The U.S.

Forest Service -
An Overview
Since the printing of this document, Thomas Tidwell has
become the 17th Chief of the USDA Forest Service.

Tom Tidwell grew up in Boise, Idaho, and graduated from Washington State
University. He has spent 32 years with the Forest Service in a variety of positions.
He began his Forest Service career on the Boise National Forest in fire, and has since
worked on eight different national forests, in three regions.

He has worked at all levels of the agency in a variety of positions, including District
Ranger, Forest Supervisor, and Legislative Affairs Specialist in the Washington Office,
where he worked on the planning rule, the 2001 roadless rule and the Secure Rural
Schools County Payments Act.

Tom served as the Deputy Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region with
primary responsibility for fire and aviation management, recreation, engineering,
state and private forestry and tribal relations. Under Tom’s leadership, there was a
significant increase in the Region’s effectiveness to reduce hazardous fuels, and
improved cooperation with CALFIRE on wildland fire suppression.

Prior to this assignment, Tidwell served as the Regional Forester for the Northern
Region, with responsibility for the national forests and grasslands in northern Idaho,
Montana, North Dakota and portions of South Dakota. As the Regional Forester,
Tom encouraged and supported community-based collaboration to find resolution on
how and where to use active management to restore forest health and address
wildfire threat to communities, and to provide protection for the values of unroaded
landscapes.

Tom’s field experience includes working from the rural areas of Nevada and Idaho all
the way to the urban Forests in California and the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in
Utah, where he served as Forest Supervisor during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Tom
has extensive fire experience, beginning as a firefighter, and accumulating nineteen
years as an agency administrator responsible for fire suppression decisions.

Tom is married to Kim, and they have one daughter, MacKenzie.

Contents

Section 1: Who We Are and What We Do 1

Our History in Brief: Forest Service Milestones 2
The Chiefs: Then and Now 3
Section 2: Organization and Leadership 4
Executive Leadership Team 5
Office of the Chief 6
National Forest System Regional Foresters 7
Research and Development Station Directors and 8
State and Private Forestry Area Director
Section 3: Fast Facts About the Forest Service 9
Section 4: Key Points About the Forest Service 10
Section 5: Mission and Mission Areas 12
Research and Development 14
National Forest System 15
State and Private Forestry 16
International Programs 17
Business Operations 18
Office of the Chief 19

Section 6: Strategic Program Direction 21

Section 7: The Budget 22
Section 8: Wildfires, Forests, and Communities 24
Section 9: Growth Opportunities 28
Section 10: Primary Authorities 30
Section 11: Appendices 34
Appendix A: Forest Service Locations 35
Appendix B: Fire Suppression 40
Appendix C: 110th Congress on Fire Management 41
Appendix D: The National Fire Plan 43
Appendix E: The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 44
Appendix F: The 16 Chiefs of the Forest Service 45
Appendix G: Forest Service Employment 46
Forest Service Mission
Sustain the health, diversity, and
productivity of the Nation’s forests
and grasslands to meet the needs of
present and future generations.
Section 1: Who We Are and What We Do

This report is about the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—
who we are, what we do, and what we might be in the future. As the primary forestry
agency of the United States, the Forest Service leads our Nation in natural resource
management.

Established in 1905, the Forest Service:

Manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands.

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

Is the largest natural resource research organization in the world.

Works with partners worldwide to protect global forest resources.

Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, summed up the purpose of the
Forest Service—“to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of
people in the long run.” As the 16th Chief of this agency, I proudly continue in the
same tradition of caring for the land and serving people and invite you to join us in
this mission.

Very respectfully,

ABIGAIL R. KIMBEL
Chief
For more information, go to www.fs.fed.us

Forest Service Headquarters

Yates Federal Building
14th & Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC
(adajacent to the National Mall)

1
 Our History in Brief: Forest Service Milestones

1876 The Office of Special Agent for forest research is created in the Department of
Agriculture to assess the state of the forests in the United States.

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

Forest Service scientist 1891 The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 authorizes withdrawing land from the public
George B. Sudworth— domain as “forest reserves,” managed by the Department of the Interior.
author of the classic
authority Checklist
of Forest Trees of the
1901 The Division of Forestry is renamed the Bureau of Forestry.
United States—in the
Sierra Forest Reserve, 1905 The Transfer Act of 1905 transfers the management of forest reserves from the
California, 1901. General Land Office (within the Department of the Interior) to the Bureau
of Forestry (within the Department of Agriculture). The name of the agency
changes to the Forest Service.

1905 National forest management focuses on protecting lands against overgrazing,

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

1911 The Weeks Law authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase cutover,
denuded, and other forested lands for flood and fire control. This new
authority led to the expansion of National Forests in the Eastern United
States and the protection and restoration of millions of acres of land.

1944 The Forest Service begins a campaign stating “Only YOU can prevent forest
fires” using a fire-injured bear as a symbol to be careful. Today, “Smokey Bear”
is one of the most widely recognized icons in America.

1946 National forests experience increased demand on forest resources, especially

–1960 timber and recreation.

1960 In response to shifting public values, the Forest Service shifts focus to
–1980 managing land as integrated systems, instead of individual resources.

1989 The Chief ’s New Perspectives initiative stresses ecosystem management and
Dedication of Mather sustainability and is aimed to place timber management in line with other
Memorial Parkway
on the Snoqualmie
forest values including biodiversity, water quality, and recreation.
National Forest,
Washington, 1955. 2001 The National Fire Plan is created to address the buildup of fuels
unintentionally caused by decades of fire suppression, climate change, and
developments adjacent to forests.
For Further Reference: General background on the Forest Service
http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/meetfs.shtml

2
 The Chiefs: Then and Now

Then
Gifford Pinchot: 1st Chief of the Forest Service, 1905-1910
Under President Theodore Roosevelt the management of the forest
reserves was transferred from the Department of the Interior to the
Department of Agriculture and the newly created Forest Service in
1905. Gifford Pinchot became the Chief of the new agency. He had a
strong hand in guiding the fledgling organization toward the utilitarian
philosophy of the "greatest good for the greatest number in the long
run." Gifford Pinchot is generally regarded as the "father" of American
forestry and conservation because of his great and unrelenting concern
for the protection of the American forests.
Now
Abigail R. Kimbell: 16th Chief of the Forest Service,
2007-Present
“...My priorities start and stop with what I can do to facilitate restoration
of healthy forests. We have to manage for the health of the whole
landscape—for clean water, for wildlife habitat, for healthy vegetation,
for recreation.” Chief Kimbell grew up in New England, where she spent
her formative years hiking, fishing, and camping on the White Mountain
National Forest. Before her appointment as Chief in January 2007, she
held a variety of positions in the agency, including district ranger, forest
supervisor, associate deputy chief, and regional forester. Over the past
30 years, Kimbell has served a leader in natural resource management
as a ranger and Forest Supervisor in Oregon, Washington, Wyoming,
Colorado, Alaska and Montana. She played a large role in developing
legislation that led to agency-wide attention to reducing the impact of
wildfire and restoring health to forests at risk. As Chief she has guided
work to sustain the national forests and grasslands by addressing forest
and climate change and water production, and by calling for connecting
more children, our future land stewards, with nature.

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

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

3
 Section 2: Organization and Leadership

To fulfill its mission and manage the national forests, the Forest Service is
organized into nine regions. Seven research stations, including the International
Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products Laboratory, provide the latest
science for sound stewardship decisions. The Forest Service also provides funding
and technical assistance to fulfill its role on non-Federal forest lands. In addition,
the Forest Service provides international assistance in land stewardship and has
its own Law Enforcement and Investigations unit responsible for enforcement
of Federal laws and regulations governing national forest lands and resources.
Leadership of these mission areas is listed in the rest of this section.

For Further Reference: Forest Service mission at

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

4
Executive Leadership Team

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

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

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

Deputy Chief, Research and Development: Ann Bartuska

(202) 205-1665

Deputy Chief, National Forest System: Joel Holtrop

(202) 205-1523

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

(202) 205-1657

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

(202) 205-1707

Chief Financial Officer: Jesse King

(505) 563-7101

The National Leadership Council (NLC)

of the Forest Service consists of the
Executive Leadership Team (ELT), plus
the regional foresters, station directors,
area director, associate deputy chiefs,
external affairs officer, and union
representative.

5
 Office of the Chief

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

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

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

(703) 605-4690

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

6
National Forest System Regional Foresters

Regional foresters lead the land management programs in nine geographic regions of
the National Forest System. (Regions are numbered 1-10; Region 7 was eliminated
in 1965 when the current Eastern Region was created from the former Eastern and
North Central regions. 1)

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

(406) 329-3316

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

(303) 275-5450

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

(505) 842-3300

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

(801) 625-5605

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

(707) 562-9000

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

(503) 808-2203

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

(404) 347-1788

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

(414) 297-3765

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

(907) 586-8863

1
Source: The Land We Cared for… A History of the Forest Service’s Eastern Region.
1997. Conrad, David E. Forest Service.
7
 Research and Development Station Directors and
State and Private Forestry Area Director

Station Directors lead the science programs in the seven research stations. The
director, Northeastern Area, leads the State and Private Forestry programs in the 20
States of the Northeast and Midwest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Southern Research Station: Jim Reaves in Asheville, NC,

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

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

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

Forest Products Laboratory: Chris Risbrudt in Madison, WI,

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

Northeastern Area, State and Private Forestry: Kathy Maloney in

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

8
Section 3: Fast Facts About the Forest Service2

Budgetary and Financial Resources

5.5 Total budget authority ($ in billions)
42 Percent of the current budget spent for fighting fires
734 Total revenues and receipts ($ in millions)
Personnel
550 Scientists in 67 locations
737 Law enforcement personnel
10,050 Firefighters
34,250 Employees in 750 locations in all 50 States and Puerto Rico
Physical Resources
44 States with National Forest System lands
59 million Acres of Forest Service land classified as “Roadless Areas”
60 Percent of U.S. alpine skiing capacity occurring on national forests
70 million Acres of urban forests in America where the Forest Service has a stewardship role
83 Experimental forests used for science
193 million Acres of national forests and grasslands managed
14,077 Recreation sites
42,085 Buildings
59,258 Volunteers
143,346 Miles of trails
374,883 Miles of roads
192 million Visitors per year
Select Resource Statistics
8 Acres of trees to offset one person’s annual carbon use.3
200 million million tons of carbon sequestered each year by U.S. forests and wood products,
equal to about 10 percent of annual emissions from fossil fuels. 4
4,800 Low-income, at-risk youth in 22 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers managed
by the Forest Service.5
9,130 Wildfires that were started on Forest Service lands
2,767,897 Green tons of small, low-value trees made available for bioenergy production
2,996,000 Acres of Forest Service lands burned
3,027,032 Acres treated on Forest Service lands to reduce hazardous fuels
123,750,000 People that depend on water from national forests.
1.5 billion Number of trees harvested per year in the United States6
2
FY 2007 information
3
Per Chris Risbrudt, Director Forest Products Laboratory, August 2008
4
Per Rich Birdsey, Northern Global Change Program Manager, July 2008
5
Per Christine Murray, Deputy Chief for Operations’ office, July 2008
6
Per Chris Risbrudt, Director Forest Products Laboratory, September 2008

9
 Section 4: Key Points About the Forest Service

1. National Forest System lands are managed using a multiple-use approach that
sustains healthy terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and addresses the need for
resources, commodities, and services.
2. Forest Service Research and Development provides long-term research,
scientific knowledge, and tools that are used to manage forests and rangelands
across the United States and overseas.
3. The Forest Service helps private landowners, State forestry organizations,
tribes, and communities achieve forest management, protection, and utilization
objectives through a wide-range of cooperative programs in the State and
Private Forestry mission area.
4. Forest Service International Programs promotes sustainable forest management
and biodiversity conservation internationally.
5. Destructive insect populations are increasing due to changing climate extremes.
The Forest Service works across all land ownerships to effectively control and
manage a wide range of major forest pests.
6. The Forest Service has a dominant role in helping create an informed citizenry
by improving environmental literacy through conservation education and
volunteer programs.
7. About 124 million Americans rely on national forests and grasslands as the
primary source of clean drinking water.
8. The National Fire Plan, the Healthy Forests Initiative, and the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act provide the agency focus to protect lives and property from
wildfire and keep trees, forests, and forest ecosystems healthy and sustainable.
9. A network of 83 experimental forests and ranges are the backbone of long-term
scientific studies—100 years of data—by the Forest Service.
10. Currently, forests offset about 10 percent of America’s carbon emissions and
have the potential to contribute more. Because the Forest Service has some
type of stewardship responsibility on 80 percent of America’s forests, there is an
increasing demand on the agency to help identify and implement management
strategies that reduce greenhouse gases.

10
11. Catastrophic wildfires are increasing with longer and warmer growing seasons.
12. The Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the Forest Service has been
tracking the status, changes, and future potential of American forests for almost
75 years.
13. Wood for energy is becoming an economic alternative to fossil fuel.
14. American-grown woody biomass harvested from forests could supply up to 15
percent of our Nation’s energy needs.
15. The Forest Service manages two-thirds of all firefighting resources in America
and fights catastrophic wildfires across all lands.

Forest cover about one-third of the United

States—about 751 million acres. The Forest
Service has some type of stewardship role in about
80 percent of these forests. Trees, forests, and
forest ecosystems provide habitat for wildlife; help
to cleanse air and water; supply timber and fuel
wood and other harvested products; and serve as
wonderful places for hiking, camping, and fishing.

About 423 million acres—56 percent—

of America’s forest land is classified as
“private;” 44 percent is “public” land
under the control of Federal, State, and
county or municipal agencies.

The Forest Service has the largest

forestry research program in the world.

11
 Section 5: Mission and Mission Areas

Mission Statement
The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity
of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future
generations. The mission of the Forest Service is guided by the fundamental
principle of providing the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of
people in the long run and is characterized by the slogan: Caring for the Land and
Serving People.

Scope
The Forest Service has the direct stewardship responsibility for 193 million acres
of national forests and grasslands and shares responsibility, working though
State forestry agencies, for the management, protection, and wise use of about
500 million acres of non-Federal rural and urban forests. Work is carried out
primarily through a decentralized organization of regions, research stations, and
the Northeastern Area. The headquarters for the agency—located in the Yates
Building at 14th Street and Independence Avenue, Washington, DC—provides
national policy and guidance in harmony with direction from the Department of
Agriculture.

Strategic Program Direction

The Forest Service is guided by a long-term strategic plan that includes seven major
strategic goals:
1. Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands.
2. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people.
3. Conserve open space.
4. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities.
5. Maintain basic management capabilities of the Forest Service.
6. Engage urban America with Forest Service programs.
7. Provide science-based applications and tools for sustainable natural resources
management.

12
Mission Areas
Work by the Forest Service is carried out through five program mission areas.
• Research and Development
• National Forest System
• State and Private Forestry
• International Programs
• Business Operations

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the Forest Service is engaged in a number of critical focus areas,
including the following:
1. Healthy forests (including mitigating impacts due to climate change, producing
clean water, protecting lives and property from wildfires, controlling surface
impacts from oil and gas exploration, and sustaining biological diversity).
2. Recreation management.
3. Water quality and supply.
4. Partnerships (expansion of collaborative capabilities, transforming and
leveraging resources).
5. Markets for ecosystem services (benefits people obtain from natural
ecosystems).
6. Informed citizenry (through environmental education and “More Kids in the
Woods”).

For Further Reference: USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan FY

2007-2012, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, FS-880, July 2007
http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/strategic/fs-sp-fy07-12.pdf (2
mb)

13
 Research and Development

“…Science affects Mission Statement

the way we think To serve and benefit society by developing and communicating the scientific
together” information and technology needed to manage, protect, use, and sustain the natural
(Lewis Thomas) resources of forests and range lands.

Scope
The Forest Service represents the world’s largest natural resources science capacity.
Our science helps link environmental health with community stability on all
lands—Federal and non-Federal forest—in America and other countries. Cost-
effective technology development is fundamental to our mission. We employ about
550 scientists and several hundred technical and support staff, located at 67 sites
throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico. Discovery and technology
development and transfer is carried out through seven research stations.
• Pacific Northwest (headquartered in Portland, OR)
• Pacific Southwest (Albany, CA)
• Rocky Mountain (Ft. Collins, CO)
• Northern (Newtown Square, PA)
• Southern (Asheville, NC)
• International Institute of Tropical Forestry (Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico)
• Forest Product Laboratory (Madison, WI)

Strategic Program Direction

Forest Service science is organized around seven strategic program areas.
1. Wildland fire and fuels.
2. Resource management and use.
3. Wildlife and fish.
4. Recreation.
5. Water and air.
6. Inventory, monitoring, and analysis.
7. Invasive species.

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the Research and Development mission area is engaged in the following
critical focus areas.
1. Inventory and monitoring of America’s natural resources.
2. The control of destructive invasive species.
3. The effective control of wildland fires to protect communities.
4. Wood for energy.
5. Climate change management.
The inventory and analysis of America’s
6. Watershed restoration and management.
forest resources is critical. The Forest
7. Urban natural resources stewardship. Inventory and Analysis program,
8. Nanotechnology. administered by the Research and
Development mission area, is currently
enrolled in 46 States. New Mexico, Hawaii,
Nevada, and interior Alaska still need to be
added.
14
National Forest System

Mission Statement National forests

To protect and manage the 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands so they provide drinking
best demonstrate the sustainable multiple-use management concept, using an water for 123
ecological approach, to meet the diverse needs of people. million people.

Scope
The 193 million acres of public land that are managed as national forests and
grasslands are collectively known as the National Forest System. These lands are
located in 44 States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and comprise about
9 percent of the total land area in the United States. The natural resources on
these lands are some of the Nation’s greatest assets and have major economic,
environmental, and social significance for all Americans. The stewardship of the
National Forest System is carried out through nine regions.
• Northern (Missoula, MT)
• Rocky Mountain (Golden, CO)
• Southwestern (Albuquerque, NM)
• Intermountain (Ogden, UT)
• Pacific Southwest (Vallejo, CA)
• Pacific Northwest (Portland, OR)
• Southern (Atlanta, GA)
• Eastern (Milwaukee, WI)
• Alaska ( Juneau, AK)

Strategic Program Direction

The stewardship of the National Forest System is guided primarily through four
strategic program directions.
1. Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands.
2. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people.
3. Maintain a full range of basic management capabilities of the Forest Service.
4. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities.

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the National Forest System mission area is engaged in the following
critical focus areas.
1. Sustaining healthy forests.
2. Recreation.
3. Clean water and adequate supply. Investments in rural wood-to-energy
4. Wood for energy. facilities have the power to help make our
5. Climate change management. country energy independent.
6. Informed citizenry and “More Kids in the Woods.”

Outdoor recreation increases fitness and

well-being. Children especially benefit from
outdoor play.

15
 State and Private Forestry

Mission Statement
To provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners, state agencies,
Tribes, and community resource managers to help sustain the Nation’s urban and
rural forests and to protect communities and the environment from wildland fires,
insects, disease, and invasive plants.

Scope
More than Through a coordinated effort in management, protection, conservation education,
80 percent of all and resource use, we help facilitate sound stewardship across lands of all ownerships
Americans live in on a landscape scale, while maintaining flexibility for individual landowners to
urban areas. The pursue their objectives. We employ approximately 537 staff located at 17 sites
Forest Service throughout the country. The delivery of the State and Private Forestry program is
has a major role
carried out by eight National Forest System regions and the Northeastern Area.
in caring for urban
natural resources
and linking Strategic Program Direction
environmental Our program delivery is organized within six focus areas.
health with 1. Fire and aviation management.
community well- 2. Tribal relations.
being. 3. Cooperative forestry.
4. Urban and community forestry.
5. Forest health protection.
6. Conservation education.

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the State and Private Forestry mission area is engaged in the following
critical focus areas.
1. 2008 Farm Bill. Adjust existing program direction/establish new direction,
subject to available funds. Where the Forest Service is not the lead but has
strong interest, engage with the USDA lead agency as they develop program
direction to bring our forestry and natural resource knowledge to bear.
2. Integration of Vegetation/Ecological Services. Develop an implementation
framework to deliver integrated vegetation management/ecological services
programs to achieve sustainability on the landscape.

Forests are our friends! Woodsy Owl, a

Forest Service symbol, has been America’s
environmental champion since 1970, and is
most recognized for his wise request, “Give
a hoot. Don’t pollute.” Caring, friendly, and
wise, Woodsy Owl helps motivate all of us,
especially children, to form healthy, lasting
relationships with nature.

16
International Programs

Mission Statement
International Programs of the Forest Service promotes sustainable land
management overseas and brings important technologies and innovations back to
the United States.

Scope
The program focuses on conserving key natural resource in cooperation with
countries across the world.

Strategic Program Direction

The program is critical to protect U.S. investments in a wide array of cross-
boundary natural resource conservation issues, including:
1. Invasive species.
2. Climate change.
3. Migratory species habitat conservation.
4. International policy.
5. Global biodiversity.

Critical Focus Areas

Currently, the International Programs mission area is engaged in the following
critical focus areas.
1. Policy Development. Advances U.S. forestry interests at international policy
deliberations, provides expertise in global forestry issues, and utilizes lessons
from overseas for improving forest management at home.
2. Technical Assistance. Promotes sustainable forest management and
biodiversity conservation in collaboration with partners in the field at home and
abroad.
3. Disaster Assistance. With funding from the Office of Foreign Disaster
Assistance (a division of U.S. Agency for International Development),
International Programs provides technical expertise for international response
efforts and brings home lessons learned.

One of world’s most spectacular natural

phenomena is North America ’s Monarch
butterfly migration. Every fall, millions of
Monarchs migrate thousands of miles from
Canada and the United States to spend
the winter in central Mexico. They return
Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State
University, Bugwood.org northward in the spring. To help conserve
this magnificent species and its habitats,
the Forest Service International Programs
is working with a wide range of partners
across the Monarch migratory path, or
flyway.
17
 Business Operations

Mission Statement
To provide high-quality and timely business processes to support successful
accomplishment of Forest Service programs.

Scope
Throughout the Forest Service, 3,200 Business Operations employees work
in human resources, Job Corps, finance, information technology, and other
administrative fields to provide essential services that the agency’s employees and
partners rely on to care for our natural resources.

Strategic Program Direction

Business Operations is leading a service-wide modernization of the agency’s
administrative systems. The transition from widely dispersed systems and people
to a centralized model for key administrative functions is a major culture shift that
challenges Forest Service leaders and employees. Our efforts are targeted on:
1. Eliminating duplication.
2. Capitalizing on new technologies.
3. Providing improved service more efficiently.

Critical Focus Areas

The Business Operations mission area is engaged in the following critical focus
areas.
1. Albuquerque Service Center—Human Capital Management. When the
agency consolidated its human resource services in 2007, the upheaval of
personnel, failing new technology, and a decentralized agency culture led
to problems in providing basic services such as hiring, pay, promotions, and
retirements. Service has improved, but the unit’s 500 employees face many
challenges to serving a workforce of up to 45,000 people (permanent and
temporary employees). The agency continues its emphasis on human resource
services to mitigate issues and further enhance operations.
2. Chief Information Office. Reorganization of this office is in progress to
provide effective program delivery and customer service and address issues such
as strengthening information security, ensuring staffing levels, providing local
technology support, and the addressing challenges presented by more than 600
different applications in use across the agency.
3. Albuquerque Service Center—Budget and Finance. A model of effective,
centralized service delivery, Budget and Finance has steered the Forest Service
through six consecutive clean audits. This level of performance requires
significant commitment of financial and personnel resources.
4. Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers. The Forest Service operates 22
Job Corps centers nationwide and soon expects to operate all 28 Federal
centers. Job Corps is the Nation’s premier residential training program
for disadvantaged youth, ages 16 through 24. Students are provided with
educational opportunities to achieve a General Educational Development or
high school diploma and vocational training. The program provides advance
training in key natural resource programs leading to potential careers in wildfire
18 suppression and other natural resource technical fields.
Office of the Chief

In addition to International Programs, the following programs provide critical

leadership and support to delivery of the Forest Service mission.

External Affairs Office

The External Affairs Office within the Office of the Chief enhances the capacity of
the Forest Service to deliver its mission through strong, collaborative relationships
with Congress, the national media, national and international interest groups and
partners, employees, and the American people. The organization is made up of four
staff areas: Legislative Affairs, Office of Communication, National Partnership
Office, and the National Media Office. While each of the program areas provides
distinct expertise, they have the shared role of advancing the goals and activities
of the Forest Service both within and outside the agency. The success of Forest
Service external affairs will come from clear strategies and strong teamwork among
the External Affairs Office and the program areas throughout the Forest Service.
Contact: Leslie Weldon, (202) 205-1661.

Chief Financial Officer

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides service-wide leadership in the
development and evaluation of programs in finance, accounting, and Federal
assistance. The CFO oversees all financial management activities related to
the Forest Service programs and operations, including financial management
policies and internal controls, financial and programmatic information systems
development, financial analysis and performance reports, and budget and fiscal
integration. Forest Service resources include 45,000 employees, including
temporaries, and listed assets of $7.7 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2006. The CFO
manages three staff areas—Budget and Finance; Acquisition Management,
including property, grants, and agreements; and Financial Systems—and the
Albuquerque Service Center. Contact: Jesse L. King, Chief Financial Officer, (202)
205-1321.

19
 Civil Rights Program
The Civil Rights Office is responsible for delivering a comprehensive and
result-oriented Civil Rights program for customers while ensuring equality,
justice, and full participation in agency activities and programs. We achieve our
mission through civil rights compliance, advocacy, and educaion. Our goal is
to be a model organization that is devoted to fairness and equality in agency
employment and delivery of programs. Major responsibilities include implementing
Presidential Management Directive 715. This directive provides policy guidance
and standards for establishing and maintaining effective affirmative programs
of equal employment opportunity under VII—Section 717 of Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act—and effective affirmative action programs under Section 501
of the Rehabilitation Act (PART B). Other responsibilities include Title VII,
Employment Discrimination Complaint Program, Title VI—Federal Financial
Assistance Programs, Persons with Disabilities Program, and Reasonable
Accommodation, Special Emphasis Programs, Compliance Reviews, and Policy
Development. Contact: Debra Muse, Director, Civil Rights Program, (202) 205-
1585.

Law Enforcement and Investigations

The Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations (LEI) mission area is
a Federal law enforcement agency of the U.S. Government. It is responsible for
enforcement of Federal laws and regulations governing national forest lands and
resources. The LEI program operates in national forests in 44 States through
cooperation with Federal, State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies
and other Forest Service programs.  The LEI program: provides high visibility
uniformed patrol presence and prompt response to public and employee safety
incidents and violations of law and regulation; conducts criminal and civil
investigations; maintains strong relationships with cooperating law enforcement
agencies, the Offices of the United States Attorney, and the Federal Court system;
works to reduce the cultivation, production, and smuggling of cannabis and other
controlled substances on National Forest System lands; and coordinates and
conducts antiterrorist activities to provide a secure environment for the public and
our employees and to protect public resources and facilities.

20
Section 6: Strategic Program Direction
Goals
The seven major goals of the USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan, FY 2007–2012 are as follows.
1. Restore, sustain, and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands. The national forests and
grasslands were established to protect the land, secure favorable water flows, and provide a
sustainable supply of goods and services. Over the past century, the Forest Service has achieved a
balance between providing land stewardship services and meeting public demands for various uses of
the national forests. The increasing extent and frequency of uncharacteristically severe wildland fires
and insect and disease outbreaks are of particular concern to the public.
2. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people. Our forests and grasslands contain abundant
natural resources and opportunities that help meet the demands and needs of a growing America.
Sustainable management of these resources ensures that the availability of goods and services is
achieved and land productivity is maintained. National forest management provides a variety of
goods and services, including wildlife, supplies of wood products, energy, domestic livestock forage,
and water. The Forest Service also provides technical and financial assistance for non-Federal forest
land stewardship. This is done in partnership with State forestry agencies. Our research provides the
scientific foundation for the sustainable management of forests and grasslands and improvements in
the use and marketing of forest products and services.
3. Conserve open space. Open space provides a wide-range of environmental, social, and economic
benefits to rural and urban communities. Undeveloped forests and grasslands—including working
farms, ranches, and timber lands—help protect water quality, conserve native wildlife, and provide
a variety of renewable ecosystem services. The Forest Service, in partnership with other interests,
helps communities develop sustainable urban forestry programs. Communities use urban forest
management plans to help conserve open space.
4. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities. The Forest Service is emphasizing natural
resources stewardship to better connect urban residents to the value of well-managed public and
private forested lands and improve their quality of life. We promote managing, protecting, and using
urban natural resources and creating an informed citizenry through environmental literacy. We
work closely with a variety of partners at all government levels to improve the understanding of how
environmental health and community well-being are linked.
5. Maintain basic management capabilities of the Forest Service. The Nation’s population is
projected to increase by nearly 50 percent by the middle of this century. Population increases
create extensive pressure on public lands. If public lands are to provide additional benefits without
unacceptable resource impacts, we must emphasize effective management solutions that have a solid
scientific foundation. The condition of the land, facilities, and transportation infrastructure, for
example, must be considered if we expect to preserve high-quality experiences and sustain a balanced
flow of goods and services.
6. Engage urban America with Forest Service programs. Natural resources are affected by a wide
range of forces, including natural events and overuse. The Forest Service maintains a workforce with
the skills and capabilities to deal with the impacts of these events. Reliable information, quality
facilities, and land protection strategies are necessary to effectively manage natural resources in a
constant state of change.
7. Provide science-based applications and tools for sustainable natural resources management. The
Forest Service provides relevant science and leading-edge solutions to help sustain America’s trees,
forests, and forest ecosystems. Science-based management strategies are the foundation for all the
Forest Service land management programs.
For Further Reference: USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan, FY 2007-2012. United States
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. FS-880. July 2007.
http://www.fs.fed.us/publications/strategic/fs-sp-fy07-12.pdf 21
 Section 7: The Budget

Although part of the Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service receives its
budget through the Subcommittee on Appropriations—Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies. Recent budgetary trends are illustrated below.

Table 1. Forest Service Appropriations, FYs 2006–2008

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

Research $277,711 $277,711 280,488
State and Private Forestry 308,966 308,966 279,961
National Forest System 1,455,646 1,455,646 1,452,729
Wildland Fire Management 1,846,091 1,846,091 2,193,603
Capital Improvement and Maintenance 438,334 436,400 488,768
Land Acquisition 43,056 46,667 43,091
Other Appropriations 8,618 7,948 8,779
Subtotal, Discretionary Appropriations * 4,377,972 4,697,796 5,039,428
Subtotal, Mandatory Appropriations 795,170 721,068 767,215
Total Forest Service $5,173,142 5,418,864 $5,806,643

* Discretionary Appropriations includes Regular Appropriations plus Supplemental and Emergency

Appropriations.

22
Figure 1. Trend in Forest Service Fire Spending

1991 Controlling fire has become a dominant

13%
Fire
issue in America and within our agency.
The fire portion of the Forest Service
budget has increased from 13 percent to
42 percent over the last 15 years.

87%
Nonfire 21%
Fire

42%
Fire

79%
Nonfire

58%
Nonfire

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

Forest Service Budget

$5,000 2000-2008 Enacted, 2009 President's Budget
$4,500

$4,000
Nominal Dollars(millions)

$3,500

$3,000

$2,500

$2,000

$1,500

$1,000

$500

$0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Discretionary 2,811 3,179 3,784 3,956 4,192 4,238 4,201 4,327 4,488 4,109
Mandatory 632 828 665 658 876 892 795 721 755 442
Supplementals and Emergency 242 1,257 346 919 724 582 177 370 551 0

23
 Section 8: Wildfires, Forests, and Communities

By far, the most dominant issue facing the Forest Service today is effective and
cost-efficient wildfire control while ensuring America’s forests and communities
remain healthy and resilient. The Forest Service has a strategy for its deployment
and success. The issue must be addressed on three basic fronts:

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

funds for wildfire suppression activities, while reversing the affect experienced
over the past 15 years where other agency natural resource program funds have
been reduced in order to provide increased funding to wildfire suppression.
• The Land. Creating a forest that is resilient and more resistant to disturbances
so property and lives can be protected and communities that depend on the
forests remain sustainable and vibrant.
• The Cost. Using leading-edge, cost-management tactics to ensure suppression
costs are as low as practicable.

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

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

Discussion
The following chart highlights the percentage of the Budget currently devoted to
wildfires.

Fire: Percent of Forest Service Budget

50
45
40

30
20 21
13
10

0
1991 2000 2008

24
The Budget: Due to changes outside of Forest Service control (for example, climate
change and urban sprawl), fire suppression costs are skyrocketing and seriously
jeopardizing our ability to fund our natural resource mission. Potentially becoming
a single-mission agency (fire control) is not in the best interest of the land we care
for and people we serve.

The Forest Service budgets the cost of fire suppression based on a “10-Year
Average.” During the last 5 years, the agency has experienced several billion dollar
fire seasons. The “10-Year Average” has increased by over $700 million in less
than a decade. To accommodate this increase, the part of the agency’s constrained
budget used to fight fires has more than doubled since 2001—going from about
one-fourth to about one-half.

• The primary reason: We are fighting more fires in the wildland-urban interface
to help protect lives and property within communities. These fires typically
cost much more to suppress than fires far from communities. In a constrained
budget planning process where current fire control costs are givens, like a “10-
Year Average,” all the other Forest Service programs become lower priority.

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

“10-Year Average”—from the base programs of the Forest Service impacts all
mission areas and all programs. Our services to the American people suffer.

• The result is: Fire suppression becomes the dominant activity. Everything
else— research, recreation, control of invasive species, forest restoration,
campground maintenance—becomes smaller. Some programs become so small
they are rendered ineffective.

• The solution is: Work with interested parties to develop a budgetary strategy
that assures the availability of funds for wildfire suppression while not
impacting other critical Forest Service programs.

25
 The Land: The second front we must focus on to address the Wildfire, Forests, and
Communities issue is the land. This will allow the Forest Service to ensure that
America’s forests and forest ecosystems are well-managed, resilient, and resistant to
disturbances and change, resulting in communities—especially rural communities—
that depend on the land to remain vibrant and sustainable. Investments to
address the land would concentrate on fire management, restoration and hazard
mitigation, community capacity building, a skilled fire management workforce, and
accountability.

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

that are resilient and resistant to disturbances. We want to ensure that
communities throughout the Nation are well-prepared for fire and remain
socially and economically viable. If we accomplish this, large catastrophic fires
should decline, and, eventually, the costs to control fires will also decline.

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

and associated costs, primarily in the West, will continue to escalate. Preventive
measures must be part of the overall solution.

• The result is: Emergency-type fires and the costs to suppress these fires will be
reduced. The loss of property and lives will be less.

• The solution is: Develop and deploy an investment strategy entitled Wildfires,
Forests, and Communities that will produce the following benefits:

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

fire.
• Communities that are socially and economically vibrant.
• Healthier, more resilient fire-dependent forests, ecosystems, and
landscapes.
• A safer environment where firefighters can work and people can live.
• A more effective, efficient, and ultimately less costly, fire management
program.
• Greater collaboration with local, State, Federal, and nongovernmental
partners.
• More successful local initial response that ultimately requires less
Federal intervention.

26
The Cost: Fire suppression costs continue to escalate. Part of the reason
is uncontrollable events: prolonged drought in the West, development, and
unpredictable weather. However, part of the cost escalation may be due to a lack
of discipline in cost containment and adequate cost benchmarking of incidents.
For example, are the resource requirements adequate or have we “hedged our bets”
to cope with the fire and its inherent risks? Do we know what the fire we are
trying to contain should predictably cost (e.g., are there adequate benchmarks) and
have we organized to that prediction? These are cost management issues that the
Forest Service will continue to aggressively address. Our focus will be to improve
agency accountability and reduce taxpayer costs, including budgeting for large
incidents (science-based benchmarking), keeping a log of key decisions, sharing
decisionmaking on large fires, reviewing large fire costs, and including oversight by
the Wildland Fire Leadership Council.

 The primary reason: We want to ensure the cost to control the specific wildfire
is correct. In other words, we must strive to ensure that $90 million was spent
on a fire that should have cost $90 million to suppress based on fuel types,
weather, geography, location, values protected, and other factors used in science-
based prediction models. Overall, costs will eventually be reduced with effective
benchmarking, a fundamental tool for oversight and accountability.

 The point is:

Without effective cost management procedures, the costs of fire
suppression will be what it takes, not what it should be. We cannot leave cost
containment to chance.

 The result is:

Reduced costs, overall, through effective practices, including
benchmarking of fires and the development of science-based predictive models.

 The solution is:

A wide-range of cost management measures that include
science-based modeling, shared decisionmaking, and precise role definitions
with cooperating units and oversight.

27
 Section 9: Growth Opportunities for the Future

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

contemporary natural resource conservation issues. In meeting key natural resource
needs of America, the Forest Service contributes to fundamental societal issues of
safety, health, and education. The Forest Service has developed several key areas
we want to focus on in the future. We are calling these areas of emphasis, Growth
Opportunities.

Growth Opportunities
The current nine Growth Opportunities and associated visions are:
• Climate Change. Ensure that ecosystems and communities on all forest
ownerships effectively adapt to changing climate through forest and grassland
management actions that significantly mitigate global climate change.
• Water Quality and Supply. Ensure that healthy forests continue to function
as natural sponges that absorb, store, and filter precipitation and fill our streams
and rivers throughout the year, recharge groundwater supplies, and remove
harmful pollutants.
• Wood for Energy. Based on our stewardship role on 80 percent of the Nation’s
750 million acres of Federal and non-Federal forests, help our country meet
its energy goals by replacing fossil fuel energy sources with forms of renewable
energy, including wood.
• More Kids in the Woods. Create an enduring impact on kids’ values and
attitudes towards nature and their role in conserving natural resources for
current and future generations.
• Recreation. Provide opportunity for America’s youth to build life-long skills
and develop healthy lifestyles through experiential and imaginative play
outdoors. All visitors—regardless of ethnicity, age, or ability—enjoy outdoor
experiences.
• Urban Natural Resources Stewardship. Emphasize a suite of science,
management, and technology transfer programs to ensure the proper care
of natural resources and advancement of ecosystem services in urban and
urbanizing landscapes to help improve people’s lives.
• Markets for Ecosystem Services. Incorporate the value of ecosystems into the
land management decisionmaking process to better stimulate new investments
in conservation and markets so forested land and other ecosystems remain
intact and functional.
• Green Jobs. To ensure the American economy is more competitive, expand
training opportunities for primarily Job Corps enrollees and selected others
in the private sector to address projected job shortages in renewable energy,
energy-efficiency industries and a wide-range of Jobs in the Woods.
• Environmental Diplomacy. To address critical global natural resource
challenges, expand Forest Service technical cooperation with key international
partners, thereby improving forest and rangeland management globally while
enhancing U.S. prestige and influence in this important field of international
diplomacy.

28
Growth Opportunities—Linkages
The nine Growth Opportunitys are solidly linked to critical societal issues and the
agency-wide seven strategic program goals. The following illustrates these linkages:

Prosperity

Education
Economic

Changing
Security

Climate
Growth Opportunities

Health
Climate Change  

Water Quality and Supply  

Wood for Energy   

More Kids in the Woods  

Recreation 

Urban Natural Resources Stewardship   

Markets for Ecosystem Services   

Green Jobs     

Environmental Diplomacy   

Growth Opportunities SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD SPD

No. 1 No. No. No. No. No. No.
2 3 4 5 6 7
Climate Change   

Water Quality and Supply  

Wood for Energy   

More Kids in the Woods  

Recreation   

Urban Natural Resources Stewardship    

Markets for Ecosystem Services   

Green Jobs    

Environmental Diplomacy   

Strategic Program Direction (SPD): The seven major strategic program goals for the Forest Service are:
1. Land Stewardship. Restore, sustain and enhance the Nation’s forests and grasslands.
2. Sustainable Benefits. Provide and sustain benefits to the American people.
3. Conserve open space.
4. Recreation. Sustain and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities.
5. Management Capabilities. Maintain basic management capabilities of the Forest Service.
6. Urban Stewardship. Engage urban America with Forest Service programs.
7. Science. Provide science-based applications and tools for sustainable natural resources
management.

29
 Section 10: Primary Authorities
The following are nine of the primary authorities directing or influencing the mission of
the Forest Service:

1. Forest Service Organic Administration Act (Act of June 4, 1897) (16 U.S.C. §§
473-478, 479-482 and 551, June 4, 1897, as amended 1905, 1911, 1925, 1962, 1964,
1968, and 1976). This act is the original organic act governing the administration of
national forest lands. The act specified the purposes for which forest reserves might
be established and provided for their protection and management. Today, this act
is one of several Federal laws under which the Forest Service operates. While the
Organic Administration Act remains significant, it must be read in conjunction with
the later acts, which expand the purpose and uses of the national forests.

2. Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (Act of June 12, 1960) (P.L. 86-517;
16 U.S.C. §§ 528-531). This act declares that the purposes of the national forests
include outdoor recreation, range, timber, watershed, and fish and wildlife. The
act directs the Secretary of Agriculture to administer national forest renewable
surface resources for multiple use and sustained yield. The act does not affect the
jurisdiction or responsibilities of the States, the use or administration of the mineral
resources of national forest lands, or the use or administration of Federal lands not
within the national forests.

3. National Forest Management Act of 1976 (Act of October 22, 1976) (P.L. 94-
588; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1600-1614, August 17, 1974, as amended 1976, 1978, 1980,
1981, 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1990). This act reorganized, expanded, and otherwise
amended the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974,
which called for the management of renewable resources on national forest lands.
The National Forest Management Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to assess
forest lands, develop a management program based on multiple-use, sustained-yield
principles, and implement a resource management plan for each unit of the National
Forest System. It is the primary statute governing the administration of national
forests.

4. Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (Act of July 1, 1978) (P.L. 95-313; 16
U.S.C. §§ 2101-2111, July 1, 1978, as amended 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996 and 2008).
This act, as amended, authorizes the State and private forestry activities of the Forest
Service—including fire, forest management, forest health, wood utilization, urban
and community forestry, forest land easements, and organizational management
assistance—to State forestry agencies.

5. Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (Act of June
30, 1978) (P.L. 95-307, as amended by P.L. 100-521, Forest Ecosystems and
Atmospheric Pollution Research Act of 1988, Section 3 (c), and as amended by
P.L. 101-624, Food Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Farm
Bill), Title XII, Subtitle B; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1641-1648). The act provides an updated
and expanded authority for research by the Forest Service, including allowing
competitive grants, performing research studies, recycling wood fiber, conducting
tests, and establishing a forestry student grant program for minority and female
30 students.
6. Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) (P.L. 110-234) The
Farm Bill is passed every several years and deals with both agriculture and all
other affairs under the purview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The most
recent act, P.L. 110-234, contains new authorities for the Forest Service:
Title VIII – Forestry
Subtitle A: Amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of
1978— Establishes national priorities for private forest conservation, a
community forest and open space conservation program, and a Secretary-
level Forest Resources Coordinating Committee.
Subtitle B: Cultural and Heritage Cooperation Authority—Authorizes the
reburial of Indian tribal human remains and cultural items found on national
forest lands and temporary closure of national forest lands for cultural
purposes.
Subtitle C. Amendments to Other Forestry Related Laws—Amends the
Lacey Act to include the illegal taking of plants, establishes an Emergency
Forest Restoration Program, and renews authority and funding for the
Healthy Forest Reserve Program.
Title IX – Energy
Establishes Forest Biomass for Energy and Community Wood Energy grant
programs.

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

(P.L. 101-513, 104 Stat. 2070; 16 §§ U.S.C. 4501 note, 4501, 4502, 4503, 4503a
to 4503d, 4504, 4505, 1641, 1643, 2101, 2109). Title VI of this act provides
authority for international forestry activities of the Forest Service.

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

42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4347). This act requires Federal agencies to integrate
environmental values into their decisionmaking processes by considering the
environmental impacts of their proposed actions and reasonable alternatives
to those actions. To meet this requirement, Federal agencies must analyze the
environmental effects of proposed actions, such as through an environmental
impact statement or other method, as specified in applicable rules. The act also
established the President’s Council on Environmental Quality.

9. Endangered Species Act (Act of December 28, 1973) (16 USC 1531-36, 1538-
40). This act governs the process of identifying threatened and endangered
species, provides protections for such species, and governs Federal actions that
could affect such species or their habitat.

For Further Reference: A more complete review

of existing authorities, refer to The Principle
Laws Relating to Forest Service Activities. 1993.

31
 Additional Major Laws

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

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

of August 17, 1974) (P.L. 93-348, 88 Stat. 476, as amended; 16 U.S.C §§
1600(note), 1600-1614). This act requires preparation of a strategic plan for
all Forest Service activities every 5 years based on an assessment of renewable
natural resources on all land ownerships every 10 years.

2. Clean Water Act (Federal Water Pollution Control Act) (Act of June 30,
1948) (P.L. 80-845; 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251-1387, October 18, 1972, as amended
1973-1983, 1987, 1988, 1990-1992, 1994, 1995, and 1996). This act is a
comprehensive statute aimed at restoring and maintaining the chemical,
physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.

3. Clean Air Act (Act of July 14, 1955) (P.L. 84-159; 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7602).
This act was the first Federal legislation involving air pollution. This act
provided funds for Federal research in air pollution. Major amendments were
made to this act by P.L. 88-206 and P.L. 95-95 to help control air pollution and
increase the authority and responsibility of the Federal Government to help
provide clean air.

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

as amended; 16 U.S.C §§ 1131 (note), 1131-1136). This act established
the National Wilderness Preservation System and designated the initial
components of that system. These lands are to be administered for the use and
enjoyment of the American people and for the preservation of their wilderness
character.

5. Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (Act of September 3, 1964)
(P.L. 88-578, 78 Stat. 897 as amended; 16 U.S.C. §§ 460l-4 through 6a, 460l-
7 through 460l-10, 460l-10a-d, 460l-11). This act provides money to Federal,
State, and local governments to purchase land, water, and wetlands. Land is
bought from landowners at fair-market value, unless donated.

6. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Act of October 2, 1968) (P.L. 90-542, 82 Stat.
906, as amended; 16 U.S.C. §§ 1271(note), 1271-1287). This act established
a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to include rivers possessing
“outstandingly remarkable” values to be preserved in free-flowing condition.
The act designated the initial components of this system and prescribed how
future additions to the system would be evaluated.

32
7. Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1970 (Act of October 6, 1972) (P.L. 92-
463; 5 U.S.C. §§ Appendix 2). The act governs the behavior of approximately
1,000 Federal advisory committees. In particular, the act restricts the formation
of such committees to only those that are deemed essential and limits their
powers to provision of advice to officers and agencies in the executive branch of
the Federal Government. The act requires that administrative procedures and
hearings be public knowledge.

8. Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, (Act of October 21,
1976) (43 USC 1701-2, 1711-23, 1732-37, 1740-42, 1744, 1746-48, 1751-
53, 1761-71, 1781-82). This statute provides the basic policies for Federal
land management and governs actions such as acquisitions, sales, exchanges,
withdrawals, and rights of way.

9. The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 (Act of March 3, 1891) (Section 24 of the
General Land Law Revision Act of 1891, also known as the Creative Act;
26 Stat. 1103; 16 U.S.C. §§ 471, repealed 1976 by P.L. 94-579, FLPMA).
This act gave the President authority to establish forest reserves from public
domain lands. The forest reserves, then comprising 63 million acres, formed
the foundation of the National Forest System. In February 1905, Congress
transferred the Forest Reserves from the Department of the Interior to the
Department of Agriculture. In July 1905, the Bureau of Forestry was renamed
the Forest Service.

10. Transfer Act (Act of February 1, 1905) (P.L. 58-33, Ch. 288, 33 Stat. 628; 16
§§ U.S.C. 472, 554). This act transferred administration of the forest reserves
from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture.

11. Weeks Law (Act of March 1, 1911) (P.L. 61-435, CH. 186, 36 Stat. 961, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. §§ 480, 500, 515, 516, 517, 517a, 518, 519, 521, 552,
563). This act authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to examine, locate, and
purchase forested, cutover, or denuded lands within the watersheds of navigable
streams necessary to regulate the flow of navigable streams or for timber
production.

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

2000, Section 601, Division C, of P.L. 110-343 (Emergency Economic
Stabilization Act of 2008). The legislation provides financial assistance to rural
counties affected by the decline in revenue from timber harvests in Federal
lands. Funds are used for schools and roads, as well as to create employment
opportunities, to maintain current infrastructure, and to improve the health
of watersheds and ecosystems. More than $2.1 billion will be distributed to
eligible States and counties over a 4-year period (FY 2008-2011).

33
 Section 11: Appendices

Appendix A: Forest Service Locations

Appendix B: Fire Suppression
Appendix C: 110th Congress on Fire Management
Appendix D: The National Fire Plan
Appendix E: Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003
Appendix F: The 16 Chiefs of the Forest Service
Appendix G: Forest Service Employment

34
Appendix A: Forest Service Locations

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

35
36
U.S. Department of Agriculture
FOREST SERVICE
Olympic Okanogan
Mt. su
Baker nik
Wenatchee Ka
Snoqualmie

Kootenai
Hiawatha

Desch
Ch

utes
all is Green Mountain

ma
Wine
ger
Brid
Modoc

Teton

Trinity
Cache
Plumas

Mendocino
Tahoe Wasatch NEWTOWN
SQUARE

VALLEJO
ALBANY
Stanislaus White River WASHINGTON
Humboldt DC

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Mark Twain
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up the National Forest System of the Forest Service:

Pre
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Cleveland
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Springs

Based on a map prepared by the Geospatial

Tombigbee

Service and Technology Center, Salt Lake City,

Coronado UT. Map features generalized from 1:2,000,000
U.S. Geological Survey and USDA Forest
MISSISSIPPI Service digital data. Slightly revised April 2002.

Homochitto NOTE: One or more national forests,

DeSoto

grasslands, or other divisions protrayed on

this map may be managed under a joint
administrative unit.

RIO PIEDRAS
Tongass
Caribbean

National Headquarters International Institute of Tropical Forestry

Research Station Headquarters

The map below illustrates the 155 national forests and the 20 national grasslands that collectively make
Research and Development
The map illustrates the seven research stations that provide science and technology development to help
manage, protect, and use America’s forests.

37
The second map illustrates the 83 experimental forests designed to conduct controlled research, enabling
the development of best management practices for America’s rural and urban forests.

38
State and Private Forestry
The following map illustrates the Northeastern Area. The Northeastern Area provides technical and
financial assistance to help deliver the programs of the State and Private Forestry mission area in the
Northeast and Midwest. In Regions 1 through 8 and 10, the State and Private Forestry programs are
delivered by the regional foresters.

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Appendix B: Fire Suppression
Issue
The Forest Service is a natural resource management agency and the largest wildland firefighting
organization in the world. However, the role of our firefighting force has expanded, and rapidly
increasing costs are impacting the agency’s ability to care for the land and serve people beyond just fire
control.

Discussion
The Forest Service has a proud firefighting heritage. Forest Service research developed the Incident
Command System in the early 1970s. It now guides operations across the country for fire and other
emergency response. The Forest Service brings a professionally trained firefighting force, under
principal-guided leadership, to manage forest fires on national forest lands and within a cooperative
interagency approach with other Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to control fire on other
lands. Managing fires in natural areas is a critical mission of the Forest Service and a fundamental tool
to help create healthy forests.It is a key responsibility to control fire in order to protect communities,
valuable natural resources, and life and property from damage. Fire suppression costs, however, have
skyrocketed, causing budget pressure on the agency to move funds from other base programs and
causing fire suppression to become the agency’s dominant function.

Key Points
1. The Forest Service employs almost 10,500 firefighters each year.
2. Two-thirds of all firefighting resources in America belongs to the Forest Service. The agency
provides specialized professionals (smoke jumpers and hot shot crews), aerial resources (helicopters
and air tankers operated under contracts), national interagency dispatching and mobilization, and
equipment and supplies for fire incident management.
3. The Forest Service is recognized as a leading firefighting organization that is called upon to train
States and localities and consult with foreign nations on operations, leadership, and technology.
4. Safety is always our number one priority when it comes to fire.
5. Wildfire has grown on the landscape and is predicted to get worse. The 2007 fire season saw a total
of almost 86,000 wildfires and over 9.3 million acres burned.7
6. Forest firefighting has become more complex. Rapid expansion of home building near natural areas;
hotter, drier climate and extended droughts; as well as accumulations of overgrown brush and trees in
natural areas contribute to increased risk and complexity of managing forest fires.
7. The Forest Service is successful in controlling about 97 to 98 percent of all wildfire with initial attack.
Only 2 to 3 percent of the wildland fires escape, creating 70 percent of the total cost of fighting fire.
8. Annual suppression costs have escalated to record highs. Costs have exceeded $1 billion in 5 of the
last 8 years. Consequently, the 10-year average of the Wildland Fire Management account absorbs
almost one-half of the agency budget.
9. The Forest Service is implementing cost-control strategies, management reforms, fire-control
decision tools, and scientific research applications to address costs, manage efficiency, and constantly
improve effectiveness.

7
Data source: NIFC website, http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/fires_acres.htm, accessed 7/10/08
40
Appendix C: 110th Congress on Fire Management

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

Discussion
The 110th Congress is very concerned about protecting lives and property from wildland fires in America.
They are especially aware that certain large catastrophic fires represent emergencies and should be dealt
with in that manner. The following represents some significant legislative activity in the 110th Congress
on fire management.

Key Points
1. On December 26, 2007, President Bush signed Public Law 110-161, the Consolidated
Appropriation Act, 2008. Section 429 expands coverage for reimbursement of professional
liability insurance to “temporary fire line managers.” Employees holding these positions are eligible
to be reimbursed for up to one-half of the cost of professional liability insurance, including any
administrative processing cost charged by the insurance company.

2. H.R 5541—“Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act” or “FLAME Act.”
Introduced March 6, 2008, by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman, Nick Rahall, with
House Interior Appropriations Chairman, Norm Dicks, as a cosponsor. The bill would provide a
supplemental funding source for catastrophic emergency wildland fire suppression activities on
Forest Service and Department of the Interior lands. The bill would establish a “FLAME Fund”
for the two Departments. Access to the fund would be initiated by a declaration from the Secretary
and be based on several criteria. The bill would prohibit transfers of funds from nonfire accounts
until all funds appropriated to fire within the agency budget and “FLAME Fund” are obligated. The
bill would require a cohesive wildland fire management strategy consistent with recommendations
from a recent GAO report. On April 17, 2008, the House Natural Resources Committee favorable
reported the bill, as amended, in the nature of a substitute to the House of Representatives that
includes several provision of H.R. 5648. Those provisions include measures to limit transfers from
nonfire accounts to pay for fire suppression, cost containment incentives; a new program—Fire-
Ready Communities—that promotes local codes for fire-resistant design and materials and provides
cost-share grants for education, training, equipment acquisition, and community wildfire protection
planning; and a requirement for written notification to landowners when a prescribed fire treatment
is to be conducted. On July 9, 2008, the bill was passed out of the House, as amended, under
suspension of the rules. On July 10, 2008, Senator Barbara Boxer introduced the House passed bill
as S. 3256. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The 110th
Congress ended without further action on this bill. Indications are that a version of this bill will be
introduced in the 111th Congress.

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3. H.R. 5648 - “Emergency Wildland Fire Response Act of 2008.” Introduced March 14, 2008, by
House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member, Robert Goodlatte (VA), with bipartisan support
of the Agriculture Committee Chairman, Collin Peterson (MN), and House Natural Resource
Committee members. The bill would amend the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. It
would establish a Federal fire emergency suppression “Fund” to cover costs of declared emergency
wildland fire incidents for the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior in similar ways to
H.R. 5541. The bill would limit transfers of funds from nonfire accounts until all funds appropriated
to fire operations within the agency budget and fund were depleted. It calls for a joint report to
Congress every 6 months and that it be made available to the public. The bill would promote cost
containment by allowing the agency to transfer funds to support reforestation and rehabilitation
activities where fire expenditures were below the stratified cost index or equivalent measure and
through independent panel reviews of any fire with expenditures greater than $10 million. The bill
would authorize a new program to support “Fire-Ready Communities,” and provide partnership
authority (nationalize Colorado Good Neighbor) to enter into contracts and agreements with State
foresters, or equivalent officials, to carry out good neighbor projects on National Forest System and
adjacent non-Federal lands. The 110th Congress ended without further action on this bill. Elements
of H.R. 5648 were integrated into H.R. 5541 when it passed out of House Natural Resources on
April 17, 2008. There is no indication that this bill or a revised version will be introduced in the
111th Congress.

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Appendix D: The National Fire Plan

Issue
Protecting lives and property by reducing large catastrophic wildland fires.

Discussion
In September 2000, the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior developed a plan to respond to
the fires of 2000, to reduce the impacts of these wildland fires on rural communities, and to ensure
sufficient firefighting resources in the future. The report is entitled Managing the Impacts of Wildfire on
Communities and the Environment: A Report to the President In Response to the Wildfires of 2000—
The National Fire Plan for short. The National Fire Plan continues to be an integral part of the Forest
Service today. The following are important operational features of the National Fire Plan:

• Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy: The 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy
and the subsequent 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy act as the foundation of the
National Fire Plan.

• Basic Premise of the National Fire Plan: Investing now in an optimal firefighting force, hazardous
fuels reduction, and overall community protection will provide for immediate protection and future
cost savings.

• Funding: Initially (2001), the National Fire Plan provided for an additional $1,100,994,000 for
the Forest Service for a total wildland fire management budget of $1,910,193,000. In 2008, the
total amount for the Forest Service in wildland fire management (not including emergency fire
suppression funding) is $1,974,276,000.

Key Points
The following are five key points associated with the vision of the National Fire Plan:
1. Firefighting. Continue to be adequately prepared for initial attack.
2. Rehabilitation and Restoration. Restore landscapes and rebuild communities damaged by the
wildfires.
3. Hazardous Fuel Reduction. Invest in projects to reduce fire risk.
4. Community Assistance. Work directly with communities to ensure adequate protection.
5. Accountability. Be accountable and establish adequate oversight, coordination, program
development, and monitoring for performance.

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Appendix E: The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003

Issue
Communities, municipal water supplies, and other Federal land are at risk from wildfire. That risk can
be reduced through cooperation action.

Discussion
The Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-148) (HFRA) was signed into law in December
2003. HFRA, as it is known, contains a variety of provisions to help speed up hazardous-fuel reduction
and forest-restoration projects on specific types of Federal land that are at risk of wildland fire and/or of
insect and disease epidemics. The HFRA helps States, Tribes, rural communities, and landowners restore
healthy forest and rangeland conditions on State, Tribal, and private lands. HFRA helps augment the
National Fire Plan (see Appendix A.3) and the Healthy Forests Initiative to protect lives and property
from wildfire. HFRA includes six major titles:
1. Hazardous Fuel Reduction on Federal Land. Reduce hazardous fuel to mitigate loss due to
wildfire.
2. Biomass. Expand research to improve the utilization of wood.
3. Watershed Forestry Assistance. Manage and conserve the health of forested watersheds.
4. Insect Infestations and Related Diseases. Control infestations of forest-damaging insects and
associated diseases.
5. Healthy Forests Reserve Program. Restore and enhance forest ecosystems to improve biodiversity
and enhance carbon sequestration.
6. Miscellaneous. Inventory and monitor forest stands to better assess environmental threats.

The Healthy Forests Initiative, technically launched before HFRA, helps improve the condition of our
public lands, increases firefighter safety, and conserves landscape attributes valued by society. Together,
the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service implement the National Fire Plan and Healthy
Forests Initiative (using, in part, the authorities of HFRA) to help save the lives of firefighters and
citizens and to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire to communities, forests, and rangelands.

Key Points
The following are key points about activities associated with HFRA:
1. An excessive accumulation of hazardous or unusually flammable fuels in our forests, woodlands, and
grasslands is the root cause of the unprecedented fire risk facing our public lands. Treatments occur
both inside and outside the wildland-urban interface.
2. Since 2001, Federal land management agencies (Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and
others) have treated nearly 26 million acres of Federal lands under the Healthy Forests Initiative and
the National Fire Plan through landscape restoration actions.
3. Stewardship contracting, an action used to help implement HFRA, includes natural resource
management activities that contribute to the development of sustainable rural communities, maintain
healthy forest ecosystems, and provide a continuing source of local income and employment.
4. Byproducts removed during hazardous fuels reduction are often utilized for bioenergy. In March
2008, $4.1 million in Forest Service woody biomass utilization grants were used to help 17 small
businesses and community groups find more innovative uses of woody biomass from national forests
in new products and renewable energy.

For Further Reference: More detail on the Healthy Forests Initiative is available
at http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/Healthy_Forests/index.shtml
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Appendix F: The 16 Chiefs of the Forest Service

The Chief Years Served

Gifford Pinchot 1905-1910
Henry S. Graves 1910-1920
William B. Greeley 1920-1928
Robert Y. Stuart 1928-1933
Ferdinand A. Silcox 1933-1939
Earle H. Clapp 1939-1943
Lyle F. Watts 1943-1952
Richard E. McArdle 1952-1962
Edward P. Cliff 1962-1972
John R. McGuire 1972-1979
R. Max Peterson 1979-1987
F. Dale Robertson 1987-1993
Jack Ward Thomas 1993-1996
Michael P. Dombeck 1997-2001
Dale N. Bosworth 2001-2007
Abigail R. Kimbell 2007-Present

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

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

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Appendix G: Forest Service Employment

Full-Time Equivalents
UNITS Total Permanent Other
Northern (Region 1) 2,845 2,291 554
Rocky Mountain (Region 2) 2,174 1,782 392
Southwestern (Region 3) 2,297 1,949 348
Intermountain (Region 4) 2,713 2,149 564
Pacific Southwest (Region 5) 5,568 4,547 1,021
Pacific Northwest (Region 6) 4,053 3,342 710
Southern (Region 8) 2,834 2,686 149
Eastern (Region 9) 2,210 1,980 230
Alaska (Region 10) 776 687 90
Forest Products Laboratory 184 182 2
International Institute of Tropical Forestry 46 42 4
Washington Office 1,756 1,732 23
National Operations 423 275 147
Job Corp 1,191 1,123 68
Rocky Mountain Research Station 478 435 43
Northern Research Station 511 487 24
Albuquerque Service Center 1,577 1,542 35
Pacific Northwest Research Station 377 338 39
Pacific Southwest Research Station 216 195 21
Southern Research Station 443 422 21
Northeastern Area 146 143 3
Total 32,8185 28,330 4,488
Numbers reflect end of FY 2007 and do not include overtime FTEs.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and
activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital
status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political
beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance
program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint
of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is
an equal opportunity provider and employer.

47