The U.S. Forest Service: An Overview

Established in 1905, the Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that manages public lands in national forests and grasslands. National forests and grasslands encompass 193 million acres of land, which is an area equivalent to the size of Texas.

The Forest Service's main activities include:

• Protecting and managing the natural resources on National Forest Service lands.

• Researching all aspects of forestry, rangeland management, and forest resource utilization.

• Providing community assistance and cooperation with state and local governments, forest industries, and private landowners to help protect and manage non-federal forest, range, and watershed lands to improve conditions in rural areas.

• Coordinating U.S. support for the protection and sound management of the world's forest resources, and providing international assistance.

Visit the U.S. Forest Service site.

Source: FirstGov