USDA Forest Service

FS owns 8.5% of the total land area in United States

Organization of USFS Four main program components: National Forest System Forest Service Research & Development State and Private Forestry International Forestry

Organization of National Forest System Under Secretary of the Dept. of Agriculture Chief of FS Regional Foresters (9) Forest Supervisors District Rangers & staff State & Private Forestry Research & Development International Programs

Organization of National Forest System Under Secretary of the Dept. of Agriculture Chief of FS Regional Foresters (9) Forest Supervisors District Rangers & staff State & Private Forestry Research & Development International Programs

Research Stations (Regions) North Central Northeastern Pacific Southwest Rocky Mountain Pacific Northwest Southern

Northeastern Research Station

Organization of National Forest System Under Secretary of the Dept. of Agriculture Chief of FS Regional Foresters (9) Forest Supervisors District Rangers & staff State & Private Forestry Research & Development International Programs

Promotes sustainable forest management internationally through: Disaster Assistance Support Program Technical Cooperation Program Policy Program

International Programs Asian Longhorned beetle Beetle exit holes

Organization of National Forest System Under Secretary of the Dept. of Agriculture Chief of FS Regional Foresters (9) Forest Supervisors District Rangers & staff State & Private Forestry Research & Development International Programs

Forest Service Regions (9) Northern Rocky Mountain Southwestern Intermountain Pacific Southwest Pacific Northwest Southern Eastern Alaska

State & Private Forestry Conservation Education Cooperative Forestry Fire and Aviation Management Forest Health Management

Organization of National Forest System Under Secretary of the Dept. of Agriculture Chief of FS Regional Foresters (9) Forest Supervisors District Rangers & staff State & Private Forestry Research & Development International Programs

National Forest System National Forests National Grasslands National Wilderness Areas National Forest Roadless Areas

National Forests A large forest ecosystem used for recreation, timber, wildlife, range, and watershed purposes. Designated by Secretary of Agriculture. 155 NFs. Finger Lakes National Forest

National Grasslands A large grassland ecosystem used for recreation, range, wildlife, timber, and watershed purposes. Designated by Secretary of Agriculture. 20 NGs.

Little Missouri National Grassland, ND Prairie dogs Sharp-tailed grouse

Little Missouri National Grassland, ND Oil drilling Herding cattle

National Wilderness Areas Large, primitive areas preserved in their natural, untouched condition. Non-mechanical recreation permitted as long as wilderness character is not harmed. Designated by Congress. Pack trip on wilderness area in Shoshone NF

NF Roadless Areas Large, primitive areas located in NFs & NGs (85.5 million acres). While most RAs are roadless, some may have roads. Designated by Secretary of Agriculture or Chief of the Forest Service.

Evolution of the FS

Creation Act of 1891 Allowed the President to set aside forest reserve lands from the national public domain. Shoshone NF (original Yellowstone Timber Reserve)

Organic Administrative Act of 1897 Created the Division of Forests in the USDI for timber and water purposes. Gifford Pinchot, First FS Director

Transfer Act of 1905 Transferred the USDI Division of Forests to USDA. Created USDA Forest Service.

Weeks Act of 1911 Made it possible for the FS to purchase lands to protect navigable streams. Most of the forest reserve land in the east was purchased through this act. Nantahala River, Nantahala NF

Multiple-use Sustained- yield Act of 1960 Changed the purposes of the USFS to: Recreation Water Wildlife Timber Range Campground, Shoshone NF

Forest & Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 Mandated periodic assessment of forest and rangeland resources. Mandated long-range planning by the Forest Service.

National Forest Management Act of 1976 Required the USFS to create a management plan for each national forest. Made public input in the planning process mandatory.

Challenges for the USFS Increasing demand for recreation about 286 million recreational visits/year Federal budget problems Proposed 2004: $4.8 billion $96.5 million increase (uncontrollable costs) $24.4 million increase (other activities) $8.4 billion backlog in repairs & maintenance

Challenges for the USFS Necessity of increasing user fees Managing areas for multiple use Impacts of use on natural resources

CASE STUDY: Shoshone NF, Wyoming Rocky Mountain Region 2.5 million acres Annual budget $8.3 million

5 districts within the National Forest

Wildlife Management Culvert removal ON Squaw Creek to enable fish movement.

Wildlife Management Grizzly bear monitoring Visitor education about bears

Land Management Timber sales Fuel reduction harvests Grazing permits Prescribed burns

Fire Management & monitoring

Visitor Recreation Campground at Shoshone NF Trailer & tent camping permitted 164,000 visitor days spent camping (1997)

Visitor recreation Dispersed camping in 5 wilderness areas within Shoshone 1.4 million acres of wilderness Beartooth Mountains Wilderness Area

Visitor recreation Scenic driving on the Buffalo Bill Cody National Scenic Byway About 21,000 visitor days/year

Visitor Recreation Fishing platform

Visitor Recreation 1,388 miles of trails Popo Agie Wilderness Area

Visitor Recreation Pack trips

Visitor Recreation Many sites with the forest are on the National Register of Historic Places Wapiti Ranger Station

Many sites with the forest are on the National Register of Historic Places Mine shafts Visitor Recreation

Interpretation Limited to trailhead signs and several guidebooks

Cooperating with Local Business Owners Brooks Lake Lodge, Shoshone NF

Cooperating with Local Business Owners Sleeping Giant Ski Area, Shoshone NF