About the U.S. Forest Service:
The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 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 agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides
assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains
the largest forestry
research organization in the world.
Public lands the Forest Service manages
contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor
spending alone.
Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's
clean water
supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per
year. The agency has either a
direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million
forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests
where most Americans live.
USDA is an equal
opportunity provider, employer, and lender.