THE USDA FOREST SERVICE— The First Century

The philosophical foundations of preserving and using the natural resources on Federal land have many deep roots that date to the 19th century. After the decisions made by Congress in the 1890's, the National Forest System has grown to more than 191 million acres. This land, owned by the people of the United States, has been managed by the USDA Forest Service since 1905. Forestry as worked out by Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, is synonymous with conservation of forests and other natural resources over the long term. Its equivalent today is ecology-based management.

Management of the national forests has undergone significant change over the last 100-plus years. Protecting forests through Presidential and congressional actions was essential in the early 1890's, as was trying to get congressional approval and funding to manage these entrusted lands. During the first part of the 20th century protection of the newly created national forests from fire and abuse was of paramount importance. The Great Depression created opportunities for the national forests and the Forest Service to play a major role in helping people survive economically through conservation work programs and projects.

Following World War II, the national forests began playing an increasing role in the production of timber products, but led to controversy about the "weight" of timber production in the mix of uses coming from the public forest lands. The Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960 was the first important law to redirect the agency to consider all uses—not just timber. Quickly following was the Wilderness Act of 1964, which set aside vast areas of congressionally protected national wildernesses.

Controversy was only beginning as battles over clearcutting and roadless areas plagued the agency—resulting in a series of new laws, including RPA, NFMA, and a series of environmental protection laws, such as the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Forest Service has had to incorporate new kinds of management into the administration of the national forests—the most recent changes have been the embracing of ecological management, national fire planning, partnerships, and collaborative stewardship.

The future is murky. There are powerful interest groups that want the Forest Service and the national forests to revert to an intensive management era to protect and preserve jobs and use the trees and other natural resources to the fullest extent possible. While at the other end there are those who want the resources totally preserved, to have a "zero-cut" of the trees, and to keep people out of the national forests—a policy even more restrictive than that of the national parks. Other special interest groups want to increase their "share" of the resource uses available on the national forests. All groups seem to believe that science and more data will "prove their case." But the reality is that decisions about the future management of the national forests, as well as the use of the natural resources, are essentially political in nature. Data and the scientific method can only give answers to questions, not set policy and practices.

Discussions over the years by various Administrations and Congress have centered on moving the Forest Service and the national forests from the Department of Agriculture back to the Department of the Interior. Other proposals have put forth the notion of having one Federal agency such as a Department of Natural Resources, to administer all the national forests and parks, wildlife refuges, BLM lands, and others. These ideas, as well as competing ideas about the proper role of the Federal Government in owning and managing lands, will be discussed again.

Without the foresight and dedication of a great number of people during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there would be nothing to debate today. The national forests would have long ago been carved into millions of private ownership plots and extensively logged and changed forever. The national forests are our legacy for future generations. For 100 years, the Forest Service has been the manager of the national forests. It has not always been easy or without controversy. To survive into the next century the Forest Service will have to continue incorporating the public needs and new ideas of management, just as it has for the first 100 years.