Meet The U.S. Forest Service

1. Meet The U.S. Forest Service “Caring for the Land and Serving People”

2. Introduction to the Forest Service USFS: • Manages public lands in national forests and grasslands. • Largest forestry research • Provides technical and financial assistance to State and private forestry agencies.

3. Establishment of USFS • Congress established USFS in 1905. • Management of national forests for: • Benefits and multiple uses • Sustained yield of renewable resource

4. National Forests:America’s GreatOutdoors • Size of National Forests = Size of Texas • Opportunities for recreation: • Backpacking • Challenging trails • Enjoying the views • Fishing

5. USFS managers: Help people share and enjoy the forest Conserve the environment. USFS mission: Protection & management locally and internationally Research “Caring for the Land and Serving People”

6. USFS Offices: Ranger District • First point of contact with USFS. • >600 ranger districts • 50,000 acres < District size<1 million acres • Activities include: • trail construction • campground operation • habitat management

7. USFS Offices: National Forest • 155 National Forests & 20 grasslands • Several ranger districts • Forest supervisor is head; • Activities include: • District activities • Budget allocation • District technical support

8. USFS Offices: Region • The 9 regions include several states. • Regional forester is head. • Activities include: • National forest activities • Quality operations • Guidance for forest plans • Budget allocation

9. USFS Offices: National Level • A.k.a.The Washington Office • The Chief: • Head of USFS • Reports to Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment in the USDA. • Activities include: • Policy & agency direction • Budget development with White House • Monitors agency activities

10. The National Forest System • USFS manages National Forest System. • NationalForest System: 44 states, Puerto Rico, & the Virgin Islands • U.S. greatest assets: natural resources in these areas

11. National Forest System: Budget • The appropriated budget: $4.8 billion for the 2006 fiscal year.

12. USFS Research & Development • Seven research stations • Two quasi-stations • Provides: • scientific & technical knowledge • Conducted through: • Forest & range experimentation stations • Forest Products Laboratory

13. Research & Development • Major research topics: • Inventory & monitoring of lands • Forest health protection • Management research • Ecology • Social science • 2200employees: • 550 scientists • 80% of these scientists have doctorate degrees.

14. State & Private Forestry • USFS cooperates with: • State and local governments • Forest industries • Private landowners • Forest users • The objectives: • Manage, protect, & develop non-Federal forest land • Activities include: • Urban interface fire management • Urban forestry

15. State & Private Forestry • Forest Health Management • Cooperative Fire Protection • Cooperative Forestry

16. USFS provides: Leadership Agency business means Cooperation with human resource programs: Americorps Job Corps Senior Community Service Employment Program Volunteer program USFS: Hires & trains employees Evaluates & promotes Hires contractors Acquires office space, equipment, & supplies Acquires, supports, and maintains technology Administration

17. International Programs • USFS globally links people and communities • IP strives to protect and manage the world’s forest. • IP works with: • USAID • USDS • EPA • Non-profit organizations • universities

18. Final Thoughts on USFS • USFS has 30,000 diverse employees. • Numbers rise in the summer. • Vast opportunities for: • students • senior citizens • international visitors • interested volunteers.

19. How to Contact USFS • “Guide to Your National Forests” for listings • Visit USFS on the web (http://www.fs.fed.us)