As our Nation grows, people expect and need more from their
forests--more wood; more water, fish, and wildlife; more recreation and
natural beauty; more special forest products and forage. The Forest
Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture helps to fulfill these
expectations and needs through three major activities:
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. Conducting forest and range research at over 75 locations
ranging from Puerto Rico to Alaska to Hawaii.
. Participating with all State forestry agencies in
cooperative programs to protect, improve, and wisely
use our Country's 395 million acres of State, local,
and private forest lands.
. Managing and protecting the 187-million acre National
Forest System.
The Forest Service does this by encouraging use of the new knowledge
that research scientists develop; by setting an example in managing,
under sustained yield, the National Forests and Grasslands for multiple
use purposes; and by cooperating with all States and with private
citizens in their efforts to achieve better management, protection, and
use of forest resources.
Traditionally, Forest Service people have been active members of the
communities and towns in which they live and work. They strive to
secure for all, continuous benefits from the Country's forest
resources.
For more than 60 years, the Forest Service has been serving the Nation
as a leading natural resource conservation agency.
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