of Alaska would manage 

this rural priority, as was the case for 10 years. However, the statute was found to conflict with the Alaska State Constitution, 

which prohibits granting subsistence priority to only rural residents. As a result, the Federal government assumed 

responsibility for subsistence management on Federal public lands in 1990. Alaska is the only State in which Federal 

agencies have a direct role in managing the harvest of fish and resident wildlife populations on Federal lands. By hiring local 

residents, the program builds capacity in Tribal governments to participate in State and Federal regulatory decisions 

regarding fish and wildlife issues.

In FY 2019, Forest Service staff completed 10 regular-cycle wildlife regulatory management analyses to determine current 

population and appropriate harvest levels, and to determine appropriate management actions to provide for subsistence uses 

on the national forests in Alaska. Through delegation of authority from the Federal Subsistence Board, Forest Service inseason managers implemented 17 special actions to conserve subsistence resources. Twelve of these in-season actions were 

for wildlife and five were for fish. At the State level, Forest Service Interagency Staff Committee personnel helped to 

evaluate 11 special action requests to address immediate conservation and subsistence use issues, including eight for wildlife

and three for fish. The Forest Service Regional Advisory Council Coordinator facilitated four Council meetings in 2019, as 

well as a public hearing for the Moose Pass non-rural proposal and public hearings for three Temporary Special Action 

Requests.

In FY 2019, the Tongass National Forest oversaw six salmon stock assessment projects through the Fisheries Resource 

Monitoring Program (FRMP). Through the FRMP, the Forest partnered with five Tribal groups and the Alaska Department

of Fish and Game (ADFG). The FRMP supported about 30 local jobs with tribal organizations in rural communities. The 

Chugach National Forest also funded a fish wheel FRMP project with the Native Village of Eyak and the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service. About $890,000 was distributed in FRMP funding in 2019. The Chugach National Forest completed its 

fourth year of a black bear monitoring project in partnership with the ADFG. In combination, both National Forests 

completed 26 deer surveys and six population surveys for moose and mountain goats. Most monitoring was implemented 

through contracts and agreements. The Forest Service subsistence projects continue to be vital to effective conservation of 

harvested species while managing subsistence uses.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Other Appropriations Primary Authorities

Title of the Act or 

Program Summary of Authority Expiration Date (if applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

U.S.C. 

Reference

Acquisition of Lands, 

Special Acts, Ozark 

and Ouachita National 

Forest Land Exchange

Provides authority to the 

Secretary of Agriculture to sell 

or exchange all or part of 

certain administrative sites and 

other land in the Ozark-St. 

Francis, Ouachita National 

Forests Nevada, Utah, 

California and Arkansas to use 

funds derived from the sale or 

exchange to acquire, construct, 

or improve administrative 

sites. 

NFS P.L. 108-350

Agriculture 

Improvement Act of 

2018

Authorizes the Forest Service to 

establish, collect, and retain a 

new administrative fee to 

cover costs incurred by the 

Forest Service to manage 

communication site uses on 

National Forest System lands.

09/30/2023 NFS P.L. 115-334

Alaska National Interest 

Lands Conservation 

Act of 1980

Authorizes management of 

Federal lands in Alaska for 

subsistence uses of fish and 

wildlife, providing the 

opportunity for rural residents 

to continue their subsistence 

way of life. 

NFS P.L. 96-487 16 U.S.C. 3111-

3126

Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act of 

1976

Established the Range 

Betterment Fund consisting of 

50 percent of all monies 

received by the United States 

as fees for grazing livestock on 

the National Forests in the 16 

contiguous western States. 

NFS P.L. 94-579 43 U.S.C. 1751

Public Rangelands 

Improvement Act of 

1978

Authorizes the improvement of 

range conditions of the public 

rangelands. Also authorizes 

the allocation of one-half of 

grazing receipts from National 

Forest System lands in the 16 

Western States for rangeland 

rehabilitation, protection, and 

improvements. 

NFS P.L. 95-514 43 U.S.C. 1901

Special Acts Authorizes acquisition of land 

within the boundaries of 

certain national forests and, to 

pay for the acquisitions, 

authorizes the appropriation of 

receipts derived from the sale 

of natural resources within the 

particular national forest.

NFS 58 Stat. 227; 58 

Stat. 227; 58 

Stat. 228; 54 

Stat. 297; 54 

Stat. 299; and 

54 Stat. 402; 

58 Stat. 228; 

54 Stat. 46
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WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $2,350,620,000

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... +58,824,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 2,409,444,000

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

For necessary expenses for forest fire presuppression activities on National Forest System lands, for emergency 

wildland fire suppression on or adjacent to such lands or other lands, under fire protection agreement, and for 

emergency rehabilitation of burned-over National Forest System lands and water, [$2,350,620,000]$2,409,444,000, to 

remain available until expended: Provided, That such funds, including unobligated balances under this heading, are 

available for repayment of advances from other appropriations accounts previously transferred for such purposes: 

Provided further, That any unobligated funds appropriated in a previous fiscal year for hazardous fuels management 

may be transferred to the “National Forest System” account: Provided further, That such funds shall be available to 

reimburse State and other cooperating entities for services provided in response to wildfire and other emergencies or 

disasters to the extent such reimbursements by the Forest Service for non-fire emergencies are fully repaid by the 

responsible emergency management agency: Provided further, That funds provided shall be available for support to 

Federal emergency response: Provided further, That the costs of implementing any cooperative agreement between 

the Federal Government and any non-Federal entity may be shared, as mutually agreed on by the affected parties: 

Provided further, That of the funds provided under this heading,$1,011,000,000, shall be available for wildfire 

suppression operations, and is provided to the meet the terms of section 251(b)(2)(F)(ii)(I) of the Balanced Budget and 

Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Preparedness.......................................... $1,323,520 9,575 $1,339,620 9,965 $1,339,620 9,965 $1,398,444 9,965 $58,824 0

Suppression............................................ 1,556,818 2,030 1,665,366 522 1,011,000 522 1,011,000 522 0 0

Subtotal, Direct Appropriations.......... 2,880,338 11,605 3,004,986 10,515 2,350,620 10,487 2,409,444 10,487 58,824 0

Supplemental Appropriations:

Disaster Relief (P.L. 115-72)................. 184,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Disaster Relief (P.L. 116-20)................. 0 0 720,271 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Supplemental 

Appropriations ............................ 184,500 0 720,271 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers In:

Fire Transfer.......................................... 505,953 0 0 0 229,000 0 1,092,000 0 863,000 0

Subtotal, Transfers In ......................... 505,953 0 0 0 229,000 0 1,092,000 0 863,000 0

Total, Discretionary Funding ................. 3,570,791 11,605 3,725,257 10,515 2,579,620 10,487 3,501,444 10,487 921,824 0

Carryover from Prior Years:

Preparedness.......................................... 54,306 0 68,483 0 134,809 0 52,653 0 -82,156 0

Suppression............................................ 99,104 0 26,940 0 706,391 0 275,896 0 -430,495 0

Hazardous Fuels..................................... 5,908 0 6,737 0 7,522 0 2,938 0 -4,584 0

National Fire Capacity ........................... 2,382 0 288 0 476 0 186 0 -290 0

Rural Fire Capacity................................ 0 0 28 0 33 0 13 0 -20 0

Wildland Fire Management – Other....... 2,504 0 -7,625 0 3,010 0 1,176 0 -1,834 0

Subtotal, Carryover ............................ 164,204 0 94,851 0 852,241 0 332,862 0 -519,379 0

Transfers Out:

Department of the Interior...................... -4,686 0 -45,988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Transfer.......................................... -99,507 0 -425,771 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out....................... -104,193 0 -471,759 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Adjustment for Expenditure Transfer from 

Trust Fund.......................................... 234,500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Recoveries, Other...................................... 146,153 0 240,588 0 65,000 0 65,000 0 0 0

Total Available......................................... 4,011,455 11,605 3,588,937 10,515 3,496,861 10,487 3,899,306 10,487 402,445 0

Balances, Available End of Year............... -94,851 0 -852,241 0 -332,861 0 -669,306 0 -336,445 0

Total Obligations..................................... $3,916,604 11,605 $2,736,696 10,515 $3,164,000 10,487 $3,230,000 10,487 $66,000 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

Preparedness: An increase of $58,824,000 from the FY 2020 Enacted level, which includes the following:

a. An increase of $13,283,000 for pay costs ($6,083,000 for annualization of the 2020 pay increase and $7,200,000 for the 

2021 pay increase).

This critical increase is needed to support staffing levels and contracting actions to enable the Preparedness program to 

support wildfire prevention, mitigation, education, and response operations, including initial and extended attack.

b. An increase of $9,601,000 for performance awards.

This increase will support a 1 percentage point increase in awards spending, consistent with objectives outlined in the 

President’s Management Agenda, to enhance workforce development. Without this additional funding, the Forest 

Service will be unable to absorb these costs in FY 2021, resulting in reductions to planned hiring levels.

c. An increase of $12,104,000 for the Department’s increased contribution to the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS). This increase will cover the expenses for the mandated increase of USDA’s contribution to FERS. These 

increases were effective January 1, 2020.

d. An increase of $23,836,000 for Preparedness activities.

The agency response to wildfire has shifted from seasonal to year-round fire activity with the incidence of larger and more 

complex fires increasing each year. The Nation is experiencing more extreme fire behavior and high risk, high cost wildfire 

suppression operations in the wildland-urban interface have progressively become the new normal over the last two decades.

It is estimated that 63 million acres of National Forest System lands and 70,000 communities are at risk from 

uncharacteristically severe wildfires. Annually, there are typically more than 5,000 fires on National Forest System lands. 

The Forest Service utilizes the Preparedness program with 10,000 firefighters and 900 fire engines, and a robust aviation 

program (up to 18 exclusive use airtankers and 108 exclusive use helicopters) to maintain an organization that ensures safe, 

timely, appropriate, and effective response. Increased funding for Preparedness will be used to expand the Land Mobile 

Radio (LMR) program, Risk Management Assistance framework, and to implement wildfire technology modernization.

An increase of $15.1 million for the LMR program will support implementation of an intra-agency shared services model. 

The Forest Service LMR program has the largest inventory of equipment, people, and experience within the USDA. By 

providing LMR support services to other USDA agencies and merging radio operations with those across the Department, the 

Forest Service aims to help USDA lower costs, improve operational efficiencies, and close gaps in delivery and security to 

better respond to emergencies, criminal activity, wildfires, and other disasters.

Increased funding of $7.5 million for the Risk Management Assistance framework will enhance line officer capacity to make 

risk-informed wildfire response decisions by providing training and exploring, planning, and making initial progress on new 

technologies and analytical products being developed. The Risk Management Assistance framework provides for a holistic 

and integrated approach to incident response and decision-making beginning in the planning cycle. The framework is 

developed with State, local, and county partners and is leveraged to create operational tools that increase the decision space 

for fire managers and provide line officers with more opportunity to influence incident outcomes. Increased funding will be 

utilized to develop Risk Management Assistance frameworks and provide the data analytics support to leverage tools for 

decision-making.

Increased funding of $5 million will be used to implement the Wildfire Technology Modernization section of the Dingell 

Conservation and Management Act (2019). Implementation includes the development of a common, single display of all fire 

resources and will significantly increase accountability for how the agency uses assets. This will allow the agency to monitor, 

analyze, and evaluate how tactical decisions and resource utilization influences incident outcomes. This information will 

create a feedback loop, allowing the agency to learn where, when, and how resources are most effective. Combined, the Risk 

Management Assistance framework and technology modernization for fire resources will ensure funds are used efficiently

through early, risk-based decision-making with State and local partners and through transparent deployment of assets. 

Decreased funding of $3.764 million for the Resource Ordering and Status System (ROSS) reflects the transition away from 

the current resource status and dispatching system to the new Interagency Resource Ordering Capability (IROC) system, 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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which has been under development for several years. The IROC system provides a modernized resource dispatching and 

tracking system that will replace ROSS entirely in FY 2021.

Forest Service Research and Development will continue to contribute to improvements in wildfire preparedness and response 

through innovative projects such as the Wildland Fire Dynamics Simulator and the Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation 

Experiment. These tools predict risk of structure ignition based on building materials and adjacent fuels and evaluate 

operational fire and smoke modeling systems, respectively, reducing health and safety risks for firefighters and the public,

and improving decision-making for incident command teams. 

Suppression: 

The Suppression program is the primary funding source for wildfire extended attack suppression response and large fire 

support. The Suppression program allows the Forest Service to maintain a strong emergency response role, working 

alongside other Federal, state, tribal, and local government partners to protect life and property in suppression response 

operations. In addition, this program helps improve forest conditions and maintain resilient landscapes by managing naturally 

ignited, unplanned wildfires to accomplish resource management goals. Over the last 10 years, across all jurisdictions, an 

average of more than 64,000 wildfires burned about 6.9 million acres of Federal, Tribal, State, and private land and more 

than 4,600 structures. Of these wildfires, about 85 percent are human caused. The cost of suppression varies greatly between 

fires based on a variety of factors, including fuels, weather, and topography. 

Base program funding of $1.011 billion is established in Division O of Public Law 115-141, the Stephen Sepp Wildfire 

Suppression Funding and Forest Management Activities Act. The increase in base Suppression funding in this Budget request

compared to the FY 2020 Enacted level is due to pay costs, awards, and Federal Employees Retirement System contributions.

In FY 2021, the Forest Service will continue to implement actions that ensure accountability in spending Suppression funds. 

The agency will continue to employ specialized teams that provide enhanced analytics for better decision-making on key 

wildfire incidents (Risk Management Assessment Teams), and will continue to implement risk management training for line 

officers. The Forest Service will continue prioritized investments to highest risk areas and, working with partners in the early 

stages to plan for the best co-management strategies ahead of a fire. The agency also continues to pursue increased cost 

recovery and equitable cost-sharing arrangements for firefighting assets with partners.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $294 $236 $238 $240

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 1,005,731 808,239 813,946 819,382

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 1,006,025 808,475 814,184 819,622

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 313,945 282,569 289,963 292,212

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 23,308 39,380 39,853 41,166

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 1,343,278 1,130,424 1,144,000 1,153,000

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 99,550 88,978 116,154 119,184

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 19,563 11,997 15,087 15,513

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 16,728 2,999 3,771 3,878

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 35,870 18,995 23,888 24,562

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 46,342 66,983 89,118 92,143

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 910 496 624 641

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 6,770 37 47 48

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 1,536,438 592,853 685,909 710,099

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 233,215 378,906 503,668 513,795

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 1,555 311 391 402

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 254 15 19 19

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 267 261 328 337

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 7,751 5,596 7,037 7,236

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 140,292 116,971 151,200 155,240

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 28,237 22,994 31,041 31,048

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 297 38 48 49

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 398,368 296,926 390,518 401,622

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 919 916 1,152 1,184

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 2,573,326 1,606,272 2,020,000 2,077,000

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 3,916,604 2,736,696 3,164,000 3,230,000

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $257 $177 $180 $182 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $180,331 $181,402 $184,123 $186,885 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $53,515 $54,185 $54,998 $55,823 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

In FY 2020, the Forest Service will initiate a new process for reviewing and documenting a sample of large fires, generating 

an annual report to Congress that examines the effectiveness of risk management strategies, beneficial ecological impacts of 

fire on the landscape, levels of exposure experienced by firefighters, effectiveness of fuel treatments, and efforts to 

modernize the wildland fire program and operational effectiveness. In FY 2019, the agency began coordinating with the 

Department of the Interior to develop and pilot Continuous Improvement Assessments for large fires to ensure evaluating and 

understanding decision-making on fire incidents through research-based principles and analytics is transparent and 

intentional. The new Continuous Improvement Assessments will be applied to large fire incidents for the FY 2020 wildland 

fire season.

As directed by Congress in the FY 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, a detailed table of actual and proposed estimated 

funding for fire operations, including aviation resources, is listed below:

Preparedness and Suppression Costs (dollars in millions)

Preparedness

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Firefighters................................................................... $600 $600 $600

Firefighting Equipment and Support............................ 265 265 288

Aviation Contracts/Support.......................................... 145 145 145

Agency Cost Pools....................................................... 330 330 330

Total Preparedness a ..................................................... $1,340 $1,340 $1,363 b

Suppression 

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Firefighters $368 $326 $326

Fire Suppression Operations and Logistics............................... 306 271 271

Aviation Operations.................................................................. 267 236 236

Interagency (DOI) and State Fire Support ................................ 188 166 166

Burned Area Emergency Response........................................... 14 12 12

Agency Cost Pools.................................................................... 0 0 0

Total Suppression c .................................................................... $1,143 $1,011 d $1,011 d

a The Preparedness program ensures that fire management assets, such as large airtankers, helicopters, hot shot crews, and smoke jumpers are available to 

support initial attack response operations on the National Forest System, other Federal, State, and private lands.

b Total Preparedness funding requested in FY 2021 ($1.397 billion) includes pay costs, awards, and Federal Employees Retirement System contributions. 

Base funding is $1.363 billion.

c The Suppression program ensures that fire management assets, such as large airtankers, helicopters, hot shot crews, and smoke jumpers are available to 

support extended attack and large fire support operations at fires on the National Forest System, other Federal, State, and private lands. d Established funding level for Suppression of $1.011 billion within the Wildfire Suppression Funding and Forest Management Activities Act of the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115–141). Total Suppression funding requested in FY 2021 ($1.013 billion) includes pay costs, awards, and 

Federal Employees Retirement System contributions.

Resource Summary FY 2019 to FY 2021 (aviation fleet and personnel)

Resource 2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Engines a ................................................................................. 900 900 900

Heavy Equipment – Dozers, Tractor Plow Units, Tenders...... 210 210 210

Helicopters

Type 1 b............................................................................ 28 28 28

Type 2 c............................................................................ 34 34 34

Type 3 d............................................................................ 46 46 46

Airtankers

Next Generation Airtankers e ........................................... 13 18 18

Scoopers........................................................................... 0 0 0

U.S. Coast Guard converted HC-130H airtankers f.......... 1 0 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Resource 2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Firefighters (FFTR) – Total is inclusive of categories below.. 10,000 10,000 10,000

Type I Interagency Hot Shot Crews (20-person) ............. 67 crews; 1,340 FFTR 67 crews; 1,340 FFTR 67 crews; 1,340 FFTR

Other Firefighters............................................................. 7,940 7,940 7,940

Smoke Jumpers................................................................ 320 320 320

Prevention Technicians.................................................... 400 400 400

a Refers to the suite of wheeled vehicles used to carry firefighters and water to the site of a fire. b Includes only agency owned/leased or exclusive use contracted assets. Type 1 are the heaviest class of helicopters. c Medium-sized helicopters. d Includes only helicopters whose primary purpose is wildland fire response. Type 3 are the lightest class of helicopters. e Numbers reflect maximum number of aircraft allowed under the exclusive use contracts. f The program to transfer HC-130H airtankers from the U.S. Coast Guard and convert them to firefighting-capable resources was terminated at the end of 

FY 2018.

Preparedness

Annually, there are more than 5,000 fires on National Forest System lands, and in FY 2019, Forest Service firefighters had an 

initial attack success rate – the percent of fires that were suppressed before they reached 300 acres in size – of 97 percent.

The Preparedness program ensures that fire management assets, such as large airtankers, helicopters, hot shot crews, and 

smokejumpers, can support timely, risk-informed, and effective initial attack response operations on National Forest System, 

other Federal, State, and private lands. This program supports internal and external training and education; development and 

advancement of firefighting technology; and organizational learning.

The Dingell Conservation and Management Act (2019) directed the Forest Service to utilize the best available technology to 

ensure effective and cost-efficient response to wildland fires. In FY 2019, the agency coordinated with private industry to 

identify and pilot several emerging technologies to address hazard risk mapping, adoption of unmanned aerial systems, 

location tracking for wildland firefighters, risk management for firefighters and the public, and improved wildland fire 

decision support. These pilot technologies are being assessed to inform the adoption of the most effective technologies that 

will facilitate improved decision-making to protect the health and safety of both wildland firefighters and the public as well 

as cost efficiency gains in suppression response operations. 

Over the last several fiscal years, the Forest Service wildland fire program has been implementing a standard module 

configuration of ground-based firefighting resources. Standardized configurations for the number of people, pay grade, and 

skill level for each type of fire suppression asset provides for greater uniformity across individual teams, increases confidence 

in capability between resource teams, and creates a more predictable cost model for the Preparedness program. The agency is 

currently developing a broader strategy to address workforce capacity requirements within the Preparedness program by 

standardizing the use of specific hiring appointments for wildland firefighters within these standardized modules.

Suppression 

The Suppression program is the primary funding source for wildland fire extended attack and large fire support operations. It 

protects forests and watersheds from the impacts of catastrophic fire, helping maintain clean water, wildlife and fish habitat, 

recreational opportunities, and forest products. The Suppression program also maintains the agency’s strong role of working 

with other Federal, State, Tribal, and local government partners to protect life and property against wildfire and other natural 

disasters. The agency continues to evolve how it applies analytical systems to the decisional framework to answer questions 

related to how fire suppression resources are currently allocated, which suppression resources are effective, and whether 

practices currently employed by incident managers are efficient. The FY 2019 fire season saw over 4.3 million acres burned

in wildland fires, with over 540,000 of those acres occurring on National Forest System lands. 

The Wildfire Suppression Funding and Forest Management Activities Act included in Division O of the 2018 Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, (P.L. 115–141) amended the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act to authorize the 

appropriation of additional budget authority that is not subject to discretionary spending caps (a wildfire cap adjustment). 

This additional authority should eliminate the need for ‘fire transfers’, or the borrowing of funds from non-fire programs to 

cover the full cost of fire suppression operations. The budgetary stability provided by the additional budget authority will be

leveraged by the agency to more strategically approach programmatic and fiscal management of the fire program. In addition, 

the Forest Service is standardizing State-level agreements for cooperative response to wildland fires, developing and fielding 

new fire analytic tools and resources to inform tactical decision-making on fire incidents, and adopting modern spatial and 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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data analytics technologies to provide real time information to incident commanders on complex incidents. The Forest 

Service is also seeking to establish appropriate cost-share agreements and pursue 100 percent cost recovery from Federal, 

State, and local entities to equitably balance these costs.

Utilizing the Risk Management Assistance framework, the Forest Service continues to identify, develop, and implement new 

decision support tools and products for incident management teams and agency administrators that leverage new research and 

data analytics. These decision support tools are intended to provide real time information to incident command teams to assist 

in evaluating risk to firefighters, effectiveness of aviation resources, smoke impacts, fire progression, and when to release

firefighting resources to an incident. The products and tools being provided and developed are changing annually to reflect 

the needs of incident management teams and agency administrators as the Forest Service remains committed to using the best 

available science and data to inform decision makers.

Wildfires can create situations that require special efforts to prevent further problems after the fire is over. For example, loss 

of vegetation exposes soil to erosion leading to increased runoff causing flooding downstream that can damage infrastructure,

fill reservoirs, and put endangered species and community water supplies at risk. The Forest Service Burned Area Emergency 

Response (BAER) program, funded under Suppression, provides for immediate emergency post-fire response to manage 

unacceptable risks to people and resources triggered by landscape conditions caused by the fire. The BAER program also 

manages access to ensure the safety of visitors and employees through posting of warning signs, temporary gate and fence 

construction, and hazard tree removal. All emergency stabilization actions must be taken within one year. In FY 2019, 64 

fires across six Forest Service Regions resulted in landscape-level disturbances in need of immediate rehabilitation activities 

to prevent further degradation. A total of $10.8 million was spent in FY 2019 on BAER activities to provide for public safety, 

stabilize the soil, and reinforce the structural integrity of infrastructure that is now at risk of post-fire degradation, including 

the seeding of over 12,300 acres, mulching of 300 acres, storm proofing of 800 miles of roads and trails, and stabilization of 

25 cultural resource and hazard mitigation sites.

Wildland Fire Management Primary Authorities

Title of Act or 

Program Summary of Authority Expiration Date (if applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

U.S.C. 

Reference

Cooperative 

Firefighting Funds 

Retention

Any money collected from the 

States for fire suppression 

assistance rendered by the 

Forest Service on non-Federal 

lands not in the vicinity of 

National Forest System lands 

shall hereafter be used to 

reimburse the applicable 

appropriation and shall remain 

available until expended.

SPF P.L. 105-277 16 U.S.C. 2106b

Department of 

Agriculture Organic 

Act - Aviation, 

Lookout Towers, & 

Fire Management

Authorizes the Forest Service, by 

contract or otherwise, to 

provide for procurement and 

operation of aerial facilities 

and services for the protection 

and management of the 

national forests and other lands 

administered by the agency.

WFM P.L. 91-435 16 U.S.C. 579a

FLAME Act of 2009 Establishes a second 

discretionary appropriation 

account for wildfire 

suppression operations.

9/30/2021

FLAME P.L. 111-88 43 U.S.C. 1748a
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Title of Act or 

Program Summary of Authority Expiration Date (if applicable)

Programs 

Affected

Public Law 

Citation

U.S.C. 

Reference

Reciprocal Fire 

Protection Act, Fire 

Protection 

Agreements and 

Mutual Aid Agencies

Authorizes agreements between 

agencies of the United States 

Government and other 

domestic agencies, including 

State and local entities and 

instrumentalities for mutual aid 

in fire protection and allows 

for reimbursements for costs 

incurred by the Department of 

Agriculture for fire protection 

rendered to be credited to the 

same appropriation or fund 

from which the expenses were 

paid.

WFM P.L. 84-46 42 U.S.C. 1856ad;

Temporary Emergency 

Wildfire Suppression 

Act

This Act authorizes reciprocal 

agreements with foreign fire 

organizations for mutual aid in 

wildfire protection.

WFM P.L 100-428, 

P.L. 101-11, 

P.L. 112-74

42 U.S.C. 1856m 

et seq.

Stephen Sepp Wildfire 

Suppression Funding 

and Forest 

Management 

Activities Act

This Act adds a new adjustment 

to the discretionary spending 

limits for wildfire suppression.

9/30/2027

WFM P.L. 115-141 2 U.S.C. 

901(b)(2)(F)
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WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS RESERVE FUND

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $1,950,000,000

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... +90,000,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 2,040,000,000

APPROPRIATIONS LANGUAGE

The appropriations language follows (new language underscored; deleted matter enclosed in brackets):

WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS FUND

(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

In addition to the amounts provided under the heading “Department of Agriculture-Forest Service-Wildland Fire 

Management” for wildfire suppression operations, [$1,950,000,000]$2,040,000,000, to remain available until 

transferred, is additional new budget authority as specified for purposes of section 251(b)(2)(F) of the Balanced 

Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided, That such amounts may be transferred to and merged

with amounts made available under the headings “Department of the Interior-Department-Wide Programs-Wildland 

Fire Management” and “Department of Agriculture-Forest Service-Wildland Fire Management” for wildfire 

suppression operations in the fiscal year in which such amounts are transferred: Provided further, That amounts may 

be transferred to the “Wildland Fire Management” accounts in the Department of the Interior or the Department of 

Agriculture only upon the notification of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations that all wildfire 

suppression operations funds appropriated under that heading in this and prior appropriations Acts to the agency to 

which the funds will be transferred will be obligated within 30 days: Provided further, That the transfer authority 

provided under this heading is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law.

PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

Wildfire Suppression Operations 

Reserve Fund .................................. 0 0 0 0 1,950,000 0 2,040,000 0 90,000 0

Total, Discretionary Funding ................. 0 0 0 0 1,950,000 0 2,040,000 0 90,000 0

Carryover from Prior Years:

Wildfire Suppression Operations 

Reserve Fund .................................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,721,000 0 1,721,000 0

Subtotal, Carryover ............................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1,721,000 0 1,721,000 0

Transfers Out:

Fire Transfer.......................................... 0 0 0 0 -229,000 0 -1,092,000 0 -863,000 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out....................... 0 0 0 0 -229,000 0 -1,092,000 0 -863,000 0

Total Available......................................... 0 0 0 0 1,721,000 0 2,669,000 0 948,000 0

Balances, Available End of Year............... 0 0 0 0 -1,721,000 0 -2,669,000 0 -948,000 0

Total Obligations..................................... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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JUSTIFICATIONS OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

The Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund was established by the fire funding fix enacted in Division O of Public 

Law 115-141, the Stephen Sepp Wildfire Suppression Funding and Forest Management Activities Act. This fire funding fix 

includes a new adjustment under section 251(b)(2)(F) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 

(BBEDCA) for wildfire suppression activities. BBEDCA permits this adjustment up to a maximum amount specified in the 

law if the underlying appropriations bill first funds a base level for these activities. The overall cap increases by $100 million 

each year. The base level is defined as the average costs over ten years for wildfire suppression operations that was requested 

in the President's FY 2015 Budget. This amount has been determined to be $1.011 billion for the Forest Service and was 

appropriated beginning in FY 2020, along with a $1.95 billion adjustment. The 2021 Budget requests the same base amount 

for Suppression and seeks a $2.04 billion adjustment authorized in BBEDCA for 2021. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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FLAME WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION RESERVE FUND

PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 Enacted 2021 

Budget

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Direct Appropriations:

FLAME a......................................... $342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Direct Appropriations........... 342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Transfers Out:

FLAME........................................... -342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out ...................... -342,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Available ................................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Obligations.............................. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

a FLAME funding in 2017 was designated by Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced 

Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. FLAME funding in 2018 provided as Emergency Supplemental (P.L. 115-72), as shown on the 

Available Funds and Staff Years.

JUSTIFICATION OF INCREASES AND DECREASES

No funding is proposed in FY 2021.
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PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $528,550,000 

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... -8,027,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 520,523,000 

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. $520,523,000

Change Due to Proposed Legislation ............................................................................................ +60,000,000 

Net 2021 Request.......................................................................................................................... 580,523,000

Note: The 2021 proposed legislation includes the following: The program change for the Permanent Funds is due to cost recovery for minerals permitting, 

which would provide $60,000,000. Please note that FLREA was reauthorized for two-years and therefore $65 million was reflected in FY 2020. The Forest 

Botanical Products authority expires September 30, 2021.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Mandatory Funds:

Brush Disposal................................ $7,595 74 $9,432 62 $10,357 63 $10,520 66 $163 3

Timber Salvage Sales...................... 41,924 332 45,816 316 50,311 320 51,104 337 793 17

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration .. 4,593 44 3,044 36 3,343 36 3,395 38 52 2

Forest Botanical Products............... 1,713 20 1,507 18 1,655 18 1,681 19 26 1

Stewardship Contracting................. 23,635 0 26,263 0 26,709 0 27,164 0 455 0

Recreation Fees, Forest Service ...... 100,602 705 97,009 681 98,658 687 100,336 726 1,678 39

Timber Purchaser Election Road 

Construction ............................. 2,000 0 2,000 0 2,000 0 2,000 0 0 0

Operation and Maintenance of 

Forest Service Quarters ............ 10,036 31 10,073 18 11,061 18 11,235 19 174 1

Roads and Trails for States............. 0 0 0 0 19,651 0 19,986 0 335 0

Land Between The Lakes 

Management ............................. 4,515 10 5,193 11 5,703 11 5,792 12 89 1

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie 

Rental Fees............................... 725 0 696 0 764 0 776 0 12 0

Restoration of Forest Lands and 

Improvements........................... 1,705 101 5,982 49 6,568 50 6,672 53 104 3

Commercial Filming and Still 

Photography Land Use Fee 

Retention .................................. 653 8 626 4 687 4 698 4 11 0

Organizational Camps Program...... 497 9 542 5 596 5 605 5 9 0

Cost Recovery (Land Uses) ............ 11,005 8 4,954 7 5,793 7 65,807 8 60,014 1

Licensee Program Smokey Bear..... 440 0 449 1 497 1 504 1 7 0

Licensee Program Woodsy Owl...... 33 0 12 0 25 0 26 0 1 0

Forest Service Go Green Program 

(Conservation).......................... 128 0 159 0 160 0 163 0 3 0

Conveyance of Administrative Sites 4,709 2 2,716 0 2,991 1 3,037 1 46 0

Site-Specific Lands Act .................. 26 0 26 0 21 0 22 0 1 0

Payments to States Funds a ............. 234,609 43 293,464 20 281,000 20 269,000 21 -12,000 1

Subtotal, Mandatory Funds b ....... 451,143 1,387 509,963 1,228 528,550 1,241 580,523 1,310 51,973 69

Transfers In:

Department of the Interior............... 2,618 0 312 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fire Transfer Repayment ................ 304,586 0 351,272 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

National Park Service ..................... 232 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers In................... 307,436 0 351,584 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total, Mandatory Funding.............. 758,579 1,387 861,547 1,228 528,550 1,241 580,523 1,310 51,973 69

Carryover from Prior Years:

Brush Disposal................................ 7,647 0 9,231 0 27,580 0 30,311 0 2,731 0

Hardwood Technology Transfer 

and Applied Research............... 336 0 335 0 142 0 156 0 14 0

Timber Salvage Sales...................... 26,885 0 26,106 0 77,740 0 85,437 0 7,697 0

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration .. 10,085 0 7,372 0 6,342 0 6,971 0 629 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Forest Botanical Products............... 3,486 0 1,914 0 3,418 0 3,756 0 338 0

Stewardship Contracting................. 24,608 0 21,121 0 35,701 0 39,236 0 3,535 0

Recreation Fees, Forest Service ...... 63,031 0 81,347 0 111,274 0 122,291 0 11,017 0

Timber Purchaser Election Road 

Construction ............................. 127 0 392 0 30,852 0 33,907 0 3,055 0

Operation and Maintenance of 

Forest Service Quarters ............ 19,852 0 4,188 0 26,180 0 28,772 0 2,592 0

Roads and Trails for States............. 52 0 52 0 52 0 57 0 5 0

Land Between The Lakes 

Management ............................. 5,304 0 1,954 0 4,975 0 5,468 0 493 0

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie 

Rental Fees............................... 3,783 0 920 0 3,895 0 4,281 0 386 0

Quinault Special Management Area 17 0 17 0 17 0 19 0 2 0

Restoration of Forest Lands and 

Improvements........................... 105,483 0 20,319 0 220,640 0 242,487 0 21,847 0

Commercial Filming and Still 

Photography Land Use Fee 

Retention .................................. -578 0 -1,238 0 -1,189 0 0 0 1,189 0

Organizational Camps Program...... 4,933 0 4,796 0 4,926 0 5,413 0 487 0

Cost Recovery (Land Uses) ............ 15,259 0 20,348 0 20,045 0 22,029 0 1,984 0

Licensee Program Smokey Bear..... 989 0 1,438 0 1,343 0 1,476 0 133 0

Licensee Program Woodsy Owl...... 117 0 110 0 123 0 135 0 12 0

Forest Service Go Green Program 

(Conservation).......................... 394 0 447 0 566 0 622 0 56 0

Conveyance of Administrative Sites 20,885 0 17,386 0 17,980 0 19,760 0 1,780 0

Site-Specific Lands Act .................. 6,087 0 5,691 0 6,710 0 7,374 0 664 0

Payments to States Funds................ 87,975 0 42,695 0 57,363 0 63,042 0 5,679 0

Subtotal, Carryover b ................... 406,757 0 266,941 0 656,675 0 723,000 0 66,325 0

Transfers Out

Fire Transfer ................................... -350,108 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Subtotal, Transfers Out................ -350,108 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sequestration c.................................... -110 0 -4,637 0 2,000 0 12,000 0 10,000 0

Recoveries, Other b ............................ 6,997 0 35,275 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Available ................................. 822,115 1,387 1,159,126 1,228 1,187,225 1,241 1,315,523 1,310 128,298 69

Lapsing Balances............................... 0 0 -4,396 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Balances, Available End of Year ....... -266,941 0 -656,675 0 -723,000 0 -778,523 0 -55,523 0

Total Obligations.............................. $555,174 1,387 $498,055 1,228 $464,225 1,241 $537,000 1,310 $72,775 69

a Payments to States amounts reflect budget authority; it does not include Treasury supplementals.

b Amounts include reimbursables.

c Sequestrations and pop ups previously unavailable. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget 

Request

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $228 $196 $204 $216

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 77,116 66,303 69,138 72,979

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 77,344 66,499 69,342 73,195

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 25,567 21,159 22,064 23,289

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 23 0 0 0

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 102,934 87,658 91,406 96,484

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 2,974 2,838 2,578 1,984

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 770 491 446 527

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 376 347 315 372

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 723 0 0 0

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 1,206 2,015 1,830 2,163

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 498 562 511 603

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 4 84 76 90

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 96,783 68,513 55,907 79,344

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 25,295 23,058 15,973 57,525

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 635 1,008 916 1,082

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 1 57 52 61

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 13 6 5 6

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 1,236 599 544 643

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 12,611 11,220 7,987 8,926

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 4,564 2,358 2,142 2,531

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 3,688 0 0 0

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 300,801 297,230 283,527 284,647

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 62 11 10 12

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 452,240 410,397 372,819 440,516

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 555,174 498,055 464,225 537,000

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $6 $5 $5 $5 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $182,853 $184,223 $186,986 $189,791 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $50,919 $50,787 $51,549 $52,322 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 7.2 7.1 7.1 7.1 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5% increase each fiscal year. 
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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Brush Disposal

This program provides for the disposal of un-merchantable brush and other debris resulting from timber harvest operations. 

Timber harvest activities create logging slash, which, when left untreated, can increase the risk of fire, impair reforestation, 

and contribute to the buildup of insect populations. Logging slash can be mechanically treated by scattering, chipping, or 

crushing it down with logging equipment and allowed to decay. The treatment selected depends upon the amount of debris 

generated, as well as the relative fire hazard created. Slash can also be subjected to broadcast burning or collected into piles 

and burned during non-hazardous weather conditions. Timber sale operators can perform the required work, or they can 

request that the agency complete this work by depositing funds to cover these costs. Brush Disposal funding comes from 

deposits required of timber purchasers if they select the second option, and it is used only on timber sale areas.

Timber Salvage Sales

The Timber Salvage Sales program facilitates the timely removal of fire or insect-damaged and diseased trees to aid in 

maintaining healthy and resilient forest stands and ensuring community safety. The Timber Salvage Sale program 

collects revenues from the sale of timber from dead and dying trees to prepare and administer future salvage timber 

sales, including obtaining Forest Service engineering support. These revenues are deposited into the Timber Salvage 

Sale fund and are available to immediately respond to timber salvage opportunities. The removal of fire-damaged, 

diseased and insect-infested timber through timber sale contracts is a valuable tool to reduce the potential for 

catastrophic wildland fires and other hazards associated with dead or dying trees. Timely salvage sales also help 

maximize the recovery of timber product value that would otherwise be lost. Through the collection of KnutsonVandenberg Act funds, timber salvage sales can also provide for restoration of an affected area.

Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration

The Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration fund contributes to several land and resource management objectives. These 

objectives include improving forest health, restoring wildlife habitat, and providing forest products to meet local and 

national needs. In addition, the fund helps address health and safety issues in recreation facilities and on system trails, 

benefiting the public by addressing maintenance issues that may cause harm or detract from their outdoor experience. 

These activities are aligned with the agency’s integrated watershed improvement goals, and ensure forests and 

grasslands are conserved, restored, and made more resilient.

Timber Sale Pipeline Sale Preparation - Seventy-five percent of the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration funds are used for the 

preparation of future non-salvage timber sales to restore the timber sales pipeline volume. This activity provides for the 

National Environmental Policy Act analysis to meet long-term forest health and desired condition objectives, determination 

of the volume and value of the trees to be removed, and timber sale layout and design necessary for future timber sales. 

Expenditures may also include the necessary planning and design for the associated timber roads.

Recreation Backlog - Twenty-five percent of the Timber Sales Pipeline Restoration funds are expended on backlog recreation 

facility projects and system trails. This activity includes maintenance and improvement of recreation sites, system trails, 

bridges, and trailheads.

Forest Botanical Products

This authority provides a mechanism for collecting fees from persons who harvest forest botanical products. The term 

“forest botanical products” refers to any naturally occurring mushrooms, fungi, flowers, seeds, roots, bark, leaves, and 

other vegetation (or portion thereof) that grow on National Forest System lands. Fees collected are available to cover 

costs associated with granting, modifying, or administering permits for harvesting, including costs for environmental 

analyses. Work activities include inventory, analysis, and sustainability determinations for harvest levels, permit 

issuance and administration, and monitoring to facilitate the sale and harvest of forest botanical products. The 

objectives of this program are to maintain, enhance, or restore forest ecosystems to desired conditions, and to provide 

for the sale and harvest of forest botanical products in a sustainable manner that contributes to meeting the Nation’s 

demand for these products and services.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76) extended this authority beyond a pilot program until September 30, 

2019. This budget proposes extending it through September 30, 2021.
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Stewardship Contracting

Stewardship contracting permits the Forest Service to apply the value of timber or other forest products from 

stewardship contracts as an offset against the costs to accomplish additional land and resource management objectives. 

If the offset value exceeds the value of the resource improvement treatments, those receipts are retained and deposited 

in the Stewardship Contracting fund and are available until expended for other authorized stewardship projects. 

Detailed information about the program’s recent accomplishments can be found in the Stewardship Contracting special 

exhibit.

Recreation Fees, Forest Service

When recreation fees are collected by the Forest Service, all fees collected are deposited in the Recreation Fees, Forest 

Service fund, and are spent on maintaining and improving the area, site, or projects that directly relate to visitor enjoyment, 

access, and health and safety. Work activities include: annual operation and maintenance, interpretation, signage, wildlife 

habitat restoration, resource preservation, and law enforcement. The agency executes a large amount of work in this program 

through contracts.

There are four programs within the Recreation Fees, Forest Service fund:

• Recreation Fees, Forest Service Site Specific – Under authority of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, the 

Forest Service collects approximately $100 million annually to maintain and improve recreation facilities and services 

for which the fees are collected. Five percent goes to the regional offices to support strategic program oversight, financial 

management, training, and grants to forests for improvements/special projects on the ground, the remaining 95 percent 

remain where the fees were collected.

• Recreation Fees, Forest Service Agency Specific - The Forest Service is the contracting agency for the National 

Recreation Reservation Service, part of Recreation.gov, an e-government initiative. The $120 million interagency funded 

contract supports reservations for all recreation facilities on public lands that allow reservations.

• Recreation Fees, Forest Service Grey Towers National Historic Site Fees - Recreation fees are used for annual operations 

and maintenance of the historic mansion and 102 acre landscape; interpretive and education programs and projects that 

perpetuate the legacy of Gifford Pinchot for general public and youth; public programs that foster stewardship of natural 

resources; safety of the visitor and security of the resource; and support for the conference facility that provides 

conservation leadership development programs and enhances the dialogues taking place within the natural resource 

community.

• Shasta-Trinity Marina Fees - Fees received from the marina project provide funding needed in the Shasta-Trinity 

National Recreation Area to meet critical health and safety standards; address portions of the maintenance backlog; 

provide for many noteworthy, innovative projects including high quality interpretive and environmental education 

programs; installation and maintenance of over 300 underwater obstacle markers and 100 safety-related floating 

directional signs; establishment and maintenance of the National Recreation Area Boating Safety Program; 

implementation and administration of the program’s Marina Standards; maintaining a floating toilet program; and the 

construction of accessible facilities to provide greater access for persons with disabilities. The goal of these projects is to 

meet the National Recreation Area’s intent, which is to showcase recreation opportunities in the agency.

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6806 and 6807). This authority was most recently reauthorized 

through October 1, 2021, pursuant to P.L. 116-94. This budget requests extension of this authority through October 1, 2023.

Shasta Trinity Marina Fees (Public Law 110-161). This authority was most recently reauthorized through September 30, 

2020. This budget requests extension of this authority through September 30, 2021.

Timber Purchaser Election Road Construction

The Timber Purchaser Election Road Construction program supports the construction and reconstruction of any 

permanent road or bridge as required under the terms and conditions of a timber sale contract. When a small business 

timber purchaser is awarded a contract, the purchaser may elect to pay the Forest Service to construct or reconstruct 

specified roads in the timber sale contract area to a standard necessary to harvest and remove timber and other forest 

products. The agency then uses the funds to contract for the required roadwork and administer the contract. This 

program benefits small timber contractors who might otherwise be unable to bid on Forest Service timber sales, and

provides for appropriate road improvements to prevent soil degradation, stream sedimentation, or other damages.
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Purchaser Election Vegetative Treatment – This program supports activities to improve forest health through vegetative 

treatments in timber stands at high risk of fire due to insect, disease, and drought; road work in support of vegetative 

treatments to support forest health objectives; and provides maintenance of infrastructure for the processing of woody 

fiber in regions where it is critical to fulfilling forest health objectives and sustaining local economies.

Forest Service Quarters Operation and Maintenance

The Forest Service is authorized (5 U.S.C. 5911, Other Provisions), to collect rental income from employees living in 

government owned or leased residences. Such rents and charges are deposited in a special Treasury fund and remain available 

for obligation for operation and maintenance of quarters until expended.

Roads and Trails for States

Ten percent of all National Forest Fund receipts, which is inclusive of both fees and other types of revenue, are used by 

the Forest Service without regard to the State in which the amounts were derived, to repair or reconstruct roads, 

bridges, and trails on National Forest System lands. Funds are directed towards correcting road and trail deficiencies 

that adversely affect ecosystems.

Beginning in FY 1999 and continuing in subsequent appropriation acts, the authority was expanded to allow the use of 

funds for improving forest health conditions and repairing or reconstructing roads and bridges on National Forest 

System lands in the wildland-urban interface, where there is an abnormally high risk of fire. The program reduces risk 

to human safety and public health and property, and enhances ecological functions, long-term forest productivity, and 

biological integrity. Beginning in FY 2008, appropriations acts have directed collections to be transferred to Treasury.

The FY 2021 budget proposes to make these funds available for obligation.

Land Between the Lakes Management

The Land Between the Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area provides public recreational opportunities; conserves 

fish and wildlife and their habitat; provides for a diversity of plants and animals; and offers opportunities for hunting, 

fishing, and environmental education. LBL hosts an average of 1.6 million visits annually from all over the Nation and 

more than 30 foreign countries.

Section 524 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act established a special fund known as the LBL Management 

fund. All amounts received from charges, user fees, and natural resource use, including timber and agricultural receipts, 

are deposited into the fund. Funds are available for management of LBL, including payment of salaries and expenses.

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Rental Fees

The Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995 established Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) Rental Fees to be 

managed as part of the National Forest System. The Act authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to issue agricultural special 

use authorizations and grazing permits. After appropriate payments to the State of Illinois and Will County, pursuant to the 

act of May 23, 1908, and Section 13 of the act of March 1, 1911 (16 U.S.C. 500), available receipts from rental fees may be 

used to cover the cost of ecosystem restoration, prairie improvements, and administrative activities directly related to those 

activities. These funds provide for maintenance of native plant communities and grassland bird habitat at the MNTP. The 

ability to collect funds from grazing and agricultural uses enables MNTP managers to continue to restore ecosystems and 

habitats in order to enhance biodiversity; promote scientific, environmental, and educational research; and develop best 

practices for land management.

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Restoration

The Illinois Land Conservation Act of 1995 established the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) to be managed as 

part of the National Forest System. There are two separate funds: the agricultural rental fund used for prairie restoration, and 

the salvage fund used for all other activities. Receipts from grazing fees, agricultural leases for row crops, sales of surplus 

equipment, and the salvage value proceeds from the sale of any facilities and improvements can be used to cover the cost of 

ecosystem restoration; construction of a visitor center, recreational facilities, trails, and administrative office; prairie 

improvement; and operation and maintenance.

Quinault Special Management Area Fund

This program and budget line item for the Quinault Special Management Area (QSMA) is unique to the Forest Service. The 

QSMA is over 5,400 acres, prescribed and defined by law (The Act of November 8, 1988, see below), which the Olympic 
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National Forest manages for the Quinault Indian Nation. All receipts from use of this land, including timber sales, firewood, 

botanicals, special use permits, and minerals, are divided with 45 percent going to the State of Washington, 45 percent to the 

Quinault Tribe, and 10 percent towards management of the lands by the Olympic National Forest. Quarterly, the Olympic 

National Forest processes the receipts and sends a letter to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Tribal Chair, documenting 

the receipts that will be transferred to Bureau for disbursement to the Tribe.

Restoration of Forest Lands & Improvement

This authority protects the interests of the Forest Service in situations where work is to be done by a permittee or 

timber purchaser. This fund receives monies from forfeiture of a bond or deposit by a permittee or timber purchaser for 

failure to complete performance of improvement, protection, or rehabilitation work required under the permit or timber sale 

contract; or the result of a judgment, compromise, or settlement of any claim, involving present or potential damage to lands

or improvements. Funds are available until expended to cover the costs of performing the required work. Any funds received 

in excess of the amount expended in performing the work shall be transferred to miscellaneous receipts.

Commercial Filming & Photography Land Use Fee

Fees retained by the Forest Service in this fund are used to manage and respond to film/photo use requests on National 

Forest System lands in an expedited manner. For example, forest units use these funds to assess popular film/photo 

locations in advance of requests, and to develop and post information on film/photo procedures specific to the unit. 

Regional and national units use these funds to provide management oversight, develop policy, and coordinate interregional or inter-forest film/photo requests prior to accepting a proposal as a formal application.

Organizational Camp Program

Organizational camp fees are available until expended for program administration; performing oversight, inspection, 

and monitoring of existing special use authorizations to ensure compliance with terms and conditions; interpretive 

programs; environmental analysis and restoration activities; and similar purposes. The Forest Service administers 

approximately 300 permits for organizational camps.

Organizational camps have a three-part fee system:

• Land Use Fees – Fees are based on a percentage of the agricultural land value, adjusted downward for services 

provided to disabled individuals and at-risk youth. The land use fee may be offset by work performed pursuant to 

Section 3 of the Federal Timber Contract Payment Modification Act (16 U.S.C. 539f).

• Facility Use Fees – If an organizational camp uses a Federally-owned facility, a fee is assessed based on five percent 

of the facility’s appraised value.

• Fees Based on Other Revenue – If permit holders earn revenue from activities other than providing youth services, a 

fee is assessed based on five percent of the organizational camp’s revenue.

Cost Recovery (Land Use)

Each year, the Forest Service processes thousands of applications for the use and occupancy of National Forest System lands 

and administers tens of thousands of authorizations for a wide variety of non-occupancy purposes, including energy-related 

uses, broadband and communication facilities, and campground management. Processing and authorizing these uses are an 

important component of facilitating the development and transmission of affordable and reliable energy and communication 

services, supporting national security, supporting economic development, and promoting the public health and safety of 

populations within or in proximity to national forests and grasslands throughout the Nation.

Work activities include:

• Evaluating applications to use Federal land for other than government uses; commercial and private requests to assure 

compliance with applicable laws, regulations, land use plans; evaluating the technical and financial capability of 

applicants to conduct activities on National Forest System land; conducting appropriate environmental, social, and 

economic analyses on requests to use National Forest System land pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act; 

developing special use authorizations with appropriate terms and conditions that ensure the protection of public health 

and safety, and resource protection measures; and performing oversight and inspection of certain authorization activities 

associated with construction/reconstruction activities.

• All determinations are subject to dispute, allowing the applicant or holder to question the validity of the estimated cost 

recovery fee in the initial determination. Disputes must provide a written rationale and evidence that the estimated fee is 
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in error and suggest alternative fee estimations based in fact. Waivers of cost recovery fees are provided for local, State, 

or Federal governmental applicants, and for recreation use authorizations taking 50 hours or less to process.

Categories of projects included in this fund are:

Cost Recovery Lands Major Projects - All applicants proposing recreation and non-recreation (land) uses that require more 

than 50 hours of agency time to process or monitor are charged a fee. Uses involving construction/reconstruction are deemed 

to be major categories for which the agency collects all appropriate administrative costs.

Cost Recovery Lands Minor Projects - Excluding recreation uses, all non-recreation (land) uses not subject to exemption or 

waiver that require 50 hours or less of agency time to process or monitor are deemed Minor Categories. These categories use 

a flat fee schedule established in four different tiers, subject to annual indexing.

Licensee Program Smokey Bear

The Smokey Bear program supports national initiatives, programs, educational materials and products that help 

increase public awareness about wildfire prevention. The licensee contractor manages the marketing and administration 

of the commercial license program and receives 35 percent of the royalties collected. The national Wildfire Prevention 

program provides oversight for the licensing contract and program. The Smokey Bear royalties also support the 

National Smokey Bear Award program and the national wildfire prevention public service campaign managed by the 

Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Committee. The Chief of the Forest Service has discretionary authority to use 

money from the royalties for special wildfire prevention projects, such as Smokey Bear birthday celebrations and 

attendance in parades, which support the Smokey Bear wildfire prevention message.

Licensee Program Woodsy Owl

The Woodsy Owl program supports national initiatives, programs, and products to increase public awareness of 

activities and issues related to improvement and maintenance of the environment. The Conservation Education program 

identifies funding for the Woodsy Owl conservation program initiative to develop products, enhance partnerships and 

manage the licensing program. For the management of the licensing program, the licensing contractor receives 35 

percent of the royalties reported. In FY 2020, a share of the licensing royalty funds will be used to costumes and 

shipping charges to allocate Woodsy costumes to existing Woodsy Owl Conservation Corps sites and identified field 

units..

Forest Service Go Green Program (Conservation)

The Forest Service prompted the implementation of the “Go Green” program on the national forests and grasslands in 

FY 2009 to help meet the agency’s recycling and waste reduction goals. Go Green funds are collected not only from 

recycling simple items such as cans, but also from recycling abandoned vehicles and appliances, which makes this 

funding essential for land management. This funding enables field units to accomplish clean-up activities they 

otherwise might not be able to accomplish.

Since FY 2009, the implementation of the authority to collect revenue resulting from waste prevention and recycling 

programs has increased significantly. The funding level in this program depends on the proceeds collected. As 

information on Go Green is more widely shared, funding levels are expected to increase. In FY 2021, the Forest 

Service anticipates that its Go Green program will continue to grow, given increasing awareness through the 

Sustainable Operations peer learning series. Every dollar collected under this authority offsets funding from other 

programs.

Conveyance of Administrative Sites

The Administrative Site Conveyances Program allows the agency to convey unneeded administrative sites and retain 

the proceeds for building maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction. The program provides for the realignment of 

the agency’s facility portfolio by providing an incentive for local managers to liquidate obsolete or underutilized assets 

and reinvest in assets that best support the agency’s mission. This authority provides the opportunity to efficiently 

address current and future needs, reduce annual lease costs, and reduce the deferred maintenance backlog. In addition 

to operational benefits, the program provides substantial economic and social benefits, including providing local 

communities with an additional tax base and opportunities for redevelopment to align with community plans and 

economic stimulus strategies.
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Forest Service Facility Realignment and Enhancement Act of 2005, (FSFREA), Title V of the Department of the Interior, 

Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (P.L. 109-54) authorizes conveyance of unneeded 

administrative sites and retain the proceeds for building maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction provided certain 

criteria contained in Title V are met. FSFREA has been reauthorized multiple times, most recently in the FY 2019 

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act which reauthorized it through September 30, 2019. 

Authority to initiate new conveyances expires as of Oct. 1, 2020 but work on ongoing conveyances is still permitted. 

This budget requests reauthorization through October 1, 2021.

Revenues received from the sale of land or structures are deposited into the Sisk Act Fund and are available without further 

appropriation.

Site Specific Lands Act

This program enables the collection of receipts from the sale of National Forest System lands pursuant to special acts 

passed by Congress. The proceeds are used for specific improvements to lands and facilities within the same national 

forest or State.

The legislated project may include work functions such as: notification, analysis, valuation, and realty case processing 

services; construction of new facilities; alteration of existing facilities to change their functions; and expansion of 

facilities to meet the needs of changing mission critical functions. Projects are identified annually through the 

legislative process. As a result, benefits and funds collected vary each year based on legislation.
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PAYMENTS TO STATES

National Forest Fund Payments to States Available, Title I & III

The National Forest Fund Payment to States Available is an account where all receipts are deposited that will be used for 

Title I and Title III payments under Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act (SRS Act) Payments to

States. These funds, combined with a Payments to States U.S. Treasury transfer, are the source of payments to States under 

the SRS Act, most recently reauthorized by P.L. 116-94 on December 20, 2019.

The SRS Act of 2000, as amended (16 U.S.C. Ch. 90) directs that Title I funds be used to fund county schools and 

roads. Title III may be used on county projects, including (1) to carry out activities under the Firewise Communities 

program (2) to reimburse the participating county for search and rescue and other emergency services, including 

firefighting and law enforcement patrols (3) to cover training costs and equipment purchases directly related to the 

emergency services described in paragraph 2; and (4) to develop and carry out community wildfire protection plans. FY

2018 receipts payments to each State were completed in May of 2019 (the program has a one-year lag in timing of 

payments). Information about FY 2018 receipt year payments can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/pts/home.

Payments to Minnesota Counties

This Authority derives from the Thye-Blatnik Act of June 22, 1948, as amended (16 U.S.C. 577g), Payment for Additional 

Lands Acquired in Northern Minnesota. This Act directed the Secretary of Agriculture to acquire resorts, cabins, and private 

lands within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Permanent residents were prohibited after 1974. Additionally,

payments lieu-of-taxes were authorized to Cook, Lake, and St. Louis Counties for Federal wilderness land from any national 

forest receipts not otherwise appropriated. At the close of each fiscal year, the State of Minnesota is paid three-fourths of one 

percent of the appraised value of certain Superior National Forest lands in the counties of St. Louis, Cook, and Lake for 

distribution to those counties. The land value is reappraised every 10-years. New appraisals were last completed in 2008. A 

new appraisal is in process, but a final determination of value has not yet been made. A post-sequestration reduction payment 

for 2018 of over $5.7 million was transmitted to the State of Minnesota beginning in April of 2019 (the program has a oneyear lag in timing of payments).

Payments to Counties, Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act

This authority derives from Title III of the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act of July 22, 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1012). 

This Act pertains primarily to national grasslands and land use projects. Annual payments are authorized to counties that 

contain Forest Service lands acquired under the Bankhead-Jones Act. Twenty-five percent of the revenues received during 

the year, excluding receipts from the sale of land, from each national grassland or land utilization project, are paid to the 

counties in which such lands are located. The funds are restricted to uses that benefit public schools or roads. A postsequestration reduction payment for 2018 of nearly $35.1 million was transmitted to eligible States in June of 2019 (the 

program has a one-year lag in timing of payments).

Secure Payments for State, Title II

The SRS Act provides choices to counties for funding resource improvement projects on the national forest where the county 

is located. The authority to initiate SRS Title II projects will terminate on September 30, 2021. Any SRS Title II project 

funds not obligated by September 30, 2023, will be returned to the U.S. Treasury.

Title II funds are used by the Forest Service to carry out projects in eligible counties to further protection, restoration, and 

enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and other resource objectives consistent with the purposes of the SRS Act on 

Federal land, and on non-Federal land where projects would benefit the resources on Federal land. Title II funds are used for 

projects such as active forest management, road maintenance, trail maintenance, invasive weed control, and restoration of 

wildlife habitat, streams and watersheds. These projects often provide opportunities to promote youth and volunteer 

engagement in our national forests and grasslands.

Secure Rural School Resource Advisory Committees

A Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) provides recommendations to the Forest Service on the

development and implementation of special projects on federal lands as most recently reauthorized under the Secure Rural 

Schools Act and Community Self-Determination Act in Public Law 116-9. Each RAC consists of 15 people representing 
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varied interests and areas of expertise, who work collaboratively to improve working relationships among community 

members and national forest personnel.

The SRS program was evaluated by the USDA Office of Inspector General beginning in 2015, with the final report issued in 

August of 2017. This evaluation found that of Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) nationwide, 52 of the then 117

established RACs (44 percent) did not have the required number of members to reach a quorum and therefore were unable to 

review and recommend Title II projects. The Forest Service is taking steps to reduce timeframes for vetting requests, provide 

additional outreach resources and training to all SRS RAC points of contact, and provide additional one-on-one consultation 

to RACs as needed. The USDA filed a new charter for the RACs on October 17, 2019, and is working to recruit members for 

the RACs by taking full advantage of Section 8702 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334) (the Farm 

Bill), which modified the requirements for RACs to reach a quorum by lowering the members required to reach a quorum to 

not fewer than nine. In June 2019, the Forest Service issued a Federal Register notice seeking nominations for RACs 

pursuant to the SRS Act in accordance with the changes in the Farm Bill. In addition, the Act directed the Forest Service to 

conduct a pilot program for Regional Foresters to appoint RAC members in Montana and Arizona. Using this pilot program, 

the Forest Service has already filled 9 of the 12 RACs in Montana and 2 of the 4 RACs in Arizona.

Secure Payments for States Failure to Elect and Return to Treasury Option

The SRS Act (16 U.S.C. sec. 7112) required an eligible county that received a share of the SRS formula payment greater than 

$100,000 to submit its election to allocate its share among titles of the SRS Act not later than September 30 of each year. 

Under the most recent reauthorization of the SRS Act, P.L. 116-9, elections are locked in. Prior to P.L. 116-9, an eligible 

county that failed to make a timely election was considered to have elected to expend 80 percent of the funds in accordance 

with the provisions of the 1908 Act. The remaining funds would then become available to the Forest Service to carry out 

projects in the eligible county to further protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and other 

resource objectives consistent with the purposes of the SRS Act on Federal land and on non-Federal land where projects 

would benefit the resources on Federal land. In the FY 2018 receipt year, 2019 payment year, the remaining funds, per 16 

U.S.C. 7112(d)(3)(B)(ii), totaled $123,032. A county may also opt to return its SRS Act formula allocation, in whole or part, 

to the U.S. Treasury per U.S.C. 7112(d)(1)(C)(ii).
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TRUST FUNDS

LEAD-OFF TABULAR STATEMENT

Lead-Off Tabular Statement

Item Amount

2020 Enacted................................................................................................................................. $163,714,000 

Change in Appropriation............................................................................................................... +2,273,000

Budget Estimate, 2021 .................................................................................................................. 165,987,000 

PROJECT STATEMENT

Project Statement (dollars in thousands, staff years (SY))

2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Change from 

2020 Enacted

Program/Activity B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY B.A. SY

Mandatory Funds:

Cooperative Work - KnutsonVandenberg .............................. $187,239 360 $253,638 266 $83,000 198 $84,411 202 $1,411 4

Cooperative Work – Other.............. 39,405 53 89,526 42 50,602 143 51,462 153 860 10

Reforestation Trust Fund ................ 27,246 128 30,000 118 30,000 93 30,000 99 0 6

Land Between The Lakes Trust 

Fund.......................................... 84 0 109 0 112 0 114 0 2 0

Total, Mandatory Funding a............ 253,974 541 373,273 426 163,714 434 165,987 454 2,273 20

Carryover from Prior Years:

Cooperative Work - KnutsonVandenberg .............................. 57,656 0 10,583 0 213,408 0 226,807 0 13,399 0

Cooperative Work – Other.............. 113,898 0 57,265 0 111,302 0 118,290 0 6,988 0

Reforestation Trust Fund ................ 6,875 0 7,729 0 8,120 0 8,629 0 509 0

Land Between The Lakes Trust 

Fund.......................................... 5,892 0 5,921 0 5,903 0 6,274 0 371 0

Subtotal, Carryover a.................... 184,321 0 81,498 0 338,733 0 360,000 0 21,267 0

Adjustment for Change in 

Uncollected Payments ................. 10 0 -10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sequestration b ................................... 290 0 -7 0 0 0 5,000 0 5,000 0

Recoveries, Other a............................. 4,589 0 4,432 0 4,000 0 4,000 0 0 0

Total Available ................................. 443,184 541 459,186 426 506,447 434 534,987 454 28,540 20

Balances, Available End of Year ....... -81,498 0 -338,733 0 -360,000 0 -388,987 0 -29,987 0

Total Obligations.............................. $361,686 541 $120,453 426 $146,447 434 $146,000 454 -$447 20

a Amounts include reimbursables. b Sequestrations include mandatory appropriations previously unavailable. 
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CLASSIFICATION BY OBJECTS

Classification by Objects (dollars in thousands)

Item 

No. Item 2018 Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Personnel Compensation:

Washington D.C. ............................................................. $6 $5 $5 $5

Personnel Compensation, Field ....................................... 43,589 34,760 36,511 38,193

11.0 Total personnel compensation ...................................... 43,595 34,765 36,516 38,198

12.0 Personal benefits.............................................................. 15,289 11,505 12,084 12,641

13.0 Benefits for former personnel.......................................... 38 0 0 0

Total, personnel comp. and benefits............................. 58,922 46,270 48,600 50,839

Other Objects:

21.0 Travel and transportation of persons................................ 5,255 804 1,060 1,031

22.0 Transportation of things................................................... 1,742 181 239 232

23.1 Rental payments to GSA ................................................. 2,216 582 768 747

23.2 Rental payments to others................................................ 3,100 857 1,130 1,099

23.3 Communications, utilities, and misc. charges.................. 4,112 1,243 1,640 1,595

24.0 Printing and reproduction ................................................ 246 56 74 72

25.1 Advisory and assistance services..................................... 6 168 222 216

25.2 Other services from non-Federal sources......................... 171,437 38,353 50,587 49,197

25.3 Other goods and services from Federal sources............... 34,233 9,778 12,897 12,543

25.4 Operation and maintenance of facilities........................... 29 10 13 13

25.5 Research and development contracts............................... 60 55 73 71

25.6 Medical care .................................................................... 3 1 1 1

25.7 Operation and maintenance of equipment........................ 2,335 195 257 250

26.0 Supplies and materials..................................................... 33,236 15,273 20,145 19,592

31.0 Equipment........................................................................ 4,331 866 1,142 1,111

32.0 Land and structures.......................................................... 8,336 611 806 784

41.0 Grants, subsidies, and contributions ................................ 32,046 5,137 6,776 6,590

42.0 Insurance claims and indemnities.................................... 41 13 17 17

Total, Other Objects ..................................................... 302,764 74,183 97,847 95,161

99.9 Total, new obligations......................................................... 361,686 120,453 146,447 146,000

DHS Building Security Payments (included in 25.3) a........ $9 $8 $8 $8 

Position Data:

Average Salary (dollars), ES Position.............................. $182,853 $184,223 $186,986 $189,791 

Average Salary (dollars), GS Position ............................. $57,591 $57,889 $58,757 $59,639 

Average Grade, GS Position............................................ 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.1 

a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security payments for FY 2019 were calculated by distributing total DHS payments across each Deputy Area

based on their percent cost pool contributions. Outyear DHS payments were estimated assuming a 1.5 percent increase each fiscal year. 
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STATUS OF PROGRAMS

Cooperative Work - Knutson-Vandenberg (K-V)

This program uses funds derived from timber sale revenues to accomplish improvement work within the timber sale 

area. Planned resource project work is documented in the sale area improvement plans as determined by the project 

environmental analysis. The first priority for K-V program funds is reforestation of harvested areas. These funds can 

also be used to perform timber stand improvement and protection, and for the improvement of other resource values, 

including wildlife, soil, watershed, range, and recreation.

Knutson-Vandenberg Regional Work

The FY 2006 Interior Appropriations Act (P.L. 109-54) expanded the authority to allow for the expenditure of unused 

funds not needed to accomplish work on the timber sale area, on another area “...within the Forest Service region in 

which the timber sale occurred.” Unused collections are generated when actual costs are less than planned costs. This 

authority is used to accomplish watershed restoration; wildlife habitat improvement; control of insects, disease, and 

noxious weeds; community protection activities; and the maintenance of forest roads. The work can be performed 

through the use of contracts, forest product sales, and cooperative agreements. If forest product sales are used to 

accomplish these objectives, K-V Regional Work program funds may be utilized for timber sale planning, preparation, 

administration, engineering support, and landline location.

Cooperative Work – Other

The Cooperative Work, Other fund is used to collect deposits received from partners and cooperators for protecting and 

improving resources of the National Forest System as authorized by cooperative agreements. The deposits are for a 

wide variety of activities that benefit and support programs in Forest and Rangeland Research, on National Forest 

System lands, and for other agency activities.

Cooperative Work, Agreement Based – This is a direct project-to-customer relationship, typically involving long-term 

liability on the part of the Forest Service to perform work for the contributor. An example of this work is a special use permit 

with collection provisions under the Granger-Thye Offset where the Forest Service has a liability to perform work for the 

permit holder specially tied to the permit. These agreements should typically be accompanied by a collection agreement.

Cooperative Work, Non-Agreement Based – These deposits occur when the terms of the authorizing instrument, such as a 

permit or sale contract, allow for deposits from multiple contributors to be pooled and expended for the intended purpose. 

The majority of these pooled collections are not subject to refunds in accordance with the provisions of the respective 

authorizing instrument.

Cooperative deposits are received from a vast assortment of local, regional, and national organizations and individuals; 

State and other public agencies; industrial associations; and other private sources. The deposits are made under a 

variety of cooperative instruments that specify the mutual benefits of the work. Cooperative deposits leverage 

appropriated funds to increase effectiveness and complement the objectives of Forest Service appropriated resource 

management programs and cooperative research projects. These programs and projects may involve any aspect of 

forestry and vary widely in scope and duration.

Cooperative road maintenance deposits can be made by commercial users of the National Forest Road System in lieu of 

actually performing their commensurate share of road maintenance. These deposits are used in conjunction with the 

other road maintenance appropriations to provide maintenance of National Forest System roads by the Forest Service.

Deposits for administering and protecting non-Federal land within or near the national forests can be made by owners 

of non-Federal lands that are intermingled with, or adjacent to, National Forest System lands. These deposits help 

landowners manage their lands in accordance with good forest management practices and provide for wildfire 

protection on State and private lands intermingled with Federal ownership.

Land Between the Lakes

The Land Between the Lakes Protection Act (LBL), called for an area in western Kentucky and Tennessee, to be 

managed as a unit of the National Forest System. Section 531 of the Act established a special interest-bearing fund 

known as the LBL trust fund, to be available for public education, grants, and internships related to recreation, 
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conservation, and multiple-use land management, as well as regional promotion in cooperation with development 

districts, chambers of commerce, and State and local governments.

In accordance with the terms described in the act, beginning September 30, 2000, the Tennessee Valley Authority 

began depositing $1 million annually into the fund for five consecutive years, for a total of $5 million. The Forest 

Service has allowed the fund balance to grow, and LBL has now begun to use the interest earned for the purposes 

intended by Congress. This includes providing additional funding to further assist in the promotion and support of the 

successful school grant program for environmental education.

Reforestation Trust Fund

A maximum of $30 million is transferred to the Reforestation Trust Fund by the U.S. Treasury each fiscal year to 

reduce the backlog in reforestation and timber stand improvement work. Reforestation activities include site 

preparation for planting or seeding of the appropriate tree species, site preparation to encourage natural regeneration, 

and certification of acres naturally regenerated without the need for site preparation. In addition, as part of the 

reforestation activity, various treatments are applied to improve initial seedling survival rates. Benefits of reforestation 

include regeneration of forest vegetation on areas impacted by wildfire, floods, and hurricanes; increased carbon 

sequestration capacity; establishment of resilient forest vegetation; and improved habitat diversity for many wildlife 

species. 

Timber stand improvement activities include release treatments through removal of competing vegetation; precommercial thinning to regulate stand density, composition and structure; pruning treatments that reduce ladder fuels, 

reduce the effects of pathogens (such as white pine blister rust) and improve future wood product quality; and 

fertilization treatments to maintain and improve soil productivity and enhance rapid stand development to improve 

carbon storage capacity. Benefits of timber stand improvement include improved forest health and productivity; 

hazardous fuel reductions; improved forest resilience to the impacts of drought, insects and disease; and diversified 

wildlife habitat. In addition, timber stand improvement generates woody biomass that is available to meet renewable 

energy needs.
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

Appropriations to the Forest Service for the current fiscal year shall be available for: (1) purchase of passenger motor 

vehicles; acquisition of passenger motor vehicles from excess sources, and hire of such vehicles; purchase, lease, operation,

maintenance, and acquisition of aircraft to maintain the operable fleet for use in Forest Service wildland fire programs and 

other Forest Service programs; notwithstanding other provisions of law, existing aircraft being replaced may be sold, with 

proceeds derived or trade-in value used to offset the purchase price for the replacement aircraft; (2) services pursuant to 7 

U.S.C. 2225, and not to exceed $100,000 for employment under 5 U.S.C. 3109; (3) purchase, erection, and alteration of 

buildings and other public improvements (7 U.S.C. 2250); (4) acquisition of land, waters, and interests therein pursuant to 7 

U.S.C. 428a; (5) for expenses pursuant to the Volunteers in the National Forest Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 558a, 558d, and 558a 

note); (6) the cost of uniforms as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5901–5902; and (7) for debt collection contracts in accordance with 

31 U.S.C. 3718(c).

Any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service may be transferred to the Wildland Fire Management 

appropriation for forest firefighting, emergency rehabilitation of burned-over or damaged lands or waters under its 

jurisdiction, and fire preparedness due to severe burning conditions upon the Secretary's notification of the House and Senate 

Committees on Appropriations that all fire suppression funds appropriated under the heading "Wildland Fire Management" 

will be obligated within 30 days. Provided, That all funds used pursuant to this paragraph must be replenished by a 

supplemental appropriation which must be requested as promptly as possible.

Not more than $50,000,000 of funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for expenditure or transfer to the 

Department of Interior for wildland fire management, hazardous fuels management, and State fire assistance when such 

transfers would facilitate and expedite wildland fire management programs and projects.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Forest Service may transfer unobligated balances of discretionary funds

appropriated to the Forest Service by this Act to or within the National Forest System Account, or reprogram funds to be used 

for the purposes of hazardous fuels management and urgent rehabilitation of burned-over National Forest System lands and 

water, such transferred funds shall remain available through September 30, [2023]2024: Provided, That none of the funds 

transferred pursuant to this section shall be available for obligation without written notification to and the prior approval of 

the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That this section does not apply to funds 

derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for assistance to or through the U.S. Agency for International 

Development in connection with forest and rangeland research, technical information, and assistance in foreign countries, and 

shall be available to support forestry and related natural resource activities outside the United States and its territories and 

possessions, including technical assistance, education and training, and cooperation with U.S., private, and international 

organizations. The Forest Service, acting for the International Program, may sign direct funding agreements with foreign 

governments and institutions as well as other domestic agencies (including the U.S. Agency for International Development, 

the Department of State, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation), U.S. private sector firms, institutions and organizations

to provide technical assistance and training programs overseas on forestry and rangeland management.

Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for expenditure or transfer to the Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Land Management, for removal, preparation, and adoption of excess wild horses and burros from National Forest 

System lands, and for the performance of cadastral surveys to designate the boundaries of such lands.

None of the funds made available to the Forest Service in this Act or any other Act with respect to any fiscal year shall be 

subject to transfer under the provisions of section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 

2257), section 442 of Public Law 106–224 (7 U.S.C. 7772), or section 10417(b) of Public Law 107–171 (7 U.S.C. 8316(b)).

Not more than $82,000,000 of funds available to the Forest Service shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund of the 

Department of Agriculture and not more than $14,500,000 of funds available to the Forest Service shall be transferred to the 

Department of Agriculture for Department Reimbursable Programs, commonly referred to as Greenbook charges. Nothing in 

this paragraph shall prohibit or limit the use of reimbursable agreements requested by the Forest Service in order to obtain 

information technology services, including telecommunications and system modifications or enhancements, from the 

Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture.
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Of the funds available to the Forest Service, up to $5,000,000 shall be available for priority projects within the scope of the 

approved budget, which shall be carried out by the Youth Conservation Corps and shall be carried out under the authority of 

the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et. seq.).

Of the funds available to the Forest Service, $4,000 is available to the Chief of the Forest Service for official reception and 

representation expenses.

Pursuant to sections 405(b) and 410(b) of Public Law 101–593, of the funds available to the Forest Service, up to $3,000,000

may be advanced in a lump sum to the National Forest Foundation to aid conservation partnership projects in support of the 

Forest Service mission, without regard to when the Foundation incurs expenses, for projects on or benefitting National Forest 

System lands or related to Forest Service programs: Provided, That of the Federal funds made available to the Foundation, no 

more than $300,000 shall be available for administrative expenses: Provided further, That the Foundation shall obtain, by the 

end of the period of Federal financial assistance, private contributions to match funds made available by the Forest Service on 

at least a one-for-one basis: Provided further, That the Foundation may transfer Federal funds to a Federal or a non-Federal 

recipient for a project at the same rate that the recipient has obtained the non-Federal matching funds.

Pursuant to section 2(b)(2) of Public Law 98–244, up to $3,000,000 of the funds available to the Forest Service may be 

advanced to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in a lump sum to aid cost-share conservation projects, without regard 

to when expenses are incurred, on or benefitting National Forest System lands or related to Forest Service programs: 

Provided, That such funds shall be matched on at least a one-for-one basis by the Foundation or its sub-recipients: Provided 

further, That the Foundation may transfer Federal funds to a Federal or non-Federal recipient for a project at the same rate 

that the recipient has obtained the non-Federal matching funds.

Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for interactions with and providing technical assistance to rural

communities and natural resource-based businesses for sustainable rural development purposes.

Funds appropriated to the Forest Service shall be available for payments to counties within the Columbia River Gorge 

National Scenic Area, pursuant to section 14(c)(1) and (2), and section 16(a)(2) of Public Law 99–663.

Any funds appropriated to the Forest Service may be used to meet the non-Federal share requirement in section 502(c) of the 

Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3056(c)(2)).

The Forest Service shall not assess funds for the purpose of performing fire, administrative, and other facilities maintenance 

and decommissioning.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service, not to exceed 

$500,000 may be used to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Department of Agriculture, for travel and 

related expenses incurred as a result of OGC assistance or participation requested by the Forest Service at meetings, training 

sessions, management reviews, land purchase negotiations and similar matters unrelated to civil litigation. Future budget 

justifications for both the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture should clearly display the sums previously 

transferred and the sums requested for transfer.

An eligible individual who is employed in any project funded under title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 

3056 et seq.) and administered by the Forest Service shall be considered to be a Federal employee for purposes of chapter 

171 of title 28, United States Code.

Notwithstanding any other provisions if this Act, through the Office of Budget and Program Analysis, the Forest Service 

shall report no later than 30 business days following the close of each fiscal quarter all current and prior year unobligated

balances, by fiscal year, budget line item and account, to the House and senate Committees on Appropriations.
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GENERAL PROVISIONS (INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)

[RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS]

[SEC. 401. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be available for any activity or the publication or 

distribution of literature that in any way tends to promote public support or opposition to any legislative proposal on 

which Congressional action is not complete other than to communicate to Members of Congress as described in 18 

U.S.C.1913.]

OBLIGATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. [402]401. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current 

fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.

DISCLOSURE OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

SEC. [403]402 The amount and basis of estimated overhead charges, deductions, reserves or holdbacks, including working 

capital fund and cost pool charges, from programs, projects, activities and subactivities to support government-wide, 

departmental, agency, or bureau administrative functions or headquarters, regional, or central operations shall be presented in 

annual budget justifications [and subject to approval by] to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and the Senate. 

Changes to such estimates shall be presented [to the Committees on Appropriations for approval].

MINING APPLICATIONS

SEC. [404]403. (a) LIMITATION OF FUNDS.—None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to 

this Act shall be obligated or expended to accept or process applications for a patent for any mining or mill site claim located 

under the general mining laws.

(b) EXCEPTIONS.—Subsection (a) shall not apply if the Secretary of the Interior determines that, for the claim concerned 

(1) a patent application was filed with the Secretary on or before September 30, 1994; and (2) all requirements established 

under sections 2325 and 2326 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 29 and 30) for vein or lode claims, sections 2329, 2330, 

2331, and 2333 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 35, 36, and 37) for placer claims, and section 2337 of the Revised Statutes 

(30 U.S.C. 42) for mill site claims, as the case may be, were fully complied with by the applicant by that date.

(c) REPORT.—On September 30, [2021]2022, the Secretary of the Interior shall file with the House and Senate Committees 

on Appropriations and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House and the Committee on Energy and Natural 

Resources of the Senate a report on actions taken by the Department under the plan submitted pursuant to section 314(c) of 

the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104–208).

(d) MINERAL EXAMINATIONS.—In order to process patent applications in a timely and responsible manner, upon the 

request of a patent applicant, the Secretary of the Interior shall allow the applicant to fund a qualified third-party contractor to 

be selected by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to conduct a mineral examination of the mining claims or mill 

sites contained in a patent application as set forth in subsection (b). The Bureau of Land Management shall have the sole 

responsibility to choose and pay the third-party contractor in accordance with the standard procedures employed by the 

Bureau of Land Management in the retention of third-party contractors.

CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS, PRIOR YEAR LIMITATION

SEC. [405]404 Sections 405 and 406 of division F of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 

(Public Law 113–235) shall continue in effect in fiscal year [2020]2021.

CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS, FISCAL YEAR 2021 LIMITATION 

SEC. [406]405. Amounts provided by this Act for fiscal year 2021 [2020] under the headings "Department of Health and 

Human Services, Indian Health Service, Contract Support Costs" and "Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs 

and Bureau of Indian Education, Contract Support Costs" are the only amounts available for contract support costs arising out

of self-determination or self-governance contracts, grants, compacts, or annual funding agreements for fiscal year 2021 

[2020] with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and the Indian Health Service: Provided, That such 

amounts provided by this Act are not available for payment of claims for contract support costs for prior years, or for 

repayments of payments for settlements or judgments awarding contract support costs for prior years.
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FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANS

SEC. [407]406. The Secretary of Agriculture shall not be considered to be in violation of subparagraph 6(f)(5)(A) of the 

Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5)(A)) solely because more than 15 

years have passed without revision of the plan for a unit of the National Forest System. Nothing in this section exempts the 

Secretary from any other requirement of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (16 U.S.C. 1600 et 

seq.) or any other law: Provided, That if the Secretary is not acting expeditiously and in good faith, within the funding 

available, to revise a plan for a unit of the National Forest System, this section shall be void with respect to such plan and a 

court of proper jurisdiction may order completion of the plan on an accelerated basis.

PROHIBITION WITHIN NATIONAL MONUMENTS

SEC. [408]407. No funds provided in this Act may be expended to conduct preleasing, leasing and related activities under 

either the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) 

within the boundaries of a National Monument established pursuant to the Act of June 8, 1906 (16 U.S.C. 431 et seq.) as such 

boundary existed on January 20, 2001, except where such activities are allowed under the Presidential proclamation 

establishing such monument.

LIMITATION ON TAKINGS 

SEC. [409]408. Unless otherwise provided herein, no funds appropriated in this Act for the acquisition of lands or interests in 

lands may be expended for the filing of declarations of taking or complaints in condemnation without the approval of the 

House and Senate Committees on Appropriations: Provided, That this provision shall not apply to funds appropriated to 

implement the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion Act of 1989, or to funds appropriated for Federal 

assistance to the State of Florida to acquire lands for Everglades restoration purposes.

PROHIBITION ON NO-BID CONTRACTS

Sec. [410]409. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act to executive branch agencies 

may be used to enter into any Federal contract unless such contract is entered into in accordance with the requirements 

of Chapter 33 of Title 41, United States Code, or Chapter 137 of Title 10, United States Code, and the Federal 

Acquisition Regulations, unless-

(1) Federal law specifically authorizes a contract to be entered into without regard for these requirements, 

including formula grants for States, or Federally recognized Indian Tribes; 

(2) Such Contract is authorized by the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-

638, 25 U.S.C. 450 et seq.) or by any other Federal laws that specifically authorize a contract within an Indian 

Tribe as defined in Section 4e of that Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)); or

(3) Such contract was awarded prior to the date of enactment of this Act.

POSTING OF REPORTS

SEC. [411]410. (a) Any agency receiving funds made available in this Act, shall, subject to subsections (b) and (c), post on 

the public website of that agency any report required to be submitted by the Congress in this or any other Act, upon the 

determination by the head of the agency that it shall serve the national interest.

(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a report if—

(1) the public posting of the report compromises national security; or

(2) the report contains proprietary information.

(c) The head of the agency posting such report shall do so only after such report has been made available to the requesting

Committee or Committees of Congress for no less than 45 days.

STATUS OF BALANCES OF APPROPRIATIONS 

SEC. [414]411. The Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, and the Indian 

Health Service shall provide the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate quarterly reports 

on the status of balances of appropriations including all uncommitted, committed, and unobligated funds in each program and 

activity within 60 days of enactment of this Act.

[FOREST SERVICE COMMUNICATIONS SITE ADMINISTRATION]

[SEC.416. Subsection (f) of section 8705 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334) is 

amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

“(2) REQUIREMENTS FOR FEES COLLECTED,-

Fees collected by the Forest Service under sub-section (c) (3) shall be-
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“(A) collected only to the extend provided in advance in appropriations Acts;

“(B) based on the costs described in sub-section (c) (3); and 

“(C) competitively neutral, technology neutral, and nondiscriminatory with respect to other users of the

communications site”.]

EXTENSION OF GRAZING PERMITS

SEC. [417]412. The terms and conditions of section 325 of Public Law 108–108 (117 Stat. 1307), regarding grazing 

permits issued by the Forest Service on any lands not subject to administration under section 402 of the Federal Lands 

Policy and Management Act (43 U.S.C. 1752), shall remain in effect for fiscal year [2020]2021.

FUNDING PROHIBITION 

SEC. [418]413. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to maintain or establish a computer network 

unless such network is designed to block access to pornography websites. 

(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law enforcement 

agency or any other entity carrying out criminal investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities. 

HUMANE TRANSFER AND TREATMENT OF ANIMALS 

SEC. [419]414. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior, with respect to land 

administered by the Bureau of Land Management, or the Secretary of Agriculture, with respect to land administered by the 

Forest Service (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary concerned’’), may transfer excess wild horses and burros that 

have been removed from land administered by the Secretary concerned to other Federal, State, [and] local, and Tribal

government agencies for use as work animals. 

(b) The Secretary concerned may make a transfer under sub- section (a) immediately on the request of a Federal, State, [or]

local government agency. 

(c) An excess wild horse or burro transferred under subsection (a) shall lose status as a wild free-roaming horse or burro (as 

defined in section 2 of Public Law 92–195 (commonly known as the ‘‘Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act’’) (16 

U.S.C. 1332)). 

(d) A Federal, State, [or] local, or Tribal government agency receiving an excess wild horse or burro pursuant to subsection 

(a) shall not—

(1) destroy the horse or burro in a manner that results in the destruction of the horse or burro into a commercial 

product;

(2) sell or otherwise transfer the horse or burro in a manner that results in the destruction of the horse or burro for processing 

into a commercial product; or 

(3) euthanize the horse or burro, except on the recommendation of a licensed veterinarian in a case of severe injury, illness, or 

advanced age.

(e) Amounts appropriated by this Act shall not be available for—

(1) the destruction of any healthy, unadopted, and wild horse or burro under the jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned 

(including a contractor); or 

(2) the sale of a wild horse or burro that results in the destruction of the wild horse or burro for processing into a commercial 

product.

(f) Consistent with the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burrows Act of 1971, the Secretary of the Interior shall implement a

program that uses a combination of techniques or treatments to achieve appropriate management levels for wild horses

and burros—

(1) Techniques and treatments should include removals, humane temporary fertility control, humane non-lethal surgical 

sterilization, humane non-surgical sterilization, and humane chemical sterilization techniques.

(2) Humane temporary fertility control techniques include but are not limited to short-term immunocontraceptive vaccines 

and intrauterine devices.

(3) Humane, non-lethal sterilization techniques include, but are not limited to, long-term immunocontraceptive vaccines, 

castration, tubal ligation, occlusion of the oviduct, and ovariectomy.

FOREST SERVICE FACILITY REALIGNMENT AND ENHANCEMENT AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION 

SEC. 420. Section 503(f) of Public Law 109–54 (16 U.S.C. 580d note) shall be applied by substituting ‘‘September 30, 

[2020]2021’’ for ‘‘September 30, 2019’’.
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[RECISSION OF FUNDS]

[SEC. 422. Any amounts made available for fiscal year 2020 pursuant to section 8705(f)(2) of Public Law 115-334 as 

amended by this Act, are hereby rescinded.]

LOCAL COOPERATOR TRAINING AGREEMENTS AND TRANSFERS OF EXCESS EQUIPMENT AND 

SUPPLIES FOR WILDFIRES

SEC. [424]421. The Secretary of the Interior is authorized to enter into grants and cooperative agreements with volunteer fire 

departments, rural fire departments, rangeland fire protection associations, and similar organizations to provide for wildland 

fire training and equipment, including supplies and communication devices. Notwithstanding 121(c) of title 40, United States 

Code, or section 521 of title 40, United States Code, the Secretary is further authorized to transfer title to excess Department 

of the Interior firefighting equipment no longer needed to carry out the functions of the Department's wildland fire 

management program to such organizations.

RECREATION FEE

SEC. [425]422. Section 810 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6809) shall be applied by 

substituting “October 1, [2021] 2023” for “October 30, 2019”.

[REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES]

[SEC. 426. None of the funds made available in this Act, in this and prior fiscal years, may be reprogrammed without 

the advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with the reprogramming 

procedures contained in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this 

consolidated Act).]

[PROJECT INFORMATION]

[SEC. 427. (a) Within 60 days of the submission of the fiscal year 2021 budget or by April 2, 2020, whichever comes 

first, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of 

the House of Representatives and the Senate prioritized and detailed lists of Federal land acquisition projects, and 

Forest Legacy projects, that have been identified by each land management agency.

(b) The Federal land acquisition project lists required by each Agency in subsection (a) shall include individual projects 

for the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest 

Service, and shall total for each agency no less that 150 percent of the amount enacted for that agency for the previous 

fiscal year.]

LOCAL CONTRACTORS

SEC. [428]423. Section 412 of Division E of Public Law 112–74 shall be applied by substituting “fiscal year [2020] 2021” 

for “fiscal year 2019”.

SHASTA-TRINITY MARINA FEE AUTHORITY

SEC. [429]424. Section 422 of division F of Public Law 110-161(121 Stat. 1844), as amended, shall be applied by 

substituting “fiscal year [2020]2021 for fiscal year 2019”.

INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATION AUTHORITY

SEC. [430]425. Section 426 of division G of Public Law 113-76 (16 U.S.C. 565a-1 note) [shall be applied by substituting 

“September 30, [2020]2021” for “September 30, 2019”.

PUERTO-RICO SCHOOLING

SEC. [431]426. The authority provided by the 19th unnumbered paragraph under heading “Administrative Provisions, 

Forest Service” in title III of Public Law 109-54, as amended shall be applied by substituting “fiscal year [2020]2021” for

“fiscal year 2019”.
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FOREST BOTANICAL PRODUCTS FEE COLLECTION AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION 

SEC. [432]427. Section 339 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 (as enacted 

into law by Public Law 106–113; 16 U.S.C. 528 note), as amended by section 335(6) of Public Law 108–108 and section 432 

of Public Law 113– 76, shall be applied by substituting ‘‘fiscal year [2020]2021’’ for ‘‘fiscal year 2019’’.

ALASKA NATIVE REGIONAL HEALTH ENTITIES AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION 

SEC. [433]428. Section 424(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (Public Law 113–76), as amended by section 

428 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115–141), shall be applied by substituting "October 1, 2021 

[2020]" for "October 1, 2020 [2019]".

CHESAPEAKE BAY INITIATIVE

SEC. [434]429. Section 502(c) of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-312); 54 U.S.C. 320101 

note) shall be applied by substituting “fiscal year [2020]2021” for fiscal year 2019”.

[FOREST SERVICE BUDGET RESTRUCTURE]

[SEC. 435. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish the "Forest Service Operations" account not later than October 1, 

2020, for the necessary expenses of the Forest Service: (1) for the base salary and expenses of employees in the Chief's 

Office, the Work Environment and Performance Office, the Business Operations Deputy Area, and the Chief Financial 

Officer's Office to carry out administrative and general management support functions; (2) for the costs of facility 

maintenance, repairs, and leases for buildings and sites; (3) for the costs of utility and communication expenses, business 

services, and information technology, including cybersecurity requirements; and (4) for such other administrative support 

function expenses necessary for the operation of the Forest Service.

(b) Subsequent to the establishment of the account under subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture may execute 

appropriations of the Department for fiscal year 2021 as provided pursuant to such subsection, including any continuing

appropriations made available for fiscal year 2021 before enactment of a regular appropriations Act.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer any unobligated balances made 

available to the Forest Service by this or prior appropriations Acts to the account established under subsection (a) to carry out 

such subsection, and shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives within 5 

days of such transfer: Provided, That no amounts may be transferred from amounts that were made available for wildfire 

suppression operations pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(F) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

(d) (1) Not later than November 1, 2020, the Secretary of Agriculture shall establish the preliminary baseline for application 

of transfer authorities and submit the report specified in paragraph (2) to the Committees on Appropriations for the Senate 

and the House of Representatives. (2) The report required in this subsection shall include–

(A) a delineation of the amount and account of each transfer made pursuant to subsection (b) or (c);

(B) a table for each appropriation with a separate column to display the fiscal year 2020 enacted levels, adjustments made by 

Congress, adjustments due to enacted rescissions, if appropriate, and adjustments made pursuant to the transfer authority in 

subsection (b) or (c), and the resulting fiscal year level;

(C) a delineation in the table for each appropriation, adjusted as described in paragraph (2), both by budget activity and 

program, project, and activity as detailed in the Budget Appendix; and

(D) an identification of funds directed for a specific activity.]

TIMBER SALE REQUIREMENTS

SEC. [436]430. No timber sale in Alaska’s Region 10 shall be advertised if the indicated rate is deficit (defined as the value 

of the timber is not sufficient to cover all logging and stumpage costs and provide a normal profit and risk allowance under 

the Forest Service’s appraisal process) when appraised using a residual value appraisal. The western red cedar timber from 

those sales which is surplus to the needs of the domestic processors in Alaska, shall be made available to domestic processors 

in the contiguous 48 United States at prevailing domestic prices. All additional western red cedar volume not sold to Alaska 

or contiguous 48 United States domestic processors may be exported to foreign markets at the election of the timber sale 

holder. All Alaska yellow cedar may be sold at prevailing export prices at the election of the timber sale holder. 

PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS

SEC. [437]431. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available in this Act or any other Act 

may be used to promulgate or implement any regulation requiring the issuance of permits under title V of the Clean Air Act 

(42 U.S.C. 7661 et seq.) for carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor, or methane emissions resulting from biological 

processes associated with livestock production. 
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GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING RESTRICTIONS

SEC. [438]432. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available in this or any other Act may be 

used to implement any provision in a rule, if that provision requires mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from 

manure management systems.

EXTEND FTCA COVERAGE TO URBAN INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS 

SEC. 433. Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 

following: "SEC. 519. Urban Indian organizations deemed part of Public Health Service. "

(a) Definitions. In this section: "(1) Contract or agreement. The term contract or agreement means a contract, grant 

agreement, or cooperative agreement entered into under this title. "(2) Covered claim. The term covered claim means a claim 

by any person initially filed on or after the date of enactment of this section for personal injury, including death.

"(b) Liability protection. For purposes of section 224 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 233), with respect to a 

covered claim resulting from the performance prior to, including, or after the date of enactment of this section, of medical, 

surgical, dental, or related functions, including the conduct of a clinical study or investigation, performed while carrying out a 

contract or agreement, or for purposes of section 2679, title 28, United States Code, with respect to a covered claim resulting 

from the operation of an emergency motor vehicle pursuant to a contract or agreement– "(1) an urban Indian organization is 

deemed to be part of the Public Health Service in the Department while carrying out the contract or agreement; and "(2) any 

officer, governing board member, or employee of the urban Indian organization (including any contractor or individual that 

provides health care services pursuant to a personal services contract) is deemed to be an employee of the Public Health 

Service while acting within the scope of their employment in carrying out the contract or agreement."

CONCURRENT FEDERAL AND STATE JURISDICTION AT IHS FEDERAL ENCLAVE PROPERTIES

SEC. 434. (a) IN GENERAL. - The Secretary of Health and Human Services, on behalf of the United States may, whenever 

the Secretary deems desirable, relinquish to a State all or part of the jurisdiction of the United States over lands and properties 

encompassing Indian Health Service facilities that are under the supervision or control of the Secretary. (b)TERMS.

Relinquishment of jurisdiction under this section may be accomplished, under terms and conditions that the Secretary deems 

advisable, (1) by filing with the Governor of such State a notice of relinquishment to take effect upon acceptance thereof; or 

(2) as the laws of such State may otherwise provide. INCOME TAX EXCLUSION FOR IHS SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN 

REPAYMENT PROGRAM SEC. 430. INCOME TAX EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN AMOUNTS RECEIVED UNDER

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS. (a) IHS SCHOLARSHIP 

PROGRAM. Section 117(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended - (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking or; 

(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period and inserting ", or"; and

(3) by adding the following new subparagraph: "(D) the Indian Health Service Health Professions Scholarship program under 

section 104 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.". (b) IHS LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. - (1) EXCLUSION.

Section 108(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding a new subsection to read as follows: "(5) 

PAYMENTS UNDER INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. In the case of an individual, gross 

income shall not include any amount received under section 108 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.". (2) 

CONFORMING AMENDMENT FOR TAX WITHHOLDING. Section 3401(a)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 

amended by inserting 108(f)(5), after 108(f)(4),.

HALF-TIME BASIS SERVICE OBLIGATION OPTION 

SEC. 436. HALF-TIME BASIS SERVICE OBLIGATION OPTION FOR INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP 

AND LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS. 

(a) SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.- Section 104(b) of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1613a(b)) is 

amended - (1) in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting after "full-time" the following: ", or, pursuant to paragraph (6), half-time"; 

and (2) by adding at the end the following paragraph: "(6) HALF-TIME SERVICE OPTION. In carrying out paragraph (3), 

the Secretary may, in accordance with this paragraph, allow an individual to meet the individual's service obligation through 

half-time practice if "(A) the Secretary has determined that assignment of a health professional who would serve half-time 

would be appropriate for the location where, or the program in which, the individual will be performing his or her service; 

"(B) the individual agrees in writing to fulfill all of the service obligations under this section through half-time clinical 

practice and double the period of obligated service that would otherwise be required; and "(C) the individual agrees in writing 

that if the individual begins providing half-time service but fails to begin or complete the period of obligated service, the 

method stated in section 108(l) for determining the damages for breach of the individual's written contract will be used after 

converting periods of obligated service or of service performed into their full-time equivalents.". 
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(b) LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. Section 108 of such Act (25 U.S.C. 1616a) is amended (1) in subsection 

(f)(1)(B)(iii), by inserting after "may agree to serve" the following: ", or, pursuant to subsection (o), 4 years or such longer 

period as the individual may agree to serve,"; and (2) by adding at the end the following subsection: "(o) HALF-TIME 

SERVICE OPTION. - In carrying out this section, the Secretary may, in accordance with this subsection, allow an individual 

to meet the individual's service obligation through half-time practice if - "(1) the individual agrees in the written contract that 

the period of obligated service under subsection (f) shall be 4 years or such longer period as the individual may agree to 

serve, in place of the period otherwise prescribed in paragraph (1)(B)(iii) of such subsection; "(2) the maximum loan 

repayment for each year of obligated service shall be 50 percent of the amount that would otherwise be payable, under 

subsection (g)(2)(A), for full-time service; and "(3) the individual agrees in writing that if the individual begins providing 

half-time service but fails to begin or complete the period of obligated service, the method stated in subsection (l) for 

determining the damages for breach of the individual's written contract will be used after converting periods of obligated 

service or of service performed into their full-time equivalents."

FTCA AND FECA COVERAGE FOR IHS VOLUNTEERS 

SEC. 437. FTCA AND FECA COVERAGE FOR IHS VOLUNTEERS. Section 224 of the Public Health Service Act (42 

U.S.C. 233) is amended by adding a new subsection as follows: (r) TORT CLAIMS AND WORK INJURY 

COMPENSATION COVERAGE FOR VOLUNTEERS IN INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE FACILITIES. (1) IN GENERAL.

If under section 223 and regulations pursuant to such section, and through an agreement entered into in accordance with such 

regulations, the Secretary accepts volunteer and uncompensated services from an individual to provide health care services at 

a facility of the Indian Health Service during a specified period, such individual shall, during such period, have the coverages 

described in paragraphs (2) and (3). (2) FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS ACT COVERAGE. Such individual shall, during such 

period, (A) be deemed to be an employee of the Department of Health and Human Services, for purposes of claims under 

sections 1346(b) and 2672 of title 28, United States Code, for money damages for personal injury, including death, resulting 

from performance of functions under such agreement; and (B) be deemed to be an employee of the Public Health Service 

performing medical, surgical, dental, or related functions, for purposes of having the remedy provided by such sections of 

title 28 be exclusive of any other civil action or proceeding by reason of the same subject matter against such individual or

against the estate of such individual. (3) COMPENSATION FOR WORK INJURIES. Such individual shall, during such 

period, be deemed to be an employee of the Department of Health and Human Services, and an injury sustained by such an 

individual shall be deemed in the performance of duty, for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, pertaining to 

compensation for work injuries.

WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS COMPREHENSIVE RIVER MANAGEMENT PLANS

SEC. 438 The Secretary of Agriculture shall not be considered to be in violation of Section 3(d)(1) of the Wild and Scenic 

Rivers Act solely because more than three years have passed since designation prior to the completion of a comprehensive 

river management plan; Provided, that if more than three years have passed since designation without the completion of a 

comprehensive river management plan, then said plan must be completed or appropriately updated no later than during the 

next forest plan revision process

TRIBAL LEASES 

SEC. 439. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in the case of any lease under section 105(l) of the Indian SelfDetermination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5324(l))– (1) the initial lease term shall–

(A) be consistent with the calendar year or fiscal year basis of the funding agreement or annual funding agreement between 

the Secretary and Indian tribe or tribal organization under that Act; (B) commence no earlier than the date of receipt of the 

lease proposal; and (2) any lease that is renewed in accordance with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance 

Act (25 U.S.C. 5324(l)) and the terms of the lease of the tribe shall have a term of one calendar year or fiscal year, as 

appropriate. (b) None of the funds made available under this Act may be used to compensate an Indian tribe or tribal 

organization for any lease under section 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 

5324(l)) that is on a calendar year or fiscal year basis and that is received during the 120 day period ending on the last day of 

the calendar year or fiscal year. (c) None of the funds made available under this Act may be used to compensate an Indian 

tribe or tribal organization for any portion of a lease under section 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education 

Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5324(l)) that exceeds the square footage necessary for the operation of the Federal programs under 

the lease, as determined by the Secretary. 
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TRIBAL AGREEMENTS

SEC. 440. Notwithstanding sections 106(b)(2) and 516(a) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 

U.S.C. 5325(b)(2), 5396(a)), the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of the Interior may reduce the 

amount of funds provided under the terms of a self-determination contract or compact entered into under that Act if– (1) the 

approval of an increase to the amount of funds that would otherwise be required under the terms of such contract or compact 

was made pursuant to section 507(b) of that Act (25 U.S.C. 5387(b)) or section 900.18 or 1000.179 of title 25, Code of 

Federal Regulations; and (2) the amount of the reduction does not exceed the amount of the increase.

Change Description

The first change removes the restriction on use of funds 

The second change removes the approval requirement from the Committees on Appropriations in the House and Senate. 

The third change disallows the use of funds appropriated for mining applications to be used for patent applications. 

The fourth change removes the amendment to the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 regarding Communications Site 

Administration fee collection. 

The fifth change includes tribal government agencies into the provision for the humane treatment of animals. 

The sixth change removes the rescission of 2020 funds provision. 

The seventh change removes the reprogramming guidelines provision. 

The eighth change removes the project information provision. 

The ninth change removes the forest service budget restructure provision. 

The tenth change adds a provision to extend FTCA coverage to urban Indian organizations. 

The eleventh change adds a provision to allow concurrent federal and State jurisdiction at IHS federal enclave properties. 

The twelfth change adds a provision to allow a half-time basis service obligation option for Indian health service scholarship 

and loan repayment programs. 

The thirteenth change adds a provision to allow FTCA and FECA coverage for IHS volunteers. 

The fourteenth change adds a provision to allow comprehensive river management plans under the Wild and Scenic Rivers 

Act to be submitted during the next forest plan revision process after 3 years have lapsed from its designation. 

The fifteenth change adds a provision to clarify the initial lease terms for Tribal leases under the Indian Self-Determination 

and Education Assistance Act. 

The sixteenth change adds a provision to allow for changes in the amounts provided under a self-determination contract 

under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. 
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DISCRETIONARY LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS

FOREST MANAGEMENT

Dense undergrowth has amassed across much of the public lands, providing fuel for catastrophic wildfires and worsening 

insect infestation, invasive species, and disease. These conditions adversely impact the Nation’s forests, rangelands and 

watersheds, and contribute to increased wildfire risk to surrounding communities. Active management of timber and 

vegetation is necessary to combat these threats, save lives, and protect property. The Administration proposes a package of 

forest management legislative reforms coupled with a strong 2020 budget to kick start a solution to this serious risk. The 

proposed legislation would provide categorical exclusions on national forest lands for active forest management, including 

the ability to harvest dead, dying, or damaged trees as well as proactive fuels management, including the use of fuel breaks. 

These changes are much needed to help reduce fire risk, improve forest health, minimize after fire impacts, prevent re-burn of 

fire impacted areas, and improve safety for wildland firefighters.

GRAZING PERMITS- FLPMA AMENDMENT

The proposal would provide an amendment to the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) to correct the 

National Defense Appropriations Act (NDAA) amendment to FLPMA Section 402. For this section only, all National Forest 

System lands would be included so that those lands in the eastern States and National Grasslands are covered by the NDAA 

and are treated equally in National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) analysis of grazing permits.

PUBLIC LANDS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

The Forest Service manages a capital asset portfolio with over $5 billion in deferred maintenance, and an estimated 

replacement value of $119 billion. This infrastructure includes 40,000 buildings, 4,700 water systems, 4,700 wastewater 

systems, almost 30,000 recreation sites, more than 490 Forest Service-owned dams, over 370,000 miles of road, 6,200 road 

bridges, and 158,000 miles of trails. To address deferred maintenance needs, the Department of the Interior FY 2021 Budget 

requests $6.5 billion over five-years for a Public Lands Infrastructure Fund (PLIF). The Fund will be supported by the 

deposit of 50 percent of all federal energy development revenue that would otherwise be credited or deposited as 

miscellaneous receipts to the Treasury over the 2020-2024 period, subject to an annual limit of $1.3 billion. The proposed 

allocation for infrastructure maintenance and improvements on public lands is 70 percent for national parks, 10 percent for 

national forests, 10 percent for wildlife refuges, five percent for Bureau of Indian Education schools, and five percent for 

lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Interior and Agriculture would prioritize projects, monitor 

implementation and measure results. This investment will significantly improve many of America's most visible, visited, and 

treasured places.

Proposed Forest Service Allocation of PLIF Collections (dollars in thousands)

Item 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024

Budget Authority......................... $130,000 $260,000 $260,000 $260,000 $260,000

Outlays........................................ 130,000 260,000 260,000 260,000 260,000
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MANDATORY LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS

USE OF MINERALS RECEIPTS FROM NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM LANDS TO ACCELERATE MINERALS 

PERMITTING-COST RECOVERY

(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section “the Secretary”) shall 

deposit into a special account established in the Treasury all fees collected by the Secretary to recover the costs of processing 

applications for, and monitoring compliance with, locatable mineral plans of operation, surface use plans of operation, and 

other written Forest Service authorizations relating to the disposal of locatable and leasable minerals on National Forest 

System lands.

(b) USE OF DEPOSITED AMOUNTS.—Amounts deposited pursuant to subsection (a) shall be available to the Secretary, 

without further appropriation, until expended to cover costs for the purposes for which the fees were collected.

(c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may deposit a total amount of not more than $60,000,000 annually into the special 

account under subsection (a).

ROADS AND TRAILS FUND

Amounts deposited during fiscal year 2021 in the roads and trails for States fund provided for in the fourteenth paragraph 

under the heading ‘‘FOREST SERVICE’’ of the Act of March 4, 1913 (37 Stat. 843; 16 U.S.C. 501), shall be used by the 

Secretary of Agriculture, without regard to the State in which the amounts were derived, to repair or reconstruct roads, 

bridges, and trails on National Forest System lands or to carry out and administer projects to improve forest health 

conditions, which may include the repair or reconstruction of roads, bridges, and trails on National Forest System lands in the 

wildland-community interface where there is an abnormally high risk of fire.

FOREST BOTANICAL PRODUCTS - REAUTHORIZATION

The Forest Service is proposing to extend its existing authority for one year, to September 30, 2021. The Consolidated 

Appropriations Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-94) extended this authority beyond a pilot program through September 30, 2020. This 

legislation is necessary to reauthorize the Program for charging and retaining fees for the harvest of forest botanical products. 

The objective of the program is to provide for the sale and harvest of forest botanical products in a sustainable manner that

contributes to meeting the Nation’s demand for these goods and services.

Proposed Forest Botanical Collections (dollars in thousands)

Item 2020 2021 2022 10 Year Total

Budget Authority................................... -$1,600 -$1,600 -$1,600 -$16,000

Outlays.................................................. -800 -800 -800 -8,000

CASH EQUALIZATION WAIVER – LANDS AND REALTY MANAGEMENT

The goal of this proposal is to reduce the land exchange administrative burden by approximately 70 percent and increase 

quantity of land exchange proposal eligibility by approximately 30 percent. This is a new proposal in FY 2021. The purpose 

of this waiver was to allow projects with relatively very minor value differences, to skip the extra step of providing a cash

equalization payment to the sale proponent. When FLPMA was amended to reflect the waivable values for land exchanges in 

August 1988 (P.L. 100-409), $15,000 was considered an appropriate figure. The inflation adjusted value of that threshold is 

$32,211.93 today (ref: Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator). By updating that amount to reflect present value 

and increasing the percentage from three percent to five percent, the total change is approximately $45,096, rounded down to 

$45,000 in this proposal. Because this section in FLPMA has the net effect of metering the amount of total exchange projects 

the Forest Service can do in one year, without cash equalization, updating the amount to compensate for inflation will 

improve program effectiveness and return the land exchange program to the project volume levels contemplated when this 

statue was enacted. This proposed change will help to ensure the original intent of the Congress continues to be carried out as 

enacted.

APPRAISED THRESHOLD WAIVER - LANDS AND REALTY MANAGEMENT

The goal of this proposal is to reduce the government wide land exchange administrative burden by approximately 70 percent 

and to increase the quantity of land exchange proposal eligibility by approximately 30 percent. In addition, this proposal 

would reduce the legislative burden on Congress of having to direct individual land exchanges to overcome this limitation.

This proposal would result in a decreased number of legislated exchanges that must be carried out in accordance with 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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statutory direction that conflicts with standard authorities,9 indicating an update to these authorities is in order. Modification 

of this threshold amount from $150,000 to $500,000 will enable up to 30 percent more land exchanges to be completed 

without a full and formal appraisal. This proposed change would effectuate this Act by reflecting present day value 

thresholds and ensuring that those thresholds remain at the same functional level in terms of case processing volume as 

intended when those thresholds were set in August of 1988 (P.L. 100-409 §3, Aug. 20, 1988). 

9 This is explained in the Government Accountability Office report, GAO-09-611 Federal Land Management, June 2009.
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AGENCY-WIDE PERFORMANCE

The Forest Service was established February 1, 1905 within the Department of Agriculture. The agency was given a unique 

mission to sustain healthy, diverse, and productive forests and grasslands for present and future generations. The Forest 

Service is composed of the following major program areas; Business Operations, National Forest System, State & Private 

Forestry, Research & Development and International Programs. The Forest Service contributes to Goal 6 of the Department’s 

Strategic Goals. The following tables summarize the results for the Departmental Key Performance Indicators for which 

Forest Service is responsible.

2018 

Actual

2019 

Target

2019 

Actual

2020 

Target

2021 

Target

Percent of customers satisfied with recreation 

facilities, services, and settings on National 

Forests..................................................................... 95% 95% 95% 95% 95%

Dollars (in thousands)................................................ 0 0 0 0 0

In FY 2019, visitor satisfaction with Forest Service recreation facilities and services was rated at 95 percent, reflecting the 

result of our continued efforts to provide access to quality landscapes, offer a variety of recreation opportunities and settings, 

and maintain recreation facilities to acceptable standards. 

An example of our continuous improvement in providing superior services to the recreating public includes the October 1, 

2018 launch of the new Recreation.gov website. Recreation.gov services include reservation and trip planning for 100,000 

individual recreation sites and activities and 3,500 recreation areas managed by seven Federal agencies. Over 3.6 million 

reservations are made annually on Recreation.gov. As part of the new Recreation.gov, call center services were improved and 

enhanced including extended hours seven days a week. Lastly, Recreation.gov site users can provide feedback to staff 

through visitor reviews and online comments to improve service to the public. The Forest Service will continue to test and 

provide up-to-date recreation and permitting tools to maintain our high visitor satisfaction rate, building on pilot programs 

tested in 2019 that will prepare the Forest Service to expand these online services to more locations.

 2018 

Actual

2019 

Target

2019 

Actual

2020 

Target

2021 

Target

Timber Volume sold (Billion Board Feet) ............... 3.20 3.70 3.27 3.70 4.00

Dollars (in thousands).............................................. 0 0 0 0 0

In FY 2019 the agency sold about 3.27 billion board feet of timber. This achievement was made possible by the use of tools 

authorized or amended in the 2014 Farm Bill, 2018 Omnibus, and 2018 Farm Bill including: Good Neighbor Authority, 

insect and disease National Environmental Policy Act categorical exclusions, stewardship contracting, and the Agriculture 

Conservation Experienced Services Program. National forests are typically located near rural and low-income communities 

making forest products industry employment an important contributor to local economies. Forest products include timber and 

pulp for construction materials, paper products, and fuel. The Forest Service timber target for FY 2021 is 4.0 billion board 

feet. This increase will allow the agency to continue work towards the President’s goals established in Executive Order 

18355 issued on December 21, 2018 that promotes Active Management of America’s Forests, Rangelands, and other Federal 

Lands to Improve Conditions and Reduce Wildfire Risk.

2018 

Actual

2019 

Target

2019 

Actual

2020 

Target

2021 

Target

Annual Acreage Treated to Reduce or Maintain Fuel 

conditions on National Forest System and nonFederal lands (million acres, annually)...................3.40 3.40 2.90 3.40 3.50

Dollars (in thousands)................................................ 0 0 0 0 0

In FY 2019 the agency treated about 2.90 million acres of land to reduce or maintain fuel conditions. The key challenges 

have included unfavorable weather conditions that limited prescribed fire treatments. The generally wet conditions across 

much of the nation allowed for opportunities to accomplish some high priority hazardous fuels projects in the wildland urban 

interface. The Forest Service continues to prioritize funding to best achieve all resource goals while reducing wildfire risk. 
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The Forest Service currently has a backlog of 80 million acres in need of active management, with 50 million acres at high 

risk of wildfire, insects, and disease. To treat those acres, the Forest Service will leverage every tool available, including 

maximum use of new authorities from the 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act and 2018 Farm Bill; continuing to use 

science-based tools for decision making; improving processes for the way the agency conduct environmental analysis and 

decision making to increase efficiency and reducing costs. 

2018 

Actual

2019 

Target

2019 

Actual

2020 

Target

2021 

Target

Annual Acreage of National Forest System lands 

where final treatment effectively mitigated 

wildfire risk (million acres, annually)..................... 1.04 1.10 0.85 1.10 1.10

Dollars (in thousands)................................................ 0 0 0 0 0

In FY 2019 the agency treated about 0.85 million acres of National Forest System land to effectively mitigate wildfire risk. 

The key challenges have included unfavorable weather conditions that limited prescribed fire treatments and balancing risk 

between treating high cost areas within the wildland-urban interface versus lower cost landscape projects.

2018 

Actual

2019 

Target

2019 

Actual

2020 

Baseline

2021 

Target

Percent of National Forest System landscape 

ecosystems improved, maintained or recovering 

due to management actions..................................... N/A N/A N/A 42% 42%

Dollars (in thousands)................................................ 0 0 0 0 0

In FY 2020, the Forest Service adopted a new indicator to assess how agency management actions improve or maintain 

conditions on the landscape. The measure is based on a model that provides a data-driven, nationally consistent assessment of 

ecological condition across national forests and grasslands. For each landscape ecosystem, a current score that is higher than 

an established baseline score will indicate improvement; a current score that is neither higher nor lower than the baseline will 

indicate maintenance. Scores will be calculated from the Terrestrial Condition Assessment (TCA) indicators. Improvement 

and maintenance are measured in landscape ecosystems where management activities have been completed. The annual 

metric is based on management activities that affect the TCA indicator scores. The agency’s FY 2020 target is to maintain 42

percent of and improve 10 percent of landscape TCA indicator scores.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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SPECIAL EXHIBITS

BUDGET ACCOUNTABILITY AND MODERNIZATION (FORMERLY CALLED “BUDGET REFORM”)

Background

In the FY 2020 Congressional Budget Justification, the USDA Forest Service responded to Congressional direction and 

proposed to simplify its budget structure to improve mission delivery while providing greater financial accountability and 

operational transparency to Forest Service customers, visitors, taxpayers, Congress, and other stakeholders. 

In the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Congress partially accepted some of the USDA Forest Service’s 

recommendations presented in the FY 2020 Budget Justification, which are specified in Section 435 of the General 

Provisions (outlined here and presented in Exhibit 1): 

(1) The Secretary of Agriculture shall establish the ‘Forest Service Operations’ account not later than October 1, 2020, 

for the necessary expenses of the Forest Service: 

a. for the base salary and expenses of employees in the Chief’s Office, the Work Environment and 

Performance Office, the Business Operations Deputy Area, and the Chief Financial Officer’s Office to 

carry out administrative and general management support functions; 

b. for the costs of facility maintenance, repairs, and leases for buildings and sites; 

c. for the costs of utility and communication expenses, business services, and information technology, 

including cybersecurity requirements; and 

d. for such other administrative support function expenses necessary for the operation of the Forest Service.

In Division D – the Statement of Managers for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies 

Appropriations Act, 2020, additional information on budget modernization was requested. Specifically, the Secretary of 

Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, is directed to transmit to the Committees a proposal for an 

alternative budget structure within 45 days of enactment of this Act (presented in Exhibit 2). Subsequent to the transmittal of 

this proposal, the Service shall consult with the Committees to develop a finalized alternative budget structure. 

Recommendation for structural changes (in addition to the Congressionally established Forest Service Operation account) are 

below.

Upon finalization of the alternative budget structure, the USDA Forest Service’s Office of Strategic Planning, Budget and 

Accountability will submit the following to Congress (no later than June 1, 2020):

(1) technical assistance on new legislative language for the account structure;

(2) comparison tables of fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021 in the account structure;

(3) a copy of the interim financial management policy manual addressing changes made in the Further Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2020;

(4) an outline of the financial management policy manual changes necessary for the account structure;

(5) proposed changes to transfer and reprogramming requirements, including technical assistance on legislative 

language;

(6) certification by the USDA Chief Financial Officer that the Forest Service’s financial systems can report in the new 

account structure; and 

(7) a plan for training and implementation of the account structure.

Exhibit 1. USDA Forest Service budget structure as a result of the establishment of the Forest Service Operations 

Treasury Account in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020.

Treasury Account Budget Line Item

Forest Service Operations Salaries & Expenses

Facilities Maintenance & Leases

Information Management

Management and Administrative Support

Forest & Rangeland Research Forest and Rangeland Research

Forest Inventory and Analysis
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Treasury Account Budget Line Item

State & Private Forestry Landscape Scale Restoration

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands

Forest Health Management - Cooperative Lands

Forest Stewardship

Forest Legacy Program

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation

Urban and Community Forestry

International Programs

National Fire Capacity

Rural Fire Capacity

National Forest System Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program

Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness

Land Management Planning, Assessment and Monitoring

Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management

Hazardous Fuels

Grazing Management

Forest Products

Vegetation & Watershed Management

Minerals & Geology Management

Land Use Authorization and Access

Law Enforcement Operations

Capital Improvement & 

Maintenance

Facilities

Roads

Trails

Land Acquisition Land Acquisition

Acquisition of Land for National Forests Special Acts

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges

Other Appropriations Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses

Range Betterment Fund

Communications Site Administration 

Gift, Donations and bequests for Forest and Range Land Research 

Wildland Fire Management Preparedness

Suppression

Exhibit 2. Proposed USDA Forest Service budget structure with additional restructuring.

Treasury Account Budget Line Item

Forest Service Operations Salaries & Expenses

Facilities Maintenance & Leases

Information Management

Management and Administrative Support

Forest & Rangeland Research Salaries & Expenses

Forest and Rangeland Research

Forest Inventory and Analysis

State & Private Forestry Salaries & Expenses

Landscape Scale Restoration

FHM - Federal Lands
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

139

Treasury Account Budget Line Item

FHM - Cooperative Lands

Forest Stewardship

Forest Legacy Program

Community Forest & Open Space Conservation

Urban and Community Forestry

International Programs

National Fire Capacity

Rural Fire Capacity

National Forest System Salaries & Expenses

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program

Recreation, Heritage, Wilderness, and Trails

Land Management Planning, Assessment and Monitoring

Wildlife & Fisheries Habitat Management

Hazardous Fuels

Grazing Management

Forest Products

Vegetation & Watershed Management

Roads

Minerals & Geology Management

Land Use Authorization and Access

Law Enforcement Operations

Capital Improvement Facilities - Capital Improvement Projects

Land Acquisition Land Acquisition

Acquisition of Land for National Forests Special Acts

Acquisition of Lands to Complete Land Exchanges

Other Appropriations Management of National Forest Lands for Subsistence Uses

Range Betterment Fund

Communications Site Administration 

Gift, Donations and bequests for Forest and Range Land Research 

Wildland Fire Management Salaries & Expenses

Preparedness

Suppression
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

140

BIOMASS AND WOOD INNOVATIONS

Forest Service Funding for Wood Products, Wood Energy, and the Wood Education and Resource Center (dollars in 

thousands)

Activity Budget Line Item 2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Wood Innovations Program:

Geographically Target Wood Utilization.... Hazardous Fuels................................... $1,000 $1,000 $1,000

Wood Innovation Grants............................. Hazardous Fuels................................... 7,850 7,850 8,450

Other Market Development (Wood 

Products/Wood Energy)........................... Hazardous Fuels................................... 1,150 1,150 5,550

Subtotal, Wood Innovation Program ...................................................................... 10,000 10,000 15,000

Biomass Production ....................................... Forest Products .................................... 0 0 0

Bio-economy Research ..................... Research and Development.................. 9,230 9,140 9,160

Wood Education and Resource Center 

(WERC).........................................

Working Forest Lands, Urban and 

Community Forestry, Forest 

Health Management, National Fire 

Capacity, and Hazardous Fuels a .... 960 2,000 b 2,000

Subtotal, Biomass Production................................................................................. 10,190 11,140 11,160

Total, Biomass and Wood Innovations $20,190 $21,140 $26,160

a A mix of funds is provided to the Wood Education and Resource Center to address hardwood industry issues related to the 35-State eastern hardwood 

region and to develop markets for underutilized hardwoods and softwoods in the region.

b Congressional direction for FY 2020 for Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) is $2 million.

FY 2021

The Forest Service’s emphasis on innovative new use of wood and wood fiber materials focuses on research and 

development (R&D) and post-R&D support to develop markets for trees and under-utilized woody materials, also referred to 

as biomass. The work planned for FY 2021 is structured around Forest Service R&D in forest-based bio-economy research 

(formerly known as Biomass and Bioproducts) and the Forest Service Wood Innovations Program. Biomass extraction is not 

specifically funded at the national level; however, it is a factor in the agency’s national strategy for improving forest 

conditions. Whenever a commercially viable biomass project is identified, it is implemented. If a project is not commercially 

viable, it will be integrated into another revenue generating project or paid for with appropriated funds, such as hazardous 

fuel reduction or timber programs dollar. The following describes the work to be accomplished.

Biomass Production

In FY 2021, the National Forest System will continue to provide material for biomass markets as a by-product of restoration 

work.

In FY 2019, the agency sold over 2.2 million green tons (fresh cut woody material at a “green” moisture content of half water 

and half woody material) of biomass to bioenergy markets. The National Forest System will continue to work with State & 

Private Forestry, and Forest Service R&D to grow markets and infrastructure for biomass production and utilization across 

the country.

Bioeconomy Research (formerly Bioenergy and Biobased Products Research)

The agency continues to develop innovative new uses of wood, especially with technologies suitable for low-value woody 

biomass. Since the inception of the biomass-to-pharmaceutical project in early FY 2019, the multi-organization research team 

has successfully adapted low-cost inflatable pillows as bioreactors to produce glucosone from glucose. This is the first step in 

a four-step reaction to produce 3-hydroxylbutyrolaceton (3-HBL), an important bioactive ingredient in Lipitor®, from 

biomass. In FY 2019, the lignin-to-carbon-fiber project team has determined the lignin properties for producing activated 

carbon fiber of five different lignins and successfully demonstrated the validity of their technology. In the next phase of the 

project, the team will characterize the lignin-based activated carbon fibers and develop its application for capacitors. To 

demonstrate the readiness of cellulose nanocrystal as enhancing ingredients in concrete, in FY 2019, Siskiyou County, 

California decided to incorporate precast concrete beams with cellulose nanocrystals for their Moffett Creek Bridge repair 

project. Cellulose nanocrystals at addition of 0.05 percent by weight or less increased the strength of concrete by 20 percent, 

giving the county an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emission from concrete.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Wood Innovations Program

The Forest Service established the Wood Innovations Program in 2014 to strategically expand wood products and wood 

energy markets that support forest management and deliver economic and environmental benefits to communities. By 

providing technical assistance, funding, and high-quality data, this work informs business decisions. Annual Wood 

Innovations Grants fund diverse stakeholders across the country, such as for-profit entities; State, local, and Tribal 

governments; school districts; communities; not-for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education, and special purpose 

districts (e.g., public utilities districts, conservation districts, etc.). The maximum for each grant is generally $250,000 and all 

grantees must match at least 50 percent of the requested Federal funds. This competitive funding opportunity will continue in

2021.

Through the Wood Innovations Program, 22 States have established Statewide Wood Energy Teams and 10 States have 

established Statewide Wood Utilization Teams to expand traditional and innovative wood products markets through 

cooperative agreements with the Forest Service. This funding has leveraged substantial private investment, created local jobs, 

supported forest health priorities, and improved local economies. These teams have been extremely effective in identifying 

successful opportunities in the highest priority areas of each State.

The agency continues to expand the use of wood in the commercial building sector. Engineered wood products such as crosslaminated timber (CLT) for commercial mid- to high-rise buildings are opening extensive new markets that are reducing 

forest restoration and hazardous fuels removal costs. In addition to Wood Innovation Grants supporting the development of 

this sector, the Forest Service provides funding to Woodworks, an organization that has been instrumental and highly 

effective in helping architects, engineers, and developers understand how to take advantage of this significant opportunity. 

The agency anticipates a dramatic increase in the expansion of CLT use in commercial building construction in the United 

States.

Wood Education and Resource Center

The Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) in Princeton, West Virginia was founded through legislation in 1999. 

The WERC focuses on primary and secondary wood processing, woody biomass utilization using multidisciplinary 

approaches, efficient utilization of urban tree removals, and partnerships to solve forest products-related issues.

The WERC programs maintain and improve wood industry productivity and competitiveness in a sustainable manner within 

the 35 States of the eastern hardwood region. Viable wood products markets enable sustainable forest management on 

private, State, Tribal, and Federal lands.

The WERC is supporting the West Virginia Forest Products Cooperative through a Special Use Permit agreement that allows 

the Cooperative to use the WERC Rough Mill facility as a site for their training and manufacturing efforts. This supports the

WERC strategy to encourage local economic development opportunities in the hardwood region.

Past Performance

The Forest Service has a long history of success in encouraging the expansion of wood products and wood energy markets 

and continues to support this expansion. Selected accomplishments include the following:

• In FY 2019, the Forest Service awarded approximately $9 million in Wood Innovation Grants to expand wood products 

and wood energy markets to support the management of National Forest System lands and other lands with significant 

forest restoration needs, especially those with elevated hazardous fuels reduction needs. This funding supports traditional 

wood utilization projects, promotes using wood as a construction material in commercial buildings, and expands wood 

energy markets. These Federal funds leveraged approximately $9 million in partner investments.

• The WERC plays a critical role in helping forest-related businesses thrive and promotes working forests by maintaining 

a forest industry infrastructure. In FY 2019, the WERC hosted numerous workshops and webinars primarily for industry, 

provided wood energy technical assistance to more than 35 facility owners interested in installing a wood energy system 

or in improving the performance of an existing wood energy system, and administered key portions of the national Wood 

Innovations Grants program.

• In FY 2019, the agency produced 2.2 million green tons of biomass from National Forest System lands for use in 

bioenergy production.

• Forest Service continues to partner with P3

Nano, a public-private partnership between the Forest Service and the U.S. 

Endowment for Forests and Communities, to develop technologies that have shown promising results from previous 

laboratory research. In one the of the projects, Forest Service, Georgia Tech and National Institute of Standards and 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

142

Technology scientists have teamed to develop light-weight automobile materials by coating the fiber glass in fiber-glass 

reinforced polymers with cellulose nanomaterials. The addition of cellulose nanomaterials can allow a seven percent

weight reduction while maintaining mechanical properties.

• Forest Service experts has a long history of participating in international standards development as a mean to transfer our 

research results for industrial applications. As of FY 2019, Forest Service experts have actively led or participated in 

standards development in American Society for Testing and Materials, International Organization for Standardization, 

American Wood Council, American Institute of Timber Construction, International Code Council and many other 

standards development organizations. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

143

CRITERIA FOR ALLOCATING FUNDING FOR RECREATION ACCESS

Background

This exhibit responds to a Congressional Directive from Senate Report 116-123:

“The Committee believes increasing access to our public lands is important and provides funding to all four land 

management agencies—the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Forest Service, and the Fish and Wildlife 

Service—to complete projects that enhance access to public lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities. The 

Committee expects recreational access projects to be selected based on their role in meeting key recreation needs, and the 

agencies should work with their respective regions, State offices, and/or management units to identify all potential projects. 

Further, the agencies are again directed to include in future budget justifications an explanation of the process and criteria 

used for allocating funds for recreational access in the previous year.”

Overview

Land Acquisition funds are used to secure access for the American public to their Federal lands for a variety of recreational 

purposes. The agency uses funding to meet public recreation access needs, such as large, intact areas for recreation, by 

working with willing landowners to secure rights-of-way, easements, or fee simple land acquisitions that provide or improve 

public access to existing public lands.

Congress appropriated $5 million in FY 2019 for priority recreational access projects. In FY 2019, the Forest Service 

acquired 19,515 acres of land that provided or improved public access. 

FY 2021 Criteria

The Forest Service prioritizes land acquisitions that have the broad support of stakeholders, local officials, and others at the 

local level who want to remove barriers to public access and attract more visitors to recreate in a safe, accessible 

environment. Congress requires the Forest Service to “annually develop a priority list for projects that, through acquisition of 

land (or an interest in land), secure recreational public access to Federal land under the jurisdiction of the applicable 

Secretary for hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, or other outdoor recreational purposes” (54 U.S. Code § 200306(c)). 

The Secretary of Agriculture shall take into account—

(1) the significance of the acquisition;

(2) the urgency of the acquisition;

(3) management efficiencies;

(4) management cost savings;

(5) geographic distribution;

(6) threats to the integrity of the land; and

(7) the recreational value of the land.

The agency evaluates proposed recreational access tracts for Land and Water Conservation Fund funding based on the 

following criteria:

• How does the acquisition solve a specific access problem or overcome a barrier to access?

• What is the size and configuration of the tract relative to the National Forest System lands around it? 

• How much of the tract borders existing National Forest System or other publicly accessible lands?

• What types of recreational access would the land provide? Hunting, fishing, hiking, other?

• Has the public indicated that more or improved access is needed in this area?

• What is the level of local support for the acquisition?

Selected Example of Recent Progress

In FY 2019, the agency maintained and opened public access across the country. An example of a 2019 project can be found 

in the Land Acquisition Status of Programs.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

144

EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT

Background

This special exhibit is included to address requirements of House Report 112-151 page 8; Conference Report 112-331, page 

1046, which directed:

“Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) Fee Payments - The Committee has learned that the Forest Service does not 

comprehensively track EAJA fee payments, identify the funds used to pay EAJA fees, nor routinely make this 

information publicly available. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Forest Service to provide to the House and 

Senate Committees on Appropriations and make publicly available, and with each agency’s annual budget 

submission thereafter, the following information: detailed reports on the amount of program funds used; the names 

of the fee recipients; the names of the Federal judges; the disposition of the applications (including any appeals of 

action taken on the applications); and the hourly rates of attorneys and expert witnesses stated in the applications 

that was awarded, for all EAJA fee payments awarded as a result of litigation against the Forest Service, or their 

respective employees. The report shall also include the information listed above for litigation relating to the 

Endangered Species Act and the amounts, outside of EAJA awards, paid in settlement for all litigation, regardless of 

the statute litigated.”

Overview

The Equal Access to Justice Act was enacted in 1980 to provide individuals, small businesses and non-profit organizations 

with the means to ensure Federal agencies make their decisions transparent and in accordance with law. Since 2009, the 

Forest Service has tracked the payment of both EAJA and other attorney’s fees.

FY 2011 through FY 2019 Funding and Reporting

In FY 2012, the Forest Service provided EAJA information to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), in response to a 

request, on EAJA case names and docket/court number, the name of the award recipient, the amount of program funds used, 

and dates paid. The final EAJA report to Congress is available on the internet at the following link: 

http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/requests/7105962_Equal%20Access%20to%20Justice%20Act_Letters%20and%20Repo

rt.pdf

The Equal Access to Justice Act Statistics table listed below reports EAJA information for FY 2017 to FY 2019.

The Forest Service does not track and therefore cannot report on the following information:

• the Federal judges making the awards,

• the disposition of the applications for EAJA fees (including any appeals of action taken on the applications), and

• the hourly rates of the attorneys and expert witnesses stated in the applications for which an award was made.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

145

Forest Service Equal Access to Justice Act Statistics for FY 2017 through FY 2019 

Date Rec Docket, 

Court Case Project Name Vendor Name Date Certified Program Amount

10/05/2016 1:16-CV00025-ELJIdaho Conservation 

League

Golden Eagle 

Audubon Society

Advocates for the 

West

10/06/2016 Pool 4 Ongoing 

Bus SVS

$60,000

10/12/2016 2:13-CV02315-TLNACFOIA-Phase I Upper 

Echo Lake

Hazardous Fuels 

Reduction Project

Nossaman LLP 10/18/2016 Hazardous Fuel 

Reduction

150,000

10/14/2016 5:16-CV00175-JBGDTBFOIA Story of Stuff 

Project

Greenfire Law PC 10/18/2016 Hazardous Fuel 

Reduction

17,900

10/27/2016 1:15-CV-1329-

WBS-EPG

Sierra National Forest French Fire 

Recovery and 

Reforestation 

Project

Center for 

Biological 

Diversity

10/27/2016 Forest Products 31,751

02/10/2017 9:16-CV-35-

DWM-M

Leanne Marten Moosehorn Ditch 

Timber Sale 

Contract

Public Interest 

Defense Center

02/10/2017 Integrated 

Resource 

Restoration

36,443

03/22/2017 2:15-CV00027-BMMGallatin Wildlife 

Association

Gallatin Wildlife 

Association

Cottonwood 

Environmental 

Law Center

03/23/2017 Integrated 

Resource 

Restoration

104,000

04/25/2017 06-CV-187-J BRANDT 352123-VIBRANDTMountain States 

Legal Foundation

04/27/2017 Landownership 

Management

50,000

06/29/2017 15-VC-2176 

(CKK)

FACA (Federal 

Advisory 

Committee)

“The Matter”. 

Attorney Fees. 

Civil Action 

Dismissal

Center for 

Biological 

Diversity

06/29/2017 Hazardous Fuel 

Reduction

6,000

07/03/2017 15-CV-00246-

BLW

Keith B Lannom Idaho Conservation 

League 

Advocates for the 

West

07/03/2017 Minerals 

Geology MGT

70,000

07/31/2017 1:16-CV00457-BLWWatersheds Project Western 

Watersheds 

Project

Advocates for the 

West

08/01/2017 Pool 5 Common 

SVS

22,686

Subtotal FY 2017 548,780

Date Rec Docket, 

Court Case Project Name Vendor Name Date Certified Program Amount

01/25/2018 3:16-CV00102-CWDJohnson Bar Johnson Bar Fire 

Salvage Project

Advocates for the 

West

01/25/2018 Forest Products 144,040

02/20/2018 6:16-CV01095-JRLoafer Timber Sale 

Project

Loafer Timber Sale 

Project

Western 

Environmental 

Law Center

02/21/2018 Forest Products 110,000

04/20/2018 1:14-CV00737-CLAttorney Fees Western 

Watersheds 

Project

Advocates for the 

West

04/20/2018 Forest Products 

and Hazardous 

Fuel Reduction

136,478

07/25/2018 9:16-CV00056DVMAttorney Fees Save Our Cabinets 

(SOC)

Western Mining 

Action Project 

07/31/2018 Roads Capital 

Improvement

and

Maintenance, 

Salvage Sales, 

and Forest 

Products

142,910

07/25/2018 9:16-CV00056DVMAttorney Fees Libby Mining 

Company

Morrison Sherwood 

Wilson & Deola 

CL

07/31/2018 Vegetation 

Watershed 

MGT and 

Forest 

Products

68,022

08/06/2018 1:17-CV00434-CWDAttorney Fees Watersheds Project 

and Wild Earth 

Guardians

Advocates For the 

West Inc.

08/06/2018 LMP Assessment 

Monitoring 

and Grazing 

Management

80,000

08/20/2018 9:15-CV-148-

DLC

Attorney Fees Beetle Strategy MSBT Law 

Chartered

08/21/2018 Hazardous Fuel 

Reduction

18,000

09/12/2018 3:17-CV00416-SIAttorney Fees Wild and Scenic 

River

Volker Law Offices 09/13/2018 Recreation 

Heritage 

Wilderness

35,086
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Date Rec Docket, 

Court Case Project Name Vendor Name Date Certified Program Amount

09/12/2018 1:18-CV00653-DLFFOIA Attorney Fees Immigration 

Reform Law 

Institute

09/14/2018 Law 

Enforcement 

OPS WO

1,168

09/12/2018 9:17-CV00021-DLCAttorney Fees Stonewall 

Vegetation 

Project

Public Interest 

Defense Center 

PC

09/18/2018 Pool 5 Common 

Services, 

Vegetation 

Watershed 

MGT, and 

Mineral and 

Geology MGT

77,500

09/18/2018 1:17-CV01277-JEBFOIA Attorney Fees Public Employees 

For 

Environmental

09/19/2018 Forest Products 4,434

Subtotal FY 2018 817,638

Date Rec Docket, 

Court Case Project Name Vendor Name Date Certified Program Amount

11/16/2018 17-CV-456 

(DLF) 

FOIA-Attorney Fees 56 RPM Lewis & Clark 

College

11/28/2018 Recreation 

Heritage 

Wilderness. 

Forest 

Products

65,000

12/21/2018 2:14-CV-105 Sylvania motorboat Herr Cost Mountain States 

Legal Foundation

12/21/2018 Recreation 

Heritage 

Wilderness

2,539

2/5/2019 2:18-CV-0111-

PHX-DLR

Attorney Fees Livestock grazing 

on the Bar X 

Allotment

Advocates for the 

West

2/6/2019 Grazing 

Management

21,232

3/12/2019 4:18-CV00402-JGZLABFOIA-Attorney Fees 18-00402 D Ariz Center for 

Biological 

Diversity

3/14/2019 Recreation 

Heritage 

Wilderness

3,500

3/12/2019 2:16-CV-1648-

MO

FOIA-Attorney Fees Walton Lake 

Restoration 

Project

Lewis & Clark 

College

3/12/2019 Recreation 

Heritage 

Wilderness 

Forest 

Products 

Vegetation 

Watershed 

MGT

194,000

3/19/2019 3:15-CV08286-DMFAttorney Fees Donald and 

Rebecca Routson

Donald Routson 3/19/2019 Pool 1 General 

Management

16,681

3/22/2019 9:19-CV00030-DLCJCLFOIA-Attorney Fees IDP1 IDP3 IDP5 

Supplies Rents 

and Other

Public Interest 

Defense Center

3/22/2019 Pool 5 Common 

Services

400

4/4/2019 18-CV-00340-

TUC-JGZ

FOIA Attorney Fees Center for 

Biological 

Diversity

4/4/2019 CFLR Matching 

NFWF Funds

6,000

4/24/2019 1:15-CV00193-EJLAttorney Fees Lost Creek-Boulder 

Creek Landscape 

Restoration 

Project

Bricklin & Newman 4/24/2019 Pool 4 Ongoing 

Bus SVS

168,750

5/6/2019 18-CV-887-

RBJ

FOIA Attorney Fees Energy & 

Conservation 

Law

5/7/2019 Recreation 

Heritage 

Wilderness

9,500

5/21/2019 1:15-CV00193-EJLAttorney Fees Lost Creek-Boulder 

Creek Landscape 

Restoration 

Project

Bricklin & Newman 5/21/2019 Pool 4 Ongoing 

Bus SVS

168,750

6/4/2019 1:15-CV00193-EJLAttorney Fees Lost Creek-Boulder 

Creek Landscape 

Restoration 

Project

Bricklin & Newman 6/4/2019 Pool 4 Ongoing 

Bus SVS

168,750
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

147

Date Rec Docket, 

Court Case Project Name Vendor Name Date Certified Program Amount

8/5/2019 2:17-CV-0202-

NDF

Attorney Fees Alkali Creek Eubanks & 

Associates

8/5/2019 Pool Ongoing 

Bus SVS 

Wildlife 

Fisheries 

Habitat 

Grazing 

Management 

Vegetation and 

Watershed

145,000

8/12/2019 19-CV-01510-

STV

FOIA Attorney Fees Friends of Animals 8/13/2019 Pool 1 General 

Management

1,330

Subtotal FY 2019 $971,432
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

148

NATIONAL SCENIC AND HISTORIC TRAILS

Background

This special exhibit is included to address requirements of P.L. 111-88 House Report 111-180 page 132, which directed:

“The Committee recommendation retains previous base funding for maintenance, construction, and operation of the network 

of national scenic and historic trails but encourages additional funding for required work of the newly authorized national 

trails. Future budget justifications should continue to provide specific trail operation, maintenance and construction funding 

and accomplishment data for the national scenic and historic trails. The Forest Service should provide full time administrators 

and prepare the required comprehensive management plans for the newly authorized national trails.”

Overview

The Forest Service has designated trail administrators for six National Scenic and Historic Trails (NS&HT): Arizona, 

Continental Divide, Florida, Nez Perce (Nee Mee Poo), Pacific Crest, and Pacific Northwest. The Appalachian Trail (AT) is 

managed in partnership with the National Park Service. The Forest Service manages portions of 15 additional NS&HTs on 

National Forest System lands, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior (DOI), State and county governments, and 

private partners. Funding for administration and management of these trails is included within the Capital Improvement and 

Maintenance Trails appropriation. The trail land acquisition is funded under the Land Acquisition appropriation.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

This 2,190-mile footpath crosses the Appalachian Mountains from Mt. Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in northern 

Georgia, crossing through both the Southern and Eastern Regions of the Forest Service. The trail is protected along more than

99 percent of its course. The partnership that works to manage the AT is comprised of the Forest Service, National Park 

Service, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, with the volunteer assistance of 31 Appalachian Trail Clubs, and other 

organizations. In FY 2019, the AT was maintained in a safe status for visitors along its entire length in both the Forest 

Service Southern Region and Eastern Region, with over 2,243 volunteers contributing nearly 83,331 hours of trail 

maintenance and repair. Three hundred and sixty-four acres were purchased to close gaps in the AT in 2019. The most 

significant was the acquisition on the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee. The Chattahoochee National Forest working 

with Georgia Appalachian Trail Club and Amicolola State Park had 2,668 hikers pre-register to start the hike from the 

southern termini. Pre-registration allows the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Forest Service to work to disperse 

through hikers starting on their journey north in the spring and help educate them to make sure they are better prepared for 

their journey. The Green Mountain National Forest partnered with the Green Mountain Club to provide caretakers at the AT 

shelters to work with the Forest visitors and our Outfitter & Guide Special Use Permit holders to ensure everyone stays in 

designated areas and helped maintain privies, shelters, and water resources. The Green Mountain National Forest staff led 

volunteers on the Stratton Pond portion of the AT, worked 12 weeks with the Vermont Youth Conservation Crew on a 

variety of trail projects, and constructed two new moldering privies at Governor Clement and William Douglas shelters.

Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT)

This 800-mile trail showcases Arizona’s diverse landscapes, offering unparalleled backcountry experiences in settings 

ranging from the Sonoran Desert to alpine forests. It connects deserts, mountains, canyons, wilderness and communities, 

crossing four National Forests, four National Park units, two Bureau of Land Management (BLM) districts, and other lands. 

Partners include the Arizona Trail Association (ATA), Federal agencies, State and local governments, Tribes, and youth 

corps. In FY 2019, over 753 volunteers contributed a total of 16,157 hours of work in support of the Trail. In addition to trail 

maintenance and construction, volunteers installed 11 super gates on National Forests and 1,580 feet of log fences at 

trailheads.

The Arizona Trail continues to be threatened by unusually large and destructive wildfires. The 29-mile Superstition 

Wilderness Passage was closed for 84 days due to the Woodbury Fire which grew to 123,875 acres. Monsoon rains followed, 

creating significant erosion damage. A survey by the ATA and the American Conservation Experience revealed 9.3 miles of 

trail suffered severe impacts and many more miles were moderately or lightly damaged. Signage throughout the passage was 

found to be damaged and in need of replacement.

Seventeen miles of the AZT was constructed in FY 2019 to move the Trail off roads in order to provide the optimal 

experience for trail users. In August, nine Arizona Trail Association volunteers installed a new rainwater collector on the 

driest section of the AZT. A first for the Trail, the collector catches and stores rainwater that will serve equestrian trail users. 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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The water will be cleaner than most natural water sources but must be filtered and/or treated if consumed by people. If 

successful, it will serve as a prototype for installations on other dry stretches of the Trail.

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT)

The 3,100-mile CDT runs along the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Mexico to Canada. It connects 20 national forests, 

three national parks, one national monument, 13 BLM field offices, and historic sites. About 95 percent of the trail is located 

on public lands; however, many trail segments are currently co-located along open roads or motorized trails. Easements are 

lacking across numerous parcels of private and State land and are needed to secure a continuous route for permanent public 

use.

Partners include the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Montana Wilderness Association, Colorado Trail Foundation, 

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Montana Conservation Corps, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Conservation Legacy,

Backcountry Horsemen and numerous other Federal, State, and local nongovernmental organizations. In FY 2019, the Forest 

Service developed a new website for the CDT to provide improved information about the trail and help promote knowledge 

of and appreciation for the uniqueness of the Continental Divide as the headwaters of our nation. The Forest Service also 

developed a list of best management practices for planning and implementing vegetation treatments along the CDT and 

developed guiding principles for management of trail uses on the CDT. Both of these documents help to elevate awareness of 

the CDT as a special resource with specific management considerations and promote more consistent management to provide 

improved visitor experiences.

The CDT Coalition (CDTC) launched an initiative called “Faces of the Continental Divide: Sharing Stories, Connecting 

Communities.” With the help of numerous partners across the trail, CDTC began to collect untold stories that celebrate the 

ways the diverse communities located along the Continental Divide connect to the land. Throughout the summer, participants 

shared their stories at events along the trail, telling about their personal connections with the landscapes that they cherish and 

steward. This summer-long celebration inspired hundreds of individuals to explore the Trail and to connect to the CDT 

community. The CDTC also designated two new Gateway Communities and launched a new interactive online CDT map to 

provide improved information to trail visitors. Additionally, CDTC was instrumental in developing the first ever CDT visitor 

brochure. This brochure is available to the public free of charge. It contains photos and maps of the trail, information about 

the Native homelands, Federally-administered lands, and watersheds along the Continental Divide, as well as educational

information about how to recreate responsibly.

Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST)

The FNST consists of a 1,500-mile planning corridor stretching from Big Cypress National Preserve in the Everglades to 

Gulf Islands National Seashore in the panhandle of Florida. There are 1,196 miles of certified FNST on the ground, and

roughly 300 miles of gaps exists within the trail. Partners include the Florida Trail Association, Framing Our Community, 

National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Forest Service, Florida State Parks, and many other 

agencies and organizations. In FY 2019, volunteers maintained 100 percent of the FNST, contributing 22,000 hours. The 

Forest Service together with Florida Trail Coalition partners continue to carry out the goals of our Five-Year Strategic Plan 

for the Florida Trail. The program hosted a Public Land Corps-eligible intern who assisted with the planning and 

implementation of the five-year plan. Hurricane damage recovery had a substantial impact on volunteer hours, and work 

continues to rebuild trail in the impacted areas. Successfully adding four new land management partners and 15 miles of 

designated trail, the FNST continues to improve routing and protection throughout the State for a safer and more scenic 

experience.

Nez Perce National Historic Trail (NPNHT)

In 1986, Congress acknowledged the significance of the Nez Perce Conflict of 1877 by establishing the 1,170-mile NPNHT. 

With the cooperation of the State Highway Department and County Commissioners in the States of Oregon, Washington, 

Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, over 2,991 miles of roads are designated as the NPNHT Auto Tour Route. The NPNHT 

includes a designated corridor encompassing 4,161 miles of roads, trails and routes. The route roughly parallels the course 

travelled by the five Nez Perce bands during their historic 1877 odyssey and offers opportunities for off-highway vehicles, 

biking, and snowmobile use. The NPNHT has 79 historic sites to be managed and seven high potential route segments which 

have historic tread from 1877 or were prehistoric travel routes. The NPNHT is currently revising its Comprehensive Plan for 

trail administration and management.

Partners include the Nez Perce Trail Foundation, Nez Perce Appaloosa Horse Club, the Idaho Chapter of the Lewis and Clark 

Trail Heritage Foundation, the Wallowa Band Nez Perce Trail Interpretive Center, the Bitter Root Cultural Heritage Trust, 
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Eastern Oregon University, and Montana Natural History Center. An ongoing exhibit, “The Journey of the Resilient Nez 

Perce People,” is designed to travel to other communities along the trail.

Much needed trail maintenance continues to be completed by the Forest Service, other agencies, and partner groups. A crew 

of five from the Nez Perce Tribe maintained 18 miles of trail in central Idaho. On the Bitterroot National Forest, the Trapper 

Creek Job Corps assisted the Forest trail crew in maintaining the Nee-Mee-Poo National Historic Trail. On the BeaverheadDeerlodge National Forest the Skinner Meadows interpretive signage was installed and the Forest funded AmeriCorps St. 

Louis to assist. On the Lolo National Forest, staff treated invasive plants to preserve the Trail’s natural condition, cleared 

trees from the Trail, and maintained markers and signs. On the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, work on the NPNHT 

by a Montana Conservation Corps crew included cutting wind felled trees, brush, limbs, and reconstructed waterbars, and 

replacing rotten and burned-out logs with rock. On the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, staff maintained 19.3 miles of the 

NPNHT and associated feeder trails.

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT)

This 2,650-mile trail follows the crest of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges from Mexico to Canada through 

California, Oregon, and Washington. The trail crosses 25 national forests; seven BLM field offices; six National Park Service

units; five national monuments; and 48 designated wilderness areas. Over half of the PCT is in designated Wilderness, and 

nine Wild and Scenic Rivers cross its path. Partners include the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), American 

Conservation Experience (ACE), Washington Trails Association, Pacific Northwest Trail Association, California 

Conservation Corps, Northwest Youth Corps, Washington Conservation Corps, Oregon Equestrian Trails, Backcountry 

Horsemen of California, Oregon, Washington, and many other organizations.

FY 2019 was a year of significant environmental challenges with a Sierra snowpack 200 percent of normal, earthquakes 

(centered near Ridgecrest, CA), and continued fire restoration efforts on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, WA 

(Holman and Miriam fires) and San Bernardino National Forest, CA (Mountain Fire). Education efforts were increased to 

advise hikers and equestrians of snowpack and stream crossing dangers and to adjust itineraries according to conditions and 

their skills and abilities. The Crest Runner and Trailhead Host program (Cleveland National Forest) contacted 3,270 hikers 

and equestrians traveling on the PCT and the program expanded into the Inyo National Forest, gateway to the High Sierra, 

with increased wilderness patrols. As a result of increased education and contacts, the Crest Runners documented a decrease 

in trash, water caches, and toilet paper along the PCT’s southernmost 100 miles. The PCT program also continues to 

collaborate with wilderness managers in the southern Sierra for the fourth year on visitor use management concerns along the 

John Muir Trail 170-mile overlap with the PCT.

The Pacific Crest Trail Association partnered with Michigan-California Timber Company and The Trust for Public Land to 

acquire 10,300 acres in northern California along the Trinity Divide in the Shasta-Trinity and Klamath National Forests. That 

acquisition included 17 miles of the PCT over a 30-mile stretch and is one of the largest PCT protection projects. The 

PCTA’s volunteer trail maintenance and construction efforts focused on areas where fire and floods/mudslides have closed 

the trail. There was a significant flooding event in February 2019 that obliterated the trail for approximately six miles (15 

crossings) of Mission Creek in southern California (San Bernardino National Forest and Palm Springs BLM). The Echo 

Summit (Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and Eldorado National Forest) and Sierra Buttes (Tahoe National Forest) trail 

relocation projects are further examples of partnerships with the Forests, PCTA, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and American 

Conservation Experience.

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNNST)

The PNNST begins at the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park in Montana and travels 1,200 miles through Montana, 

Idaho, and Washington before reaching the Pacific Ocean. The trail’s complex land ownership includes three national parks, 

seven national forests, six Washington State Parks, and other lands. Partners include the Pacific Northwest Trail Association 

(PNTA); Back Country Horsemen of Washington, Idaho, and Montana; Washington Trails Association; Student 

Conservation Association; University of Montana; Western Washington University; and other organizations. In FY 2019, 

volunteers from the PNTA performed over 21,530 hours of maintenance, a value of over $547,507. Together, the Forest 

Service and partners maintained 435 miles of trail and improved 6 miles. The PNTA raised over $234,000 in non-Federal 

funds for stewardship of the PNNST.

The Forest Service and PNTA collaborated to address several years of deferred maintenance and wildfire damage to the 

PNNST and other trails in the Methow Valley Ranger District, which is one of the 15 National Trails Strategy Trail 

Maintenance Priority Areas. In the district’s Pasayten Wilderness, two teams of youth participants in PNTA’s Performance 
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Trail Crew program contributed 80 crew days of trail maintenance and rehabilitation. They coordinated with Forest Service 

crews and other local partners, such as the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, to reopen the east/west route across the 

Pasayten and restore access for stock by removing over 1,000 logs from the route.

In June, the Regional Foresters from the Pacific Northwest and Northern regions of the Forest Service signed a Memorandum 

of Understanding (MOU) with the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho (KTOI) at KTOI Tribal Headquarters in Bonners Ferry, ID. The 

KTOI is a federally-recognized Indian Tribal Government that is part of the Ktunaxa Nation that has inhabited Ktunaxa 

Territory since time immemorial. The KTOI possesses Treaty-reserved hunting, fishing, and gathering rights and exercises 

cultural and religious practices on National Forest System lands, including lands encompassing the PNNST. The MOU 

outlines roles and timeframes for regular communication and coordination between the Forest Service and KTOI, as well as 

two levels of Government-to-Government consultation, regarding the PNNST. Implementation of the MOU allows the Forest 

Service better awareness and understanding of issues that concern KTOI and provides opportunities for the parties to 

mutually identify possible solutions.

Other National Scenic and Historic Trails (NSHT)

The Forest Service coordinates management with other Federal public land agencies for an additional 15 national scenic and 

historic trails totaling over 6,700 miles. These trails are: California, Camino Real Tejas, Camino Tierra Adentro, De Anza, 

Ice Age, Iditarod, Lewis and Clark, Mormon Pioneer, North Country, Old Spanish, Oregon, Overmountain Victory, Pony 

Express, Santa Fe, and Trail of Tears.

Funding for National Scenic and Historic Trails (dollars in thousands)

Name

2019 Actual 2020 Enacted 2021 Budget Request

Trails Land Acq. Sub-total Trails Land Acq. Sub-total Trails Land Acq. Sub-total

Appalachian ..................... $280 $820 $1,100 $300 $820 $1,120 $300 $0 $300

Arizona ............................ 492 0 492 512 0 512 512 0 512

Continental Divide........... 1,675 0 1,675 1,694 0 1,694 1,694 0 1,694

Florida.............................. 1,300 0 1,300 1,317 0 1,317 1,317 0 1,317

Nez Perce ......................... 800 0 800 620 0 620 620 0 620

Pacific Crest..................... 1,827 3,200 5,027 1,846 3,200 5,046 1,846 0 1,846

Pacific Northwest............. 836 0 836 855 0 855 855 0 855

All-others......................... 700 2,700 3,400 782 2,700 3,482 782 0 782

Total ................................... $7,910 $6,720 $14,630 $7,926 $6,720 $14,646 $7,926 0 $7,926

FY 2019 Partner Contributions and Associated Accomplishments

Location Volunteer 

Hours

Volunteer Inkind 

Contributions

Non-Cash 

Contributions

Miles of Trail 

Maintained

Miles of 

Trail 

Improved

Acres 

Acquired

Major 

Structures 

Constructed

Appalachian ................ 83,331 $2,119,107 $36,239 1,033 0 364 2

Arizona ....................... 16,157 403,925 45,156 270 $19 0 25

Continental Divide...... 47,500 1,233,575 0 1750 27 0 5

Florida......................... 21,917 557,349 12,000 1,296 16 1 1

Nez Perce .................... 26,735 427,769 213,880 800 3 35 6

Pacific Crest................ 101,848 2,590,000 15,959 1,564 32.1 2,138 3

Pacific Northwest........ 21,350 547,507 1,980 435 6 0 0

Total .............................. 318,838 7,879,232 325,214 7,148 103 2,538 42 
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OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL REIMBURSEMENT

Background

This special exhibit is required by P.L. 110-161, page 121, Administrative Provisions, which directed:

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any appropriations or funds available to the Forest Service not to exceed 

$500,000 may be used to reimburse the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Department of Agriculture, for travel and 

related expenses incurred as a result of OGC assistance or participation requested by the Forest Service at meetings, training 

sessions, management reviews, land purchase negotiations and similar non-litigation related matters. Future budget 

justifications for both the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture should clearly display the sums previously 

transferred and the requested funding transfers.”

Overview

The USDA Office of General Counsel bills the Forest Service quarterly for non-litigation travel and related costs. The table 

below reflects billings received to date.

Office of General Counsel Reimbursement FY 2018 to FY 2021

FY 2018 Actual

Reimbursement

FY 2019 As of

Oct 15, 2019

FY 2020 Planned

Reimbursement

FY 2021 Planned

Reimbursement

$4,357 $5,138 $10,000 $10,000
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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FIELD UNIT BUDGET REPORT

Introduction

This report was produced in accordance with the FY 2018 Congressional direction and is information presented with the 

Forest Service’s annual Budget Justification and related briefing materials. The report provides detailed information on 

Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) activities and expenditures undertaken at facilities across the country. 

Congressional direction motivating this report:

“The Service is directed to update the report provided to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations that describes 

its research program in detail. The report should be transmitted as part of the fiscal year 2018 budget request. It should 

include information on each research laboratory, including their relationship to the research stations, their goals and purpose, 

the funding provided for each of the previous five fiscal years, the funding proposed to be provided in fiscal year 2018, the 

allocation of funding between research and administrative costs, the allocation of funding and projects between in-house and 

extramural research, and the number of scientists and support staff. The report also should include similar information for 

each research station.” --Joint Explanatory Statement, Division G, for the Fiscal Year 2016 Consolidated Appropriations 

Act, H.R. 2029.

Overview and Budget Summary

America’s forested ecosystems are a major national strategic asset that provide many social, ecological and economic 

benefits. The Forest Service’s broad and complex portfolios of natural resources and policy issues span across public and 

private lands. The foundation of these efforts and decisions are grounded in sound science that is primarily conducted by 

Forest Service Research and Development (R&D). Science-based management is fundamental to restoring, enhancing and 

sustainably reaping ecological, social, environmental benefits from the Nation’s forest and grasslands.

Forest Service R&D installations are distributed across the 50 States and Puerto Rico. This research is administered by a 

national laboratory, an international institute, and five research stations. The national laboratory and international institute are 

the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, WI and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry in Rio Piedras, Puerto 

Rico, respectively. The five stations include:

• Northern Research Station, headquartered in Madison, WI

• Pacific Northwest Research Station, headquartered in Portland, OR

• Pacific Southwest Research Station, headquartered in Albany, CA

• Rocky Mountain Research Station, headquartered in Fort Collins, CO

• Southern Research Station, headquartered in Asheville, NC

This report provides detailed actual and estimated information on Forest Service R&D expenditures in the field units from 

FY 2018 – FY 2021.

Forest Service R&D allocations by Research Station and fiscal years (dollars in thousands)

Item 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Forest Products Laboratory:

Research................................................... $22,103 $22,103 $22,937 $22,075

Total, Forest Products Laboratory............... 22,103 22,103 22,937 22,075

International Institute of Tropical Forestry:

Research..................................................... 2,670 2,670 2,843 2,664

Other a ................................................................................. 1,903 1,903 1,903 1,902

Total, International Institute of Tropical 

Forestry .................................................... 4,573 4,573 4,746 4,566 

Northern Research Station:

Research................................................... 51,828 51,828 53,784 51,762

Total, Northern Research Station................. 51,828 51,828 53,784 51,762 

Pacific Northwest Research Station:
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Item 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Research..................................................... 39,529 43,060 41,258 39,470

Other ......................................................... 6,277 2,393 6,277 6,277

Total, Pacific Northwest Research Station... 45,806 45,453 47,535 45,747

Pacific Southwest Research Station:

Research..................................................... 18,887 18,887 19,609 18,863

Other ......................................................... 245 245 245 245

Total, Pacific Southwest Research Station... 19,132 19,132 19,854 19,108

Rocky Mountain Research Station:

Research..................................................... 42,961 42,961 45,204 42,885

Other ......................................................... 16,487 16,487 16,487 16,487

Total, Rocky Mountain Research Station .... 59,448 59,448 61,691 59,372 

Southern Research Station:

Research..................................................... 38,902 38,902 40,500 38,848

Other ......................................................... 3,453 3,453 3,453 3,453

Total, Southern Research Station.................. 42,355 42,355 43,953 42,301

Grand Total.................................................... $245,245 $244,892 $254,500 $244,931

a Includes funds from other Forest Service budget line items such National Forest System and State and Private Forestry (FY 2018-FY 2021). 

Forest Products Laboratory

The Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) is the Nation’s leading Federal wood utilization research laboratory and serves the 

entire United States. The FPL develops innovative science and technology to conserve, extend and sustainably utilize forest 

resources to improve health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forest to meet the needs of current and future 

generations.

Forest Product Laboratory Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories 

(dollars in thousands)

Forest Product Laboratory 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories:

Scientist.......................................................................................... 50 47 49 46

Support staff................................................................................... 92 83 87 84

Administrative Support ................................................................. 6 5 7 6

Professional/Technical Support .................................................... 86 78 80 78

Breakout by Administrative and Research Allocation:

Administrative Allocation.............................................................. $6,038 $5,639 $5,825 $5,515

Research Allocation ....................................................................... 16,065 15,846 17,112 16,560

Total, Administrative and Research Allocations.......................... $22,103 $21,485 $22,937 $22,075
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Forest Products Laboratory Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Programs 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Advanced Composite Sciences Research:

Allocation................................................................................... $1,755 $1,443 $1,651 $1,530

Scientists.................................................................................... 6 5 5 4

Support Staff.............................................................................. 4 2 0 2

Administrative ............................................................................ 1 1 1 1

Professional/Technical................................................................ 3 1 1 1

Forest Biopolymer Science and Engineering:

Allocation................................................................................... $2,265 $2,146 $2,384 $2,275

Scientists.................................................................................... 0 8 9 8

Support Staff.............................................................................. 5 4 3 3

Administrative ............................................................................ 1 1 1 1

Professional/Technical................................................................ 4 3 2 2 

Fiber and Chemical Sciences:

Allocation................................................................................... $2,135 $2,020 $2,430 $2,450

Scientists.................................................................................... 5 5 6 6

Support Staff.............................................................................. 7 3 3 0

Professional/Technical................................................................ 7 3 3 3

Institute for Microbial and Biochemical Technology:

Allocation................................................................................... $2,517 $1,182 $2,109 $2,125

Scientists.................................................................................... 5 4 4 4

Support Staff.............................................................................. 3 1 1 1

Administrative ........................................................................... 1 0 0 0

Professional/Technical................................................................ 2 1 1 1

Engineered Properties and Structures:

Allocation................................................................................... $2,820 $3,200 $3,750 $3,450

Scientists.................................................................................... 7 6 6 5

Support Staff.............................................................................. 2 2 2 2

Administrative ........................................................................... 1 2 2 0

Professional/Technical................................................................ 1 0 0 0

Wood Anatomy and Forest Mycology in a Changing Global 

Environment:

Allocation................................................................................... $315 $593 $600 $620 

Scientists.................................................................................... 3 3 3 3

Support Staff.............................................................................. 0 1 1 1

Administrative ........................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Professional/Technical................................................................ 0 1 1 1

Fire Building Sciences:

Allocation................................................................................... $880 $1,363 $843 $870

Scientists.................................................................................... 2 4 4 4

Support Staff.............................................................................. 5 3 3 3

Administrative ........................................................................... 1 0 0 0

Professional/Technical................................................................ 4 3 3 3

Durability and Wood Protection Research:

Allocation................................................................................... $1,680 $2,614 $1,696 $1,570

Scientists.................................................................................... 8 6 7 7
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Description of Research Programs 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Support Staff.............................................................................. 11 7 7 6

Professional/Technical................................................................ 11 7 6 5

Economics and Statistics Research:

Allocation................................................................................... $1,698 $1,285 $1,649 $1,670

Scientists.................................................................................... 6 6 5 5

Support Staff.............................................................................. 1 1 1 1

Administrative ............................................................................ 1 1 1 1

Total, Allocation............................................................................ $16,065 $15,846 $17,112 $16,560

Total, Scientists ............................................................................. 42 47 49 46

Total, Support Staff ...................................................................... 38 24 23 22

Total, Administrative...................................................................... 6 5 5 3

Total, Professional/Technical........................................................ 32 19 17 16

Forest Products Laboratory Facilities

Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Forest Products Lab Complex of 14 buildings 

co-located on the 

University of 

Wisconsin 43 5 74 3,300

Wood Protection and 

Termite Laboratory

Starkville, MS

4 1 4 100

International Institute of Tropical Forestry

The International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) is dedicated to tropical forestry on an international level and develops 

and exchanges knowledge critical to sustaining tropical ecosystem benefits.

IITF Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories (dollars in thousands)

International Institute of Tropical Forestry 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Research Allocations:

Research $2,670 $2,670 $2,843 $2,664 

Other funding a 1,903 1,903 1,903 1,902 

Total Allocation 4,573 4,804 4,746 4,566 

Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories:

Scientists 11 11 11 11 

Support staff 18 18 18 17 

Administrative Support 1 1 1 2 

Professional/Technical Support 17 17 17 15 

Breakout by Administrative and Research Allocations:

Administrative Allocation 1,277 1,289 1,201 1,201 

Research Allocation 3,296 3,515 3,545 3,365 

Total, Administrative & Research Allocations $4,573 $4,804 $4,746 $4,566 

a

Includes funds from other Forest Service budget line items such as the National Forest System and State and Private Forestry.
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IITF Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Forest and Rangeland Research:

Allocation.............................................................................. $2,670 $2,901 $2,843 $ 2,664

Scientists............................................................................... 11 11 11 11

Support Staff......................................................................... 17 17 17 17

Administrative ....................................................................... 1 1 2 2 

Professional/Technical........................................................... 16 16 15 15

National Fire Plan:

Allocation.............................................................................. 99 0 0 0

Scientists............................................................................... 7 6 5 5

Support Staff......................................................................... 92 92 75 75

Total, Allocation....................................................................... $2,769 $2,901 $2,843 $2,664

Total, Scientists ........................................................................ 18 17 17 17

Total, Support Staff ................................................................. 109 109 92 89

Total, Administrative................................................................. 1 1 1 1

Total, Professional/Technical................................................... 16 16 15 15

IITF Facilities (dollars in thousands)

Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

Administrative

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/Te

chnical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

International Institute of 

Tropical Forestry

Forest Serviceowned facilities 

on leased land 8 1 12 $369

Sabana Field Research 

Station

Forest Serviceowned Station 3 1 3 41

Northern Research Station

The mission of the Northern Research Station (NRS) is to improve people’s lives and help sustain the natural resources in the 

Northeast and Midwest through leading-edge science and effective information delivery. The NRS geographically covers a 

20-State region across the Midwest and Northeast, comprising both the most densely populated and heavily forested region in 

America.

Northern Research Station Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories 

(dollars in thousands)

Northern Research Station 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Research Allocations:

Research and Development............................... $51,828 $51,828 $53,784 $51,762

Total Allocation.................................................. 51,828 51,828 53,784 51,762 

Staffing by Science and Administrative 

Categories:

Scientists.......................................................... 120 120 95 111

Support staff..................................................... 240 215 213 210

Administrative Support..................................... 65 58 58 57
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Northern Research Station 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Professional/Technical Support ....................... 176 157 155 153

Breakout by Administrative and Research 

Allocations:

Administrative Allocation................................ $6,668 $6,709 $6,514 $6,522 

Research Allocation ......................................... 45,160 45,119 47,270 45,240 

Total, Administrative and Research 

Allocations.................................................... $51,828 $51,828 $53,784 $51,762 

Northern Research Station Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Ecology & Economic Sustainability of the Appalachian Forest in the Era of Globalization Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $2,561 $2,427 $2,350 $2,360

Scientists................................................................... 9 7 7 7

Support Staff............................................................. 13 13 10 10

Administrative ........................................................... 1 1 1 1

Professional/Technical............................................... 1 12 9 9

Sustaining Forests in a Changing Environment:

Allocation.................................................................. $2,954 $2,428 $2,450 $2,460

Scientists................................................................... 10 11 11 12

Support Staff............................................................. 9 8 8 8

Administrative ........................................................... 0 0 1 1

Professional/Technical............................................... 9 8 7 7

Ecology and Management of Invasive Species and Forest 

Ecosystem Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $3,107 0 0 $2,850

Scientists................................................................... 10 9 9 9

Support Staff............................................................. 18 13 11 11

Administrative ........................................................... 2 2 1 1

Professional/Technical............................................... 16 11 10 10

Forest Inventory and Analysis in the Northern Station:

Allocation.................................................................. $15,010 $15,431 $15,700 $15,500

Scientists................................................................... 18 17 18 18

Support Staff............................................................. 78 80 84 82

Administrative ........................................................... 5 5 4 4

Professional/Technical............................................... 73 75 80 78

Climate, Fire, and Carbon Cycle Analysis Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $3,611 $3,680 $3,650 $3,665

Scientists................................................................... 11 11 10 10

Support Staff............................................................. 15 13 13 12

Administrative ........................................................... 3 2 2 2

Professional/Technical............................................... 12 11 11 10

Research on Ecosystem Change:

Allocation.................................................................. $4,650 $5,595 $7,500 $5,600

Scientists................................................................... 14 14 1 14

Support Staff............................................................. 14 15 15 15
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Administrative ........................................................... 1 1 2 2

Professional/Technical............................................... 13 14 13 13

Urban Forest, Human Health, and Environmental Quality 

Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $3,135 $3,096 $3,020 $3,030

Scientists................................................................... 11 9 9 9

Support Staff............................................................. 6 6 5 5

Administrative ........................................................... 1 1 1 1

Professional/Technical............................................... 5 5 4 4

Social Science Supporting Natural Resource Management and 

Policy:

Allocation................................................................. $1,658 $1,882 $1,950 $1,820

Scientists.................................................................. 7 7 7 6

Support Staff............................................................ 3 5 5 5

Administrative .......................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/Technical.............................................. 1 3 3 3

Sustainable Management of Central Hardwoods, Ecosystems, 

and Landscapes Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $1,352 $1,258 $1,275 $1,320

Scientists................................................................... 5 5 5 5

Support Staff............................................................. 3 3 2 2

Administrative ........................................................... 0 0 0 0

Professional/Technical............................................... 3 3 2 2

Applied Ecosystem Research: Theory and Application of 

Scaling Science in Forestry:

Allocation.................................................................. $1,604 $1,603 $1,675 $1,690

Scientists................................................................... 5 5 5 5

Support Staff............................................................. 4 3 4 4

Administrative ........................................................... 1 1 1 1

Professional/Technical............................................... 3 2 3 3

Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center:

Allocation.................................................................. $894 $866 $950 $960

Scientists................................................................... 3 3 4 4

Support Staff............................................................. 2 2 1 1

Administrative ........................................................... 0 0 0 0

Professional/Technical............................................... 2 2 1 1

Strategic Foresight Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $602 $447 $225 $225

Scientists................................................................... 3 2 1 1

Support Staff............................................................. 0 0 0 0

Administrative ........................................................... 0 0 0 0

Professional/Technical............................................... 0 0 0 0

Restoration and Conservation of Rural and Urban Forests 

Research:

Allocation.................................................................. $4,022 $3,656 $3,750 $3,760

Scientists................................................................... 14 12 11 11

Support Staff............................................................. 17 12 13 14
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Administrative ........................................................... 2 1 1 1

Professional/Technical............................................... 15 11 12 13

Total, Allocation........................................................... $45,160 $42,369 $44,495 $45,240

Total, Scientists ............................................................ 120 112 111 111

Total, Support Staff ..................................................... 182 173 171 169

Total, Administrative..................................................... 18 16 16 16

Total, Professional/Technical....................................... 164 157 155 153

Northern Research Station Facilities (dollars in thousands)

Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of Support 

Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of Support 

Staff (Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Hamden/Ansonia, 

CT

Forest Service-owned laboratory, 

administration offices, and 

the Ansonia Quarantine 

Laboratory 2 1 7 155 

Evanston, IL Forest Service-leased 

administrative building 4 2 2 150 

West Lafayette, 

IN

Purdue University administrative 

offices and laboratories 4 0 2 0

Amherst, MA University of Massachusetts 

administrative offices 4 0 1 100 

Baltimore, MD Forest Service-leased 

administrative building 4 0 6 140 

Orono/Bradley, 

ME

University of Maine 

administrative office 2 1 0 0

Lansing, MI Forest Service-leased 

administrative building 4 2 3 190 

Houghton, MI Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices on 

Michigan Tech campus 4 1 5 75 

Grand Rapids, 

MN

Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 4 2 9 90 

St. Paul, MN Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices on 

University of Minnesota 

campus 15 16 18 175 

Columbia, MO University of Missouri 

administrative and laboratory 

offices 5 0 2 0

Durham, NH Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices on 

University of New 

Hampshire campus 15 3 13 85 

Syracuse, NY Syracuse University New York 

Administrative Office 1 0 4 25 

New York, NY Forest Service-leased 

administrative building 3 0 0 90 

Delaware, OH Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 9 3 7 80 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of Support 

Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of Support 

Staff (Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Wyndmoor, PA USDA owned administrative 

building 0 10 10 50 

Warren, PA Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 5 1 4 60 

Burlington, VT Forest Service leased lab and 

admin offices on University 

of Vermont campus 3 0 3 45 

Madison, WI Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 3 3 5 0

Rhinelander, WI Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 7 2 3 80 

Morgantown, WV Forest Service owned lab and 

admin offices on West 

Virginia University campus 5 2 7 130 

Parsons, WV Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 2 2 9 60 

Princeton, WV Forest Service-owned laboratory 

and administrative offices 4 0 4 30 

Pacific Northwest Research Station

The mission of the Pacific Northwest Station (PNW) is to generate and communicate impartial knowledge to help people 

understand and make informed choices about natural resource management and sustainability.

Pacific Northwest Research Station Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories 

(dollars in thousands)

Pacific Northwest Research Station 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Research Allocations:

Research and Development........................................ $39,529 $43,060 $41,258 $39,470

Other funding a........................................................... 6,277 2,393 6,277 6,277

Total Allocation........................................................... 45,806 45,453 47,535 45,747

Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories:

Scientists.................................................................... 74 62 65 65

Support staff............................................................... 240 232 245 245

Administrative Support ............................................. 68 65 70 70

Professional/Technical Support ................................ 172 167 175 175

Breakout by Administrative and Research Allocations:

Administrative Allocation.......................................... $11,314 $11,227 $11,712 $11,271

Research Allocation................................................... 34,492 34,226 35,823 34,476

Total, Administrative and Research Allocations...... $45,806 $45,453 $47,535 $45,747

a Includes funds from other Forest Service budget line items such National Forest System and State and Private Forestry (FY 2018-FY 2021).
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Pacific Northwest Research Station Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 Budget

Request

Ecological Process and Function:

Allocation ......................................................................................... $4,947 $4,652 $4,815 $4,615

Scientists........................................................................................... 18 16 16 16

Support Staff..................................................................................... 21 20 21 21

Administrative................................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/technical....................................................................... 19 18 19 19

Goods, Services and Values:

Allocation ......................................................................................... $3,141 $2,869 $3,058 $2,931

Scientists........................................................................................... 14 11 12 12

Support Staff..................................................................................... 3 2 3 3

Administrative................................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/technical....................................................................... 1 0 1 1

Land and Watershed Management:

Allocation ......................................................................................... $4,839 $4,211 $4,709 $4,514

Scientists........................................................................................... 15 13 12 12

Support Staff..................................................................................... 23 20 23 23

Administrative................................................................................... 1 2 1 1

Professional/technical....................................................................... 22 18 22 22

Forest Inventory and Analysis/Resource Monitoring and Assessment:

Allocation ......................................................................................... $14,273 $13,831 $13,893 $13,317

Scientists........................................................................................... 12 10 10 10

Support Staff..................................................................................... 103 93 104 104

Administrative................................................................................... 5 4 5 5

Professional/technical....................................................................... 99 89 99 99

Threat Characterization and Management:

Allocation ......................................................................................... $2,212 $4,941 $2,153 $2,064

Scientists........................................................................................... 16 12 15 15

Support Staff..................................................................................... 14 9 14 14

Administrative................................................................................... 2 1 2 2

Professional/technical....................................................................... 12 8 12 12

Total Allocation.................................................................................. $29,412 $30,504 $28,628 $27,441

Total Scientists ................................................................................... 75 62 65 65

Total Support Staff ............................................................................ 164 144 165 165

Administrative ..................................................................................... 12 11 12 12

Professional/technical......................................................................... 153 133 153 153
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Pacific Northwest Research Station – Facilities

Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

Administrative

Number of 

Support Staff 

Professional/

technical

Facility 

Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Station Directors Office - Portland GSA Leased Space 0 19 16 410

Anchorage GSA Leased Space 1 1 33 285

Corvallis Owned Space 19 9 31 1,162

Fairbanks University of Alaska 

Leased Space 1 0 0 0

Juneau Owned Space 4 3 5 154

La Grande Owned Space 3 2 12 128

Olympia Owned Space 6 3 11 157

Portland GSA Leased Space 4 4 24 627

Prineville NFS Leased Space 0 3 0 50

Seattle GSA Leased Space 11 3 4 488

Sitka Leased Space 2 0 0 11

Wenatchee Owned Space 5 3 3 177

Pacific Southwest Research Station

The Pacific Southwest Research Station (PSW) provides research to inform management and conservation efforts in the 

unique ecosystems of California, Hawaii, and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands. These include the nation’s lowest and driest 

desert, the highest elevations within the 48 contiguous States, and rich native plant and animal diversity, including nearly half 

of the nation’s threatened and endangered species.

Pacific Southwest Research Station Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories (dollars in 

thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Research Allocations:

Research & Development ................................................. $18,887 $18,887 $19,609 $18,863

Other funding a ................................................................. 245 245 245 245

Total Allocation.................................................................. 19,132 19,132 19,854 19,108

Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories:

Scientists........................................................................... 35 35 33 33

Support staff...................................................................... 112 112 109 109

Administrative .................................................................. 39 39 38 38

Professional/Technical ..................................................... 73 73 73 70

Breakout by Administrative and Research Allocations:

Administrative Allocation................................................. 4,400 4,400 4,400 4,300

Research Allocation .......................................................... 14,732 14,732 15,454 14,808

Total Admin and Research Allocation ............................. $19,132 $19,132 $19,854 $19,108

a Includes funds from other Forest Service budget line items such National Forest System and State and Private Forestry (FY 2018-FY 2021).
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Pacific Southwest Research Station Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Conservation of Biodiversity:

Allocation........................................................................... $4,000 $4,000 $4,200 $4,000

Scientists............................................................................ 8 7 7 7

Support Staff...................................................................... 30 30 28 28

Administrative .................................................................... 3 3 3 3

Professional/technical........................................................ 27 27 25 25

Ecosystem Function and Health:

Allocation........................................................................... $4,200 $4,200 $4,400 $4,200

Scientists............................................................................ 10 10 10 10

Support Staff...................................................................... 25 25 25 25

Administrative .................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/technical........................................................ 23 23 23 23

Fire and Fuels:

Allocation........................................................................... $2,800 $2,800 $2,900 $2,900

Scientists............................................................................ 7 6 6 6

Support Staff...................................................................... 13 13 13 13

Administrative .................................................................... 1 1 1 1

Professional/technical........................................................ 12 12 12 12

Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry:

Allocation........................................................................... $2,300 $2,300 $2,400 $2,300

Scientists............................................................................ 7 7 7 7

Support Staff...................................................................... 14 14 14 14

Administrative .................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/technical........................................................ 12 12 12 12

Urban Ecosystems and Social Dynamics:

Allocation........................................................................... $1,400 $1,400 $1,500 $1,400

Scientists............................................................................ 5 4 4 4

Support Staff...................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Administrative .................................................................... 1 1 1 1

Professional/technical........................................................ 1 1 1 1

Total Allocation................................................................... $14,700 $14,700 $15,400 $14,800

Total Scientists 37 34 34 34

Total Support Staff.............................................................. 84 84 82 82

Administrative..................................................................... 9 9 9 9

Professional/technical.......................................................... 75 75 75 75

Pacific Southwest Research Station – Facilities

 Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Albany, CA Co-located with ARS 3 16 5 105 

Arcata, CA Co-located with Humboldt 

State University 2 1 16 75 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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 Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Davis, CA Near University of California 

– Davis 10 6 6 495 

Fresno, CA Co-located with Cal State -

Fresno 0 0 3 90 

Hilo, HI Location of the Institute for 

Pacific Island Forestry 7 4 11 210 

Placerville, CA Houses the Institute of Forest 

Genetics 0 5 2 85 

Redding, CA Co-located with Forest 

Service Region 5 4 1 8 290 

Riverside, CA Near University of California 

– Riverside 9 3 14 150 

Rocky Mountain Research Station

The Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) develops and delivers scientific knowledge and innovative technology to 

improve the health and use of the Nation’s forests and rangelands – both public and private - in 12 non-coastal western 

States. This Station includes 52 National Forests, 17 National Grasslands, and over 101 million acres of Forest Service 

managed lands.

Rocky Mountain Research Station Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories 

(dollars in thousands)

Rocky Mountain Research Station 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Research Allocations:

Research and Development...................................................... $42,961 $43,383 $45,204 $42,885

Other funding a......................................................................... 16,487 17,723 16,487 16,487

Total Allocation......................................................................... 59,448 61,106 61,691 59,372

Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories:

Scientists.............................................................................. 95 77 77 77

Support staff......................................................................... 262 279 279 279

Administrative Support ....................................................... 34 58 58 58

Professional/Technical Support .......................................... 228 221 221 221

Breakout by Administrative and Research Allocations:

Administrative Allocation.................................................... 14,369 11,867 12,223 12,590

Research Allocation............................................................. 45,079 49,239 49,468 46,782

Total, Administrative and Research Allocations.................... 59,448 61,106 61,691 59,372

a Includes funds from other Forest Service budget line items such National Forest System and State and Private Forestry (FY 2018 – FY 2021).

Rocky Mountain Research Station Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute:

Allocation ................................................................................ $1,356 $1,398 $1,377 $1,282

Scientists.................................................................................. 3 3 3 3

Support Staff............................................................................ 5 3 3 3
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Administrative.......................................................................... 1 0 0 0

Professional/technical.............................................................. 4 3 3 3

Air, Water and Aquatics Environments:

Allocation ................................................................................ $4,261 $4,453 $4,673 $4,353

Scientists.................................................................................. 15 11 11 11

Support Staff............................................................................ 24 17 17 17

Administrative.......................................................................... 4 2 2 2

Professional/technical.............................................................. 20 15 15 15

Fire, Fuel and Smoke:

Allocation ................................................................................ $6,339 $6,651 $5,898 $5,576

Scientists.................................................................................. 16 12 12 12

Support Staff............................................................................ 56 57 57 57

Administrative.......................................................................... 8 11 11 11

Professional/technical.............................................................. 48 46 46 46

Forest Inventory and Analysis:

Allocation ................................................................................ $9,533 $11,491 $11,684 $10,856

Scientists.................................................................................. 4 3 3 3

Support Staff............................................................................ 96 96 96 96

Administrative.......................................................................... 7 7 7 7

Professional/technical.............................................................. 89 89 89 89

Forest and Woodlands Ecosystems:

Allocation ................................................................................ $5,803 $6,080 $6,436 $6,023

Scientists.................................................................................. 18 15 15 15

Support Staff............................................................................ 26 22 22 22

Administrative.......................................................................... 4 3 3 3

Professional/technical.............................................................. 22 19 19 19

Grassland, Shrubland, and Desert Ecosystems:

Allocation ................................................................................ $3,582 $3,936 $4,021 $3,757

Scientists.................................................................................. 15 15 15 15

Support Staff............................................................................ 19 16 16 16

Administrative.......................................................................... 5 5 5 5

Professional/technical.............................................................. 14 11 11 11

Human Dimensions:

Allocation ................................................................................ $4,337 $4,197 $4,568 $4,340

Scientists.................................................................................. 15 10 10 10

Support Staff............................................................................ 16 14 14 14

Administrative.......................................................................... 1 2 2 2

Professional/technical.............................................................. 15 12 12 12

Wildlife and Terrestrial Ecosystems:

Allocation ................................................................................ $3,264 $3,681 $3,458 $3,244

Scientists.................................................................................. 10 8 8 8

Support Staff............................................................................ 21 13 13 13

Administrative.......................................................................... 4 3 3 3

Professional/technical.............................................................. 17 10 10 10

Total Allocation......................................................................... $45,079 $48,491 $48,309 $45,625

Total Scientists 96 77 77 77
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Total Support Staff ................................................................... 263 238 238 238

Administrative ............................................................................ 34 33 33 33

Professional/technical................................................................ 229 205 205 205

Rocky Mountain Research Station – Facilities

Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility 

Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Albuquerque, NM Forestry Sciences Laboratory 3 3 3 101 

Boise, ID Aquatic Sciences Laboratory 5 3 12 206 

Bozeman, MT Forestry Sciences Laboratory 3 1 4 106 

Flagstaff, AZ Southwest Forest Sciences 

Complex 7 3 10 226 

Fort Collins, CO Forestry Sciences Laboratory 16 19 30 245 

Logan, UT Forestry Sciences Laboratory 1 1 2 187 

Missoula, MT Fire Sciences Laboratory 11 7 31 310 

Missoula, MT Forestry Sciences Laboratory 11 3 21 238 

Moscow, ID Forestry Sciences Laboratory 7 2 13 161 

Ogden, UT Forestry Sciences Laboratory 3 6 31 493 

Provo, UT Shrub Sciences Laboratory 3 2 3 119 

Rapid City, SD Forest and Grassland 

Research Laboratory 2 1 1 98 

Reno, NV Forestry Sciences Laboratory 1 0 1 22 

Southern Research Station

The mission of Southern Research Station (SRS) is to improve people’s lives and help sustain the natural resources in the 

Southeast through leading-edge science and effective information delivery. SRS is one of the largest forestry research 

stations in the world extending across 13 States. SRS’s internal capacity for scientific research is enriched and extended 

through 19 experimental forests and networks of partnerships with other researchers, practitioners, and volunteers from a 

variety of groups and organizations.

Southern Research Station Field Unit Allocations and Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories (dollars in 

thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Research Allocations:

Research and Development........................................... $45,863 $46,301 $40,500 $38,848

Other funding a.............................................................. 1,709 2,030 3,453 3,453 

Total Allocation.............................................................. 47,572 48,331 43,953 42,301 

Staffing by Science and Administrative Categories:

Scientists................................................................... 87 87 103 103

Support staff.............................................................. 226 226 193 193

Administrative Support ............................................. 46 46 35 35

Professional/Technical Support................................ 180 180 158 158
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Breakout by Administrative and Research Allocations:

Administrative Allocation............................................. 5,416 5,416 4,606 4,433

Research Allocation...................................................... 42,156 42,915 39,347 37,868

Total, Administrative and Research Allocations......... $47,572 $48,331 $43,953 $42,301

a Includes funds from other Forest Service budget line items such National Forest System and State and Private Forestry (FY 2018-FY 2021).

Southern Research Station Research Programs (dollars in thousands)

Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Center for Bottomland Hardwoods:

Allocation............................................................................. $3,829 $3,857 $3,194 $2,967 

Scientists.............................................................................. 11 11 12 12

Support Staff........................................................................ 14 14 15 15

Administrative ...................................................................... 1 1 3 3

Professional/technical.......................................................... 13 13 12 12

Center for Forest Disturbance Science:

Allocation............................................................................. $2,458 $2,468 $2,043 $1,898 

Scientists.............................................................................. 6 6 8 8

Support Staff........................................................................ 12 11 12 12

Administrative ...................................................................... 2 1 5 5

Professional/technical.......................................................... 10 10 7 7

Upland Hardwood Ecology and Management:

Allocation............................................................................. $2,364 $2,760 $2,285 $2,123

Scientists.............................................................................. 7 7 7 7

Support Staff........................................................................ 10 12 10 10

Administrative ...................................................................... 1 1 2 2

Professional/technical.......................................................... 9 11 8 8

Restoring and Managing Longleaf Pine Ecosystems:

Allocation............................................................................. $1,679 $1,593 $1,319 $1,227

Scientists.............................................................................. 4 4 4 4

Support Staff........................................................................ 7 8 7 7

Administrative ...................................................................... 0 0 1 1

Professional/technical.......................................................... 7 8 6 6

Southern Pine Ecology and Management:

Allocation............................................................................. $2,182 $1,935 $1,602 $1,489

Scientists.............................................................................. 3 3 7 7

Support Staff........................................................................ 12 11 9 9

Administrative ...................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/technical.......................................................... 10 9 7 7

Forest Genetics and Ecosystems Biology:

Allocation............................................................................. $2,122 $2,150 $1,780 $1,654

Scientists.............................................................................. 6 6 6 6

Support Staff........................................................................ 11 11 12 12

Administrative ...................................................................... 1 1 1 1

Professional/technical.......................................................... 10 10 11 11

Center for Forest Watershed Science:
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Allocation............................................................................. $2,668 $2,644 $2,189 $2,034

Scientists.............................................................................. 8 8 12 12

Support Staff........................................................................ 20 18 17 17

Administrative ...................................................................... 2 2 2 2

Professional/technical.......................................................... 18 16 15 15

Insects, Diseases, and Invasive Plants:

Allocation............................................................................. $2,797 $2,792 $2,312 $2,148

Scientists.............................................................................. 6 6 8 8

Support Staff........................................................................ 14 15 12 12

Administrative ...................................................................... - 1 1 1

Professional/technical.......................................................... 14 14 11 11

Forest Operations Research to Achieve Sustainable 

Management:

Allocation............................................................................. $816 $792 $656 $609

Scientists.............................................................................. 2 2 2 2

Support Staff........................................................................ 4 6 4 4

Administrative ...................................................................... 0 0 0 0

Professional/technical.......................................................... 4 6 4 4

Utilization of Southern Forest Resources:

Allocation............................................................................. $1,373 $1,172 $970 $901

Scientists.............................................................................. 2 2 3 3

Support Staff........................................................................ 3 2 5 5

Administrative ...................................................................... 0 0 1 1

Professional/technical.......................................................... 3 2 4 4

Forest Inventory and Analysis:

Allocation............................................................................. $17,772 $17,932 $17,177 $17,177

Scientists.............................................................................. 11 15 12 12

Support Staff........................................................................ 64 66 69 69

Administrative ...................................................................... 7 4 9 9

Professional/technical.......................................................... 57 62 60 60

Forest Economics and Policy:

Allocation............................................................................. $1,294 $1,453 $1,203 $1,118

Scientists.............................................................................. 4 4 6 6

Support Staff........................................................................ 5 5 4 4

Administrative ...................................................................... 2 1 2 2

Professional/technical.......................................................... 3 4 2 2

Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center:

Allocation............................................................................. $3,691 $2,307 $1,744 $1,621

Scientists.............................................................................. 8 8 9 9

Support Staff........................................................................ 11 10 11 11

Administrative ...................................................................... 2 2 3 3

Professional/technical.......................................................... 9 8 8 8

Center for Integrated Forest Science:

Allocation............................................................................. $1,145 $956 $792 $735

Scientists.............................................................................. 3 3 2 2

Support Staff........................................................................ 0 1 1 1
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Description of Research Program 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget

Request

Administrative ...................................................................... 0 0 1 1

Professional/technical.......................................................... 0 1 0 0

Integrating Human and Natural Systems:

Allocation............................................................................. $1,382 $1,490 $1,234 $1,147

Scientists.............................................................................. 5 5 5 5

Support Staff........................................................................ 5 5 5 5

Administrative ...................................................................... 0 0 2 2

Professional/technical.......................................................... 5 5 3 3

Total Allocation..................................................................... $47,572 $46,301 $40,500 $38,848

Total Scientists....................................................................... 86 76 103 103

Total Support Staff................................................................ 192 195 193 193

Administrative......................................................................... 20 16 35 35

Professional/technical............................................................ 172 179 158 158

Southern Research Station – Facilities

Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Asheville, NC Forest Service-owned 

facility 5 29 10 144 

Bent Creek/Koen Asheville, 

NC

Forest Service-owned 

laboratory, greenhouse 

and administrative 

offices 4 0 9 98 

Coweeta Otto, NC Forest Service-owned 

hydrologic laboratory 4 1 9 27 

Knoxville, TN Leased facility 10 4 9 395 

Research Triangle Park, 

Durham, NC

Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

greenhouse 12 2 15 102 

Auburn/Escambia Auburn, 

AL

Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

greenhouse 3 1 10 765 

Crossett Experimental Forest, 

Crossett, AR

Forest Service-owned 

administrative office 0 0 2 2 

Athens/Hitchiti Athens, GA Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

administrative offices 14 2 14 1,107 

Pineville/Palustris Pineville, 

LA

Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

greenhouse 5 0 17 74 

Saucier/Harrison Saucier, MS Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

greenhouse 1 1 4 54 

Stoneville/Oxford, MS Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

greenhouse 8 1 12 91 
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Name Description Number of 

Scientists

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Administrative)

Number of 

Support Staff 

(Professional/ 

Technical)

Facility Costs 

(dollars in 

thousands)

Santee Cordesville, SC Forest Service-owned 

laboratory and 

administrative offices 2 1 2 7 

Savannah River New 

Ellenton, SC

Forest Service-owned 

administrative office 1 0 2 2 

Nacogdoches, TX Forest Service-owned 

laboratory 1 1 6 6 

Blacksburg, VA Forest Service-owned 

laboratory 3 0 3 0 

Forest Service Research and Development Expenditures by State (dollars in thousands)

State/Station 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

Alabama – SRS...................................... $2,454 $3,009 $2,632 $2,525

Alaska – PNW........................................ 6,870 6,817 6,210 5,995

Arizona – RMRS.................................... 2,633 3,183 3,258 3,067

Arkansas – SRS...................................... 2,038 2,384 2,085 2,000

California – PSW................................... 17,824 16,724 17,154 16,508

California – PNW .................................. 2,748 2,726 2,898 2,779

Colorado – RMRS.................................. 11,703 10,017 10,930 10,709

Connecticut – NRS................................. 1,759 1,451 1,298 1,279

Delaware – NRS .................................... 0 0 0 0

Florida – SRS......................................... 810 1,018 890 854

Georgia – SRS........................................ 3,305 4,301 3,762 3,609

Hawaii – PSW........................................ 2,588 2,408 2,700 2,600

Idaho – RMRS ....................................... 4,664 4,801 4,936 4,647

Illinois – NRS ........................................ 1,163 1,317 1,365 1,295

Indiana – NRS........................................ 1,007 866 950 920

Iowa – NRS............................................ 0 0 0 0

Kansas – RMRS..................................... 0 0 0 0

Kentucky – SRS..................................... 502 619 541 519

Louisiana – SRS..................................... 3,898 4,207 3,680 3,530

Maine – NRS ......................................... 232 336 843 588

Maryland – NRS .................................... 1,826 1,706 1,676 1,565

Massachusetts – NRS............................. 1,234 1,203 1,263 1,216

Michigan – NRS .................................... 3,031 2,815 2,824 2,749

Minnesota – NRS................................... 10,514 11,310 12,014 12,434

Mississippi – SRS .................................. 5,633 5,680 4,968 4,766

Missouri – NRS...................................... 2,342 2,074 2,060 1,985

Montana – RMRS .................................. 11,246 10,187 10,446 9,786

Nebraska – RMRS ................................. 0 0 0 0

Nevada – RMRS .................................... 285 258 265 248

New Hampshire – NRS.......................... 5,398 5,398 5,857 5,479

New Jersey – NRS ................................. 284 263 261 248

New Mexico – RMRS............................ 615 909 951 908

New York – NRS................................... 2,799 2,694 3,212 2,907
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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State/Station 2018 

Actual

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted

2021 

Budget Request

North Carolina – SRS ............................ 9,128 9,010 7,881 7,560

North Dakota – RMRS........................... 0 64 64 0

Ohio – NRS............................................ 3,727 3,237 3,299 3,209

Oklahoma – SRS.................................... 91 181 158 152

Oregon – PNW....................................... 25,651 25,454 23,597 22,630

Pennsylvania – NRS............................... 9,623 6,927 7,696 5,538

Puerto Rico – IITF ................................. 2,670 2,670 1,460 1,460

Puerto Rico – SRS ................................. 271 363 318 305

Rhode Island – NRS............................... 0 0 0 0

South Carolina – SRS ............................ 1,919 2,691 2,354 2,258

South Dakota – RMRS........................... 776 581 595 563

Tennessee – SRS.................................... 14,585 10,025 8,769 8,411

Texas – SRS........................................... 1,679 2,048 1,791 1,718

Utah – RMRS......................................... 13,537 13,389 13,763 12,895

Vermont – NRS...................................... 62 62 379 0

Virginia – SRS....................................... 1,060 627 548 526

Washington – PNW ............................... 10,510 10,456 10,425 9,998

West Virginia – NRS ............................. 4,546 4,109 4,052 4,038

Wisconsin – FPL.................................... 22,103 21,485 22,937 22,075

Wisconsin – NRS................................... 4,103 5,450 3,954 5,432

Wyoming – RMRS................................. 126 58 60 61

Total, Expenditures by State $237,572 $229,568 $214,219 $216,544
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

173

STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTING

Background

This special exhibit is included to address requirements of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (as amended, 16 

U.S.C 6591c):

“The Forest Service shall report annually to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the 

Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives on -

• the status of development, execution, and administration of contracts under subsection (b);

• the specific accomplishments that have resulted; and

• the role of local communities in development of agreements or contract plans.”

Overview

Stewardship contracts and agreements are used to manage natural resources by implementing ecosystem restoration projects. 

Stewardship contracts support new and emerging markets through the use of wood removed through restoration activities, 

including using woody biomass for energy, in addition to sustaining traditional markets. Stewardship contracting helps the 

Forest Service achieve land and natural resource management goals while promoting closer public-private working 

relationships by using the value of timber or other forest products to offset the cost of restoration activities. The best value 

selection using criteria such as capability, use of local workforce, creation of jobs, and price is intended to create green jobs, 

promote a diverse forest products industry, and support sustainable communities and the forest contractor infrastructure 

needed to perform critical restoration work.

If the offset value of timber or other forest products from stewardship sales exceeds the value of resource improvement 

treatments conducted to accomplish land management objectives, those receipts are retained and deposited in the Stewardship 

Contracting fund and are available, until expended, for other authorized stewardship projects. Stewardship contracts are 

awarded on a best-value basis and may be used for:

• Maintaining or removing roads and trails to restore or maintain water quality.

• Improving soil productivity, habitat for wildlife and fisheries, or other resources.

• Prescribed fires to improve the composition, structure, condition, and health of timber stands or wildlife habitat.

• Removing vegetation or other activities to promote healthy forests, reduce fire hazards, or achieve other land 

management objectives.

• Restoring and maintaining watersheds.

• Restoring and maintaining wildlife and fisheries habitat.

• Controlling noxious and invasive weeds and reestablishing native vegetation.

While the number of stewardship projects changes from year to year, the agency and its partners have a better understanding 

of how to best use stewardship contracts, which has resulted in projects of larger size.

In FY 2019, the agency continued to inform employees, partner organizations, and contractors about stewardship contracting 

through brochures, local field trips, and training opportunities. This ensures a common understanding of stewardship 

contracting and facilitates its use in attaining land management goals while meeting local and rural community needs. To 

improve agency understanding and use of this authority, the Forest Service contracted to expand the national stewardship 

contracting and agreements training. In FY 2019, eight Stewardship Training courses for forest management projects were 

offered, training over 200 students.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 amended the stewardship authority to allow contracts up to 20 years in 

locations meeting certain conditions, while remaining 10-years for all others. The Act also allows the cost of cancellation 

ceilings to be allocated in economically viable stages, relieving the forest unit of a large obligation in a single year. Two 

regions have developed 20-year agreements or contracts, while others are still evaluating the authority for use. The national 

headquarters has updated their directives to include guidance on implementing new authorities along with updates to current 

authorities.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Specific Accomplishments

Stewardship contracting has proved to be a valuable tool in many locations to implement restoration activities and meet

multiple land management objectives. Stewardship contracting allows the Forest Service to focus on a variety of land 

management activities, such as hazardous fuels reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, forest health improvement, and nonnative invasive plant species control.

Table 1 below shows specific accomplishments during FY 2016 to FY 2019. Table 2 below shows the acres awarded, 

number of contract or agreements awarded, and volume awarded from FY 2003 to FY 2019. The number of contracts or 

agreements awarded includes those where forest products are exchanged for service activities as well as those where excess 

Stewardship Contracting funds are used for activities without the exchange of forest products.

In many cases, multiple land management objectives are met through a single treatment activity. For example, a hazardous 

fuels reduction treatment can also improve wildlife habitat. These accomplishments not only result in ecosystem benefits, but 

also in forest products for manufacturing and energy production, and the creation of jobs contributing to sustainable 

communities.

Local Communities

Collaboration with local communities is a key component of successful stewardship contracting. Collaborative efforts start 

early and continue throughout project planning, implementation, and monitoring. Collaboration during the development of 

stewardship contracting projects results in a sense of community ownership in the project, a better understanding by 

communities of natural resource issues, and increased public support. Collaboration also means the Forest Service can tailor 

stewardship offerings that address local issues, needs, and capabilities.

In FY 2019, the Forest Service continued to build on the FY 2018 Pinchot Institute for Conservation study on a 

programmatic multiparty monitoring process. In the FY 2018 report, the Pinchot Institute confirmed that partnerships and 

working relationships were generally strengthened by long-term work towards common goals. Partners increasingly welcome 

the use of stewardship agreements as a way to involve more stakeholders, increase learning opportunities, and positively 

influence forest planning. The FY 2020 programmatic review will focus on reviewing the results of the past five years to 

determine whether the reviews have improved the program and the recommendations have been instituted. The results of the 

FY 2020 programmatic monitoring efforts by the Pinchot Institute will be available in the fall of 2020. When available, the 

entire report will be online at: http://www.pinchot.org/gp/Stewardship_Contracting

Table 1. Actual Stewardship Contracting Accomplishments (FY 2016 to FY 2019)

Measure 2016 2017 2018 2019

Acres of forest vegetation established............................................................................... 5,050 4,312 3,591 3,624

Acres of forest vegetation improved ................................................................................. 42,634 45,346 24,938 33,269

Acres of noxious weeds/invasive plant treatments............................................................ 5,434 4,279 3,879 5,977

Acres of wildlife habitat restored or improved.................................................................. 22,133 14,031 33,693 14,736

Miles of stream habitat restored or enhanced.................................................................... 48 81 110 118

Miles of roads decommissioned........................................................................................ 10 3 14 N/Aa

Volume of timber sold (million board feet (MMBF))....................................................... 718 855 754 859

Green tons of biomass made available for energy production........................................... 217,698 222,636 229,958 276,236

Acres of hazardous fuels treated to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires (Non-WUI)....... 79,694 90,968 31,695 49,574

Acres of wildland-urban interface (WUI) high-priority hazardous fuels treated............... 96,387 118,559 163,332 83,784

Stewardship contracts/agreements contributing to watersheds in fully functioning 

condition ........................................................................................................................... 2 5 5 2

a This measure is no longer tracked.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Table 2. Acres Awarded, Number of Contract or Agreements Awarded, and Volume Awarded

Fiscal Year Acres Awarded

Number of Contracts & 

Agreements

Volume Awarded (thousand 

board feet - MBF)

2003 11,696 35 35,000

2004 43,187 53 51,000

2005 34,491 43 98,000

2006 60,344 91 236,000

2007 77,676 110 331,000

2008 65,890 130 339,000

2009 88,304 141 372,000

2010 152,834 232 567,000

2011 100,577 208 481,000

2012 134,257 226 672,000

2013 171,767 195 709,000

2014 177,208 161 816,000

2015 166,317 168 829,000

2016 166,462 225 718,000

2017 153,868 221 855,000

2018 161,947 266 793,374

2019 129,710 150 859,060
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

176

TRANSITION TO SECOND GROWTH IN ALASKA

Background

This exhibit is not required by Congressional direction but is included to provide an update on the status of the transition to 

second growth in Alaska.

Overview

The State of Alaska and the Forest Service entered into a Challenge Cost Share Agreement (CCSA) to conduct a young 

growth forest inventory and support workforce development for the timber industry. The inventory was completed in midOctober 2018, and local residents have been successfully trained and are now working in various forestry-related jobs in 

Southeast Alaska. The Forest Service, State, and other landowners continue complementary efforts to enable a successful 

transition to second-growth management in Alaska.

Inventory Efforts

Crews employed by the State and partner organizations completed data collection on more than 33,700 acres of younggrowth stands aged 55 years or older on Prince of Wales and surrounding islands. Forest Service and State personnel are 

summarizing and analyzing the data collected into stand-level analyses of logging feasibility to determine how many of those 

older young-growth acres will be operable during near-term project implementation. More than 11,000 acres of young growth 

aged 40-54 years have also been inventoried. The data from completed inventories include species composition, volume per 

acre, vegetation composition, stand observations, stream crossing points, presence of disease, wind throw, and more. The 

analysis is expected to take one to two years to complete. The information will be used to support transparent, informed 

decision making by forest managers and stakeholders as they seek to develop projects to meet transition objectives.

Old-Growth Bridge Timber

During 2019, Forest Service crews at Prince of Wales, Ketchikan, and Petersburg continued to focus on stand-level, datadriven inventories of old-growth timber stands to support timber sales in the current five-year sale schedule. The State and 

Tongass National Forest are in discussions about bringing in additional support for old-growth inventory under the CCSA. 

The Forest Service and Alaska Forest Association have developed a Memorandum of Understanding to support collaborative 

efforts on old-growth inventory, project development, and organizational learning around timber sale conditions impacting 

the industry. A challenge cost share agreement with additional training and mentoring tasks was signed in FY 2019 and will 

cover several years of coordinated work on bridge timber.

Other Ongoing Efforts in Support of the Transition

The Forest Service and other landowners in Southeast Alaska have established an all-landowners group to coordinate 

operations, find efficiencies, and share infrastructure to support resource management activities. Group members include the 

Forest Service, Alaska Division of Forestry, Alaska Mental Health Trust Land Office, University of Alaska, and Sealaska.

To support utilization of wood products from the forest, the agency is also evaluating the potential design of a wood quality 

study to determine the type, volume, and quality of products that can be manufactured from young-growth Sitka spruce and 

western hemlock trees growing in Southeast Alaska. This effort is led by the Pacific Northwest Research Station personnel. A 

study plan has been developed and personnel are pursuing outside funding and a suitable non-profit to assist with project 

execution and management.

The Forest Service Alaska Region and the State of Alaska entered into a Master Good Neighbor Authority agreement in FY 

2017. Under the first Supplemental Project Agreement, the Koscuisko Young Growth Timber Sale was offered and awarded 

by the State of Alaska in late FY 2017 and operations have commenced. Two additional Supplemental Project Agreements 

were developed in FY 2018, one on the Tongass and one on the Chugach National Forest. In 2019, the Vallenar Bay Young 

Growth Timber Sale was awarded on the Tongass National Forest. The Good Neighbor Authority provides an excellent 

opportunity for increased management activities in conjunction with the State of Alaska where projects are mutually 

beneficial. Additional Good Neighbor projects for the future are being identified, analyzed and proposed.

The Forest Service is continuing the Tongass-Wide Young Growth Study, begun in 2002, to increase knowledge of 

silvicultural practices for various purposes including young-growth management. Two research publications are expected in 

FY 2020, and the studies re-measurement protocols will continue on an annual basis.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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UNLIQUIDATED OBLIGATIONS

Background

This exhibit is included to provide a display of Forest Service unliquidated obligation (ULO) balances.

Overview

Unliquidated Obligations are defined as the balance remaining from orders placed; contract and other binding agreements 

awarded, or services rendered after making any payments or processing de-obligations. The following table contains the 

status of Forest Service unliquidated obligation balances in prior fiscal years for appropriated funds (regular and emergency) 

as of September 30, 2019.

Forest Service Status of ULO Balances in Prior Fiscal Years as of September 30, 2019 (dollars in thousands)

Budget Line Item/Program FY 2016 and 

Prior a FY 2017 a FY 2018 a FY 2019 a

Total ULO 

Balance a

Forest and Rangeland Research:

National Fire Plan Research and Development...... $7,228 $6,818 $21,944 $50,123 $86,113 

Forest Inventory and Analysis ............................... 0 2,209 5,894 17,149 25,252

R&D Forest Products Lab...................................... 429 1,420 0 0 1,849

R&D Joint Fire Sciences Program......................... 807 958 0 2,934 4,699

Other Forest and Rangeland Research Programs 

(Includes Cost Pools).......................................... 136 1,160 754 5,959 8,009

Total, Forest and Rangeland Research ................. 8,600 12,565 28,592 76,165 125,922 

State and Private Forestry:

Cooperative Fire Protection – National Fire 

Capacity.............................................................. 2,701 0 53,144 70,373 126,218

Forest Health Management- Cooperative Lands 

Forest Health Management................................. 9,603 5,131 14,403 25,845 54,982

Forest Health Management - Federal Lands Forest 

Health Management............................................ 2,462 890 4,955 15,253 23,560

International Forestry............................................. 541 220 1,362 3,281 5,404

Landscape Scale Restoration ................................. 9,232 7,423 12,526 13,893 43,074

Cooperative Forestry - Forest Legacy 37,029 31,983 50,640 57,735 177,387

Cooperative Forestry - Forest Legacy Program 

Administration.................................................... 0 1,001 1,436 2,559 4,996

Cooperative Forestry - Community Forest and 

Open Space Conservation................................... 996 104 2,150 3,408 6,658

Cooperative Forestry - Working Forest Lands....... 5,248 3,573 6,992 11,869 27,682

Cooperative Forestry - Urban and Community 

Forestry............................................................... 6,796 6,609 13,133 21,171 47,709

Cooperative Fire Protection – Rural Fire Capacity 0 0 9,215 16,978 26,193

Other State and Private Forestry Programs 

(Includes Cost Pools).......................................... 8,955 945 5,201 3,542 18,643

Total, State and Private Forestry........................... 83,563 57,879 175,157 245,907 562,506

National Forest System:

Law Enforcement Operations ................................ 1,015 644 3,118 11,935 16,712

Land Ownership Management............................... 1,957 1,189 4,010 11,158 18,314

Minerals and Geology Management ...................... 2,830 2,405 6,147 14,277 25,659

Land Management Planning .................................. 1,393 0 0 0 1,393

Grazing Management............................................. 1,273 1,221 1,938 4,811 9,243

Restoration Partnerships ........................................ 16 0 0 0 16
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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Budget Line Item/Program FY 2016 and 

Prior a FY 2017 a FY 2018 a FY 2019 a

Total ULO 

Balance a

Integrated Resource Restoration ............................ 6,673 3,847 0 0 10,520

Recreation, Heritage, and Wilderness.................... 4,723 4,980 9,962 30,294 49,959

Forest Products ...................................................... 5,101 4,266 10,846 38,571 58,784

Vegetation and Watershed Management................ 4,210 3,971 9,755 31,492 49,428

Wildlife and Fish Habitat Management ................. 2,271 1,947 6,598 18,642 29,458

Hazardous Fuels, Biomass Grants & Reduction .... 0 0 74,723 128,037 202,760

Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Fund. 172 0 0 0 172

Other National Forest System Programs (Includes 

Cost Pools).......................................................... 3,749 5,419 15,122 103,358 127,648

Total, National Forest System................................ 35,383 29,889 142,219 392,575 600,066 

Wildland Fire Management:

Fire Operations - Wildland Fire Preparedness....... 7,744 6,764 28,326 115,351 158,185

Fire Operations - Wildland Fire Suppression 

Operations........................................................... 72,071 62,004 15,438 208,993 358,506

Other Operations - Collaborative Forest 

Landscape Restoration Fund............................... 0 0 0 0 0

Other Operations – National Fire Capacity............ 32,172 30,579 0 0 62,751

Other Operations - Rural Fire Capacity ................. 1,757 4,092 0 0 5,849

Other Wildland Fire Management Programs 

(Includes Cost Pools).......................................... 68,497 38,018 7,392 52,325 166,232

Total, Wildland Fire Management ........................ 182,241 141,457 51,156 376,669 751,523 

Capital Improvement and Maintenance:

Facilities................................................................ 3,818 822 47,881 60,491 113,012

Roads.................................................................... 2,502 2,405 15,507 53,101 73,515

Trails..................................................................... 1,864 1,962 5,141 12,549 21,516

Integrated Resource Restoration - Legacy Roads 

and Trails............................................................ 2,818 1,345 0 0 4,163

Deferred Maintenance........................................... 868 0 0 0 868

Other Capital Improvement & Maintenance 

Programs (Includes Cost Pools).......................... 702 518 1,455 12,064 14,739

Total, Capital Improvement and Maintenance .... 12,572 7,052 69,984 138,205 227,813 

Land Acquisition:

Land Acquisition - Acquisition Management ........ 0 150 170 542 862

Land Acquisition - Cash Equalization ................... 0 0 0 0 0

Land - Critical Inholding ....................................... 0 200 626 362 1,188

Land Acquisition.................................................... 6,989 1,736 8,143 18,196 35,064

Land Acquisition - Rec Access.............................. 0 610 752 640 2,002

Total, Land Acquisition.......................................... 6,989 2,696 9,691 19,740 39,116 

Other Appropriations:

Range Betterment Fund ......................................... 88 375 270 169 902

Management of National Forest Lands for 

Subsistence Uses................................................. 118 25 685 804 1632

Total, Other Appropriations.................................. 206 400 955 973 2,534 

Total, Forest Service ............................................... $329,554 $251,938 $477,754 $1,250,234 $2,309,480 

a Amounts do not include reimbursable funds.
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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USDA WORKING CAPITAL FUND, DEPARTMENTAL SHARED COST PROGRAMS AND CENTRAL COST 

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS

Background

This exhibit is included to provide a three-year display of total costs paid by the Forest Service for these centrally 

administered programs.

Overview

The Forest Service, as an agency within the Department of Agriculture (USDA), receives centrally managed, administrative 

services from the Department. These centrally administered programs are broken into two activities, the Working Capital 

Fund and Greenbook / Shared Cost Programs. It is important to note that cost estimates for actual usage programs have 

changed in the last three fiscal years in response to Forest Service demand for services. Forest Service estimates for the 

activities assessed on a Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) basis or standard methodology are likely to better reflect Forest Service 

shares of total costs, but these may vary during execution.

USDA Working Capital Fund

The Working Capital Fund (WCF) includes financial and administrative services provided with funding under the authority 

of 7 U.S.C. 2235. The WCF is a financing mechanism that currently supports 17 activity centers across five Department-level 

organizations. These centers provide services to all USDA agencies, including the Forest Service, and many Federal entities 

outside USDA. Customers reimburse activity centers for the cost of services provided.

These WCF-supported activities do not receive appropriated funds and are not subsidized from other funding sources. All 

costs are recovered through reimbursements from serviced customers. Pursuant to the terms of the general provisions in 

annual appropriations to USDA, agency administrators must authorize billings to their agency for these services. Therefore, 

the Chief of the Forest Service (or her duly appointed representative) must sign an agreement at the beginning of the fiscal 

year authorizing billing for services provided and supply the appropriate accounting data.

The Forest Service acts as one of the overseers in the review of cost estimates for the National Finance Center through its 

participation in the WCF Executive Committee, a body comprised of representatives from various USDA agencies. The 

Executive Committee is charged with making budget recommendations and advising the Department’s Chief Financial 

Officer as to the financial effectiveness of the WCF. The Forest Service works with the Department’s Chief Financial Officer 

to review activities included in the Greenbook/Shared Cost Programs and the basis for any costs attributed to the Forest 

Service.

The tables on the following pages display Forest Service assessments for USDA WCF services and describe the range of 

WCF services that the USDA provides.

FY 2018 to FY 2021 Working Capital Fund Assessments for the Forest Service (dollars in thousands)

Core Services 2018 Actual 2019 Actual 2020 Enacted

2021 Budget

Request

Client Technology Services ............................................... $332 $0 $0 $0

Mail and Reproduction Services ......................................... 243 281 820 832

Material Management Service Center................................. 677 569 928 941

Integrated Procurement Systems......................................... 7,813 8,266 8,235 8,233

Creative Media and Broadcast Center................................. 286 276 496 172

Enterprise Network Services............................................... 3,720 4,658 16,940 17,023

Financial Shared Services ................................................... 48,745 48,738 47,085 46,674

Internal Control Support Services....................................... 398 277 489 404

Office of the Executive Secretariat...................................... 787 506 509 546

Total Core Services........................................................... $60,001 $63,531 $75,502 $74,825
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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USDA Agency Specific Services 2018 Actual 2019 Actual 2020 Enacted

2021 Budget

Request

Mail and Reproduction Services ................................................... $469 $580 $820 $832

Enterprise Network Services......................................................... 7,308 4,658 16,940 17,023

Material Management Service Center........................................... 697 717 928 941

Procurement Operations Division ................................................. 147 124 126 94

Financial Shared Services ............................................................. 48,745 48,738 47,085 46,674

Creative Media and Broadcast Center........................................... 644 317 496 173

Client Experience Center* ............................................................ 13,553 20,168 23,159 23,697

National Finance Center................................................................ 9,617 8,839 8,116 8,167

Digital Infrastructure Service Center*........................................... 18,469 19,197 41,791 39,786

Human Resource Enterprise System Management........................ 838 1,094 1,154 1,204

Department Administration Information Technology Office 0 0 10 10

Office of the Executive Secretariat 787 506 509 546

Internal Control Support Services 398 277 489 404

Integrated Procurement Systems 7,814 8,269 8,235 8,233

Total USDA Agency Specific Services....................................... $109,507 $113,484 $149,858 $147,784
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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USDA Departmental Shared Cost Programs and Central Cost Distribution Programs

Central Cost Distribution Programs

USDA agencies pay a share of costs for external programs through shared cost program assessments. The Forest Service 

share is determined in a manner consistent with other USDA agencies. Assessments are broken down into two categories:

Actual Usage - Costs are collected for programs such as GSA space, transit subsidies, postage, and unemployment and 

workers compensation insurance based on actual costs incurred by individual agencies.

Outside Assessments - Costs such as Office of Personnel Management Federal employment, FirstGov, and GSA blue pages 

are distributed to executive departments for reimbursement. The Department has no discretion as to these program costs.

Departmental Shared Cost Programs

These costs provide funding for department-wide initiatives authorized by the Office of the Secretary. Costs for these 

programs cannot be recovered on a usage basis and are generally distributed using an FTE methodology.

FY 2018 to FY 2021 Department Shared Services & Central Cost Distribution Assessments for the Forest Service 

(dollars in thousands)

Item 2018 

Actual

2019

Actual

2020

Enacted

2021

Budget

Request

Working Capital Fund:

Administration

Mail and Reproduction Services.......................................................... $469 $580 $820 $832

Material Management Service Center.................................................. 697 717 928 941

Integrated Procurement Systems.......................................................... 7,814 8,269 8,235 8,233

Procurement Operations Division........................................................ 147 124 126 94

HR Enterprise System Management.................................................... 838 1,094 1,154 1,204

Subtotal, Administration................................................................... 9,966 10,784 11,263 11,304

Communication

Creative Media & Broadcast Center.................................................... 644 317 496 173

Correspondence Management Service

Office of the Executive Secretariat ...................................................... 787 506 509 546

Finance and Management

National Finance Center/USDA .......................................................... 9,637 8,839 8,116 8,167

Financial System (Financial Management Services) ........................... 48,745 48,738 47,085 46,674

Internal Control Support Services........................................................ 398 277 489 404

Subtotal, Finance and Management.................................................. 58,780 57,854 55,690 55,245

Information Technology

Digital Infrastructure Services Center.................................................. 18,469 19,198 41,791 39,786

Client Technology Services................................................................. 13,553 20,168 23,159 23,697

Enterprise Network Services................................................................ 7,308 4,659 16,940 17,023

Subtotal, Information Technology.................................................... 39,330 40,022 81,900 80,516

Total, Working Capital Fund.................................................................. $109,507 $113,485 $149,858 $147,784

Departmental Shared Cost Programs:

Advisory Committee Liaison Services (White House Liaison Office) 216 209 210 210

Agency Partnership Outreach 2,350 2,406 2,374 2,374

Honor Awards...................................................................................... 7 3 3 3

Human Resources Self-Service Dashboard ......................................... 184 186 181 0

Human Resources Transformation ...................................................... 279 0 0 0
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

182

Item 2018 

Actual

2019

Actual

2020

Enacted

2021

Budget

Request

Intertribal Technical Assistance Network............................................ 979 994 996 976

Medical Services.................................................................................. 35 37 25 0

Office of Customer Experience ........................................................... 605 813 903 903

People’s Garden................................................................................... 150 0 0 0

Personnel and Document Security....................................................... 577 537 535 535

Physical Security 0 0 1,779 1,287

Security Detail..................................................................................... 1,395 1,349 1,402 1,402

Security Operations ............................................................................. 3,272 3,286 1,762 1,925

TARGET Center.................................................................................. 413 384 351 351

USDA Enterprise Data Analytics Services.......................................... 0 0 1,639 1,639

Virtual University ................................................................................ 317 0 0 0

Total, Department Shared Cost Programs............................................. $10,778 $10,204 $12,140 $11,605

E-Gov:

Budget Formulation and Execution Line of Business............................. 30 30 30 18

Enterprise Human Resource Integration ................................................. 616 616 0 0

Enterprise Human Resource Integration ................................................. 616 616 0 0

Financial Management Line of Business................................................ 100 100 100 100

Human Resource Management Line of Business.................................... 90 90 90 90

Integrated Acquisition Environment....................................................... 786 849 573 573

E-Rulemaking ......................................................................................... 50 41 9 9

Geospatial Line of Business.................................................................... 13 13 12 12

Grants.gov............................................................................................... 1 1 5 5

Total, E-Gov ............................................................................................. $1,685 $1,740 $819 $807
2021 USDA EXPLANATORY NOTES – FOREST SERVICE

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FOREST SERVICE - WORKING CAPITAL FUND

Overview

The Forest Service Working Capital Fund (WCF) provides orderly and efficient supply and equipment service in support of 

Forest Service programs. The Department of Agriculture Organic Act of August 3, 1956, as amended by the Act of October 

23, 1962 (15 U.S.C. 579b), established the Forest Service WCF. The WCF is a self-sustaining revolving fund that provides 

services to national forests, research stations, other Federal agencies, and as provided by law, to State and private 

cooperators.

The WCF requires no appropriation. Initially, regular Forest Service appropriations purchased assets and donated the assets 

to WCF. The WCF rates are determined so that WCF recovers operating and replacement costs. The WCF provides the 

following services:

Equipment Leasing Services, which owns and rents vehicles and aircraft, and Enterprise Services, which are reinvention 

teams accomplishing project work that improves customer service and reduces costs.

The table below displays the volume of business for major WCF activities:

Volume of Business for Major WCF Activities (dollars in thousands)

Type

2019 

Actual

2020 

Enacted a

2021 

Budget 

Request a

Equipment – Fleet.................................................................... $173,651 $193,131 $189,121

Equipment - Fleet (GSA Leases) ............................................. 783 798 815

Equipment – Aircraft ............................................................... 18,973 11,662 10,147

Nursery .................................................................................... 11,687 12,155 12,641

Enterprise Services................................................................... 44,353 46,127 47,972

Total ........................................................................................ $249,447 $263,873 $260,696

a The FY 2020 Enacted and the FY 2021 Budget Request were calculated using approved five-year Cash Flow statements. Each year the

 five-year estimates can change based on specific needs at the time.