U.S. National Forest Service Summary

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U.S. National Forest Service An agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. National Forest Service basically manages largely forest and woodland areas (National forests), focusing on timber harvesting, livestock grazing, water, wildlife, and recreation. They administer the nation’s 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, therefore controlling about 193 million acres of land, thereby making them the technical experts in environmental decision-making. Structure wise, the agency includes divisions such as the National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, and the Research and Development branch. The U.S. National Forest Service also earns an annual budget of about $5.806 billion, funded by the Subcommittee on Appropriations – Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. This agency began when Congress initially created the office of Special Agent in the Department of Agriculture in order to evaluate the conditions of forests in the U.S. in 1876. This office expanded into the Division of Forestry which then became the Bureau of Forestry. The Transfer Act of 1905 then transferred the management of forest reserves from the General Land Office of the Interior Department to the Bureau of Forestry, hereafter known as the U.S. National Forest Service. 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,” providing leadership in the protection, management, and use of the Nation’s forest, rangeland, and aquatic ecosystems. On August 16, 2012 in Washington, the U.S. Forest Service utilized a helicopter equipped to drop water and retardant, capable of fighting wildfire at night in order to strengthen the agency’s capability to suppress fires and keep firefighters and communities in Southern California from extreme

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