Welcome

The Forest Service was established in 1905 and is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service manages public lands in national forests and grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres. more »

Spotlight

Capitol Christmas Tree

Since 1970, the "people's tree" has come from a National Forest. The Capitol Christmas Tree is not to be confused with the Nation's Christmas Tree, which is planted near the White House and is lit by the President. This is not the first time New Mexico has provided the Capitol Christmas Tree. The Carson National Forest provided the Capital Christmas Tree in 1991. The official lighting of this year's Tree on December 8th, 2005 will mark the closing of the Forest Service Centennial year. As events of this
100th anniversary year are documented, this year's Capitol Christmas Tree will become part of Forest Service history. See the tree more »

Winter Trails

When Americans decide to head outdoors, it's frequently to their own backyard or nearby playground or park. You can also get fit and maintain good health by enjoying America's public lands and waters. The U.S. Forest Service has thousands of miles of walks, trails, rivers and open spaces that are minutes away and available year-round at little or no cost. It's not hard - and you can get there one step, pedal or paddle at a time, so Get fit with US!! During the winter months there's no need to stay inside - you can be active by snow-shoeing, skiing or snowboarding. Winter Trails Day, January 7, 2006, is a great opportunity to try snow sports for the first time and to discover the fitness and social benefits of winter activities. To find an event near you, read more »

Features

Adventure Travel

The National Forest System provides the largest array of adventure travel destinations of any federal land management agency in the United States. Several thousand individual adventure recreation related businesses operate under permit to provide these specialized outdoor recreation opportunities. These businesses generate millions of dollars of tourism income for gateway communities and create thousands of jobs in many rural locations where employment opportunities are scarce.

The USDA Forest Service will be exhibiting its "Special Places" for adventure recreation and sustainable use practices at Chicago, New York City and Washington DC shows during January and early February. Check out all the venues and see Smokey Bear on Saturday of each show. more »

Four Threats

Fire and fuels, invasive species, loss of open space, and unmanaged recreation are the four threats identified by Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth as having the greatest impact on the health of our Nation’s forests and grasslands. To learn more about each threat, visit the Four Threats section of our web site. more  »

Website Information

Web Survey

As you leave our site, a pop-up window may ask you to complete a survey that will help us improve the Forest Service website. The survey gathers no personal information about you. We hope you will take time to respond! more »