[United States Government Manual]
[May 31, 1996]
[Pages 136-141]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



Natural Resources and Environment

This mission area is responsible for fostering sound stewardship of 75 
percent of the Nation's total land area. Ecosystems are the underpinning 
for the Department's operating philosophy in this area, in order to 
maximize stewardship of our natural resources. This approach ensures 
that products, values, services, and uses desired by people are produced 
in ways that sustain healthy, productive ecosystems.

Forest Service

[For the Forest Service statement of organization, see the Code of 
Federal Regulations, Title 36, Part 200.1]

The Forest Service was created by the Transfer Act of February 1, 1905 
(16 U.S.C. 472), which transferred the Federal forest reserves and the 
responsibility for their management from the Department of the Interior 
to the Department of Agriculture. The forest reserves were established 
by the President from the public domain under authority of the Creative 
Act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 1103). The protection and development of 
the reserves (which became the national forests in 1907) are governed by 
the Organic Act of June 4, 1897, as amended (16 U.S.C. 473-478); the 
Multiple Use-Sustained Yield Act of June 12, 1960 (16 U.S.C. 528-531); 
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 
U.S.C. 1601-1610); and the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (90 
Stat. 2947). The Weeks Law of March 1, 1911, as amended (16 U.S.C. 480), 
allowed the Government to purchase and exchange land for national 
forests.
Objectives  The Forest Service has the Federal responsibility for 
national leadership in forestry. As set forth in law, its mission is to 
achieve quality land management under the sustainable, multiple-use 
management concept to

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meet the diverse needs of people. To accomplish this goal, it has 
adopted objectives which include:
    --advocating a conservation ethic in promoting the health, 
productivity, diversity, and beauty of forests and associated lands;
    --listening to people and responding to their diverse needs in 
making decisions;
    --protecting and managing the national forests and grasslands to 
best demonstrate the sustainable, multiple-use management concept;
    --providing technical and financial assistance to State and private 
forest landowners, encouraging them toward active stewardship and 
quality land management in meeting their specific objectives;
    --providing technical and financial assistance to cities and 
communities to improve their natural environment by planting trees and 
caring for their forests;
    --providing international technical assistance and scientific 
exchanges to sustain and enhance global resources and to encourage 
quality land management;
    --assisting States and communities in using the forests wisely to 
promote rural economic development and a quality rural environment;
    --developing and providing scientific and technical knowledge, 
improving our capability to protect, manage, and use forests and 
rangelands; and
    --providing work, training, and education to the unemployed, 
underemployed, elderly, youth, and the disadvantaged.
National Forest System  The Service manages 155 national forests, 20 
national grasslands, and 8 land utilization projects on over 191 million 
acres in 44 States, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico under the 
principles of multiple-use and sustained yield. The Nation's tremendous 
need for wood and paper products is balanced with the other vital, 
renewable resources or benefits that the national forests and grasslands 
provide: recreation and natural beauty, wildlife habitat, livestock 
forage, and water supplies. The guiding principle is the greatest good 
to the greatest number in the long run.
    These lands are protected as much as possible from wildfire, 
epidemics of disease and insect pests, erosion, floods, and water and 
air pollution. Burned areas get emergency seeding treatment to prevent 
massive erosion and stream siltation. Roads and trails are built where 
needed to allow for closely regulated timber harvesting and to give the 
public access to outdoor recreation areas and provide scenic drives and 
hikes. Picnic, camping, water-sport, skiing, and other areas are 
provided with facilities for public convenience and enjoyment. Timber 
harvesting methods are used that will protect the land and streams, 
assure rapid renewal of the forest, provide food and cover for wildlife 
and fish, and have minimum impact on scenic and recreation values. Local 
communities benefit from the logging and milling activities. These lands 
also provide needed oil, gas, and minerals. Rangelands are improved for 
millions of livestock and game animals. The national forests provide a 
refuge for many species of endangered birds, animals, and fish. Some 
34.6 million acres are set aside as wilderness and 175,000 acres as 
primitive areas where timber will not be harvested.
Cooperation With the States  The Service provides national leadership 
and financial and technical assistance to non-Federal forest landowners, 
operators, processors of forest products, and urban forestry interests. 
Through its cooperative State and private forestry programs, the Service 
protects and improves the quality of air, water, soil, and open space 
and encourages uses of natural resources on non-Federal lands that best 
meet the needs of the Nation, while protecting the environment.
    Cooperative programs are carried out through the State foresters or 
equivalent State officials, who receive grant funding under the 
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2101). 
Cooperators at the State and local levels provide the delivery system 
for most State and private forestry programs.
    Grant funds and technical assistance are available for rural 
forestry assistance,

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forestry incentives, insect and disease control, urban forestry 
assistance, rural fire prevention and control, organization management 
assistance, State forest resource planning, and technology 
implementation.
    The Service also cooperates with other USDA agencies in providing 
leadership and technical assistance for the forestry aspects of 
conservation programs.
    The Service's State and private forestry program staff also ensure 
that the Service and its cooperators keep abreast of the best knowledge 
and technology in carrying out its programs, and they help to develop 
technology transfer plans for implementing research results for a broad 
range of potential users.
Forest Research  The Service performs basic and applied research to 
develop the scientific information and technology needed to protect, 
manage, use, and sustain the natural resources of the Nation's 1.6 
billion acres of forests and rangelands. This research is conducted 
through a network of 8 forest experiment stations, a Forest Products 
Laboratory, and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, 
including research work units at 77 project locations throughout the 
United States, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Trust Islands. Under the 
authority of the McSweeny-McNary Act of May 22, 1928, as amended and 
supplemented (45 Stat. 699), research is often performed in cooperation 
with many of the State agricultural colleges. The Forest Research 
Service's strategy focuses on three major program components: 
understanding the structure and functions of forest and range 
ecosystems; understanding how people perceive and value the protection, 
management, and use of natural resources; and determining which 
protection, management, and utilization practices are most suitable for 
sustainable production and use of the world's natural resources.
International Forestry  In response to the U.S. commitment to support 
natural resource conservation around the world, Congress established the 
International Forestry Division within the USDA's Forest Service. Its 
mandate is to provide assistance that promotes sustainable development 
and global environmental stability, particularly in key countries 
important in global climate change. This mandate includes a national 
goal for sustainable management of all forests by the year 2000, 
investigating research topics with implications for global forest 
management, and sharing resource management experience with colleagues 
around the world.
    Responsibility for global stewardship is shared by the entire Forest 
Service. The Forest Service's Office of International Forestry mobilizes 
support of all Forest Service units--Research, National Forest System, 
State and Private Forestry, Administration, and Programs and 
Legislation--to work with other governmental agencies, nongovernmental 
groups, and international organizations in four major international 
areas: strategic planning and policy development, training and technical 
assistance, research and scientific exchange, and disaster relief.
Human Resource Programs  The Service operates the Youth Conservation 
Corps and the Volunteers in the National Forests programs and 
participates with the Department of Labor on several human resource 
programs that involve the Nation's citizens, both young and old, in 
forestry-related activities. Included in these programs are the Job 
Corps and the Senior Community Service Employment Program. These 
programs annually accomplish millions of dollars worth of conservation 
work, while providing participants with such benefits as training, paid 
employment, and meaningful outdoor experience.

                      Field Offices--Forest Service                     
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Address               
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        
National Forest System Regions \1\--Regional Forester                   
                                                                        
1. Northern                        Federal Bldg. (P.O. Box 7669),       
                                    Missoula, MT 59807                  
2. Rocky Mountain                  740 Simms St. (P.O. Box 25127),      
                                    Lakewood, CO 80225                  
3. Southwestern                    517 Gold Ave. SW., Albuquerque, NM   
                                    87102                               
4. Intermountain                   324 25th St., Ogden, UT 84401        
5. Pacific Southwest               630 Sansome St., San Francisco, CA   
                                    94111                               
6. Pacific Northwest               333 SW. 1st Ave. (P.O. Box 3623),    
                                    Portland, OR 97208                  
8. Southern                        1720 Peachtree Rd. NW., Atlanta, GA  
                                    30367                               

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9. Eastern                         310 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 
                                    53203                               
10. Alaska                         Federal Office Bldg. (P.O. Box       
                                    21628), Juneau, AK 99802            
                                                                        
             Forest and Range Experiment Stations--Director             
                                                                        
Intermountain                      324 25th St., Ogden, UT 84401        
North Central                      1992 Folwell Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108
Northeastern                       Suite 200, 100 Matson Ford Rd. (P.O. 
                                    Box 6775), Radnor, PA 19087-4585    
Pacific Northwest                  333 SW. 1st Ave. (P.O. Box 3890),    
                                    Portland, OR 97208                  
Pacific Southwest                  1960 Addison St. (P.O. Box 245),     
                                    Berkeley, CA 94701                  
Rocky Mountain                     240 W. Prospect Ave., Fort Collins,  
                                    CO 80526                            
Southeastern                       200 Weaver Blvd. (P.O. Box 2860),    
                                    Asheville, NC 28804                 
Southern                           701 Loyola Ave., U.S. Postal Service 
                                    Bldg., New Orleans, LA 70113        
Forest Products Laboratory         1 Gifford Pinchot Dr., Madison, WI   
                                    53705                               
                                                                        
             State and Private Forestry Areas \2\--Director             
                                                                        
Northeastern                       370 Reed Rd., Broomall, PA 19008     
                International      Guadecanal St. (Call Box 25000), Rio 
                 Institute of       Piedras, PR 00928                   
                 Tropical                                               
                 Forestry                                               
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ There is no Region 7.                                               
\2\ In Regions 1 through 6, 8, and 10, State and private forestry       
  activities are directed from regional headquarters.                   



For further information, contact the Public Affairs Office, Forest 
Service, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, DC 
20090-6090. Phone, 202-720-3760.

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[For the Natural Resources Conservation Service statement of 
organization, see the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7, Parts 600 
and 601]

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly the Soil 
Conservation Service, has national responsibility for helping America's 
farmers, ranchers, and other private landowners develop and carry out 
voluntary efforts to conserve and protect our natural resources. The 
Service is USDA's technical delivery arm for conservation.
Conservation Technical Assistance  This is the foundation program of 
NRCS. Under this program, NRCS provides technical assistance to land 
users and units of government for the purpose of sustaining agricultural 
productivity and protecting and enhancing the natural resource base. 
This assistance is based on the voluntary cooperation of private 
landowners and involves comprehensive approaches to reduce soil erosion, 
improve soil and water quantity and quality, improve and conserve 
wetlands, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, improve air quality, 
improve pasture and range condition, reduce upstream flooding, and 
improve woodlands. Every year, more than 1 million land users receive 
these technical services, which are channeled through nearly 3,000 
conservation districts across the United States and its territories.
Natural Resources Inventory  The Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) is a 
report issued every 5 years on how well the Nation is sustaining natural 
resources on non-Federal land. This report contains the most 
comprehensive and statistically reliable data of its kind in the world. 
The Inventory provides data on the kind and amount of soil, water, 
vegetation, and related resources; the effects of current land use and 
management practices on the present and future supply and condition of 
soil, water, and vegetation; and the changes and trends in the use, 
extent, and condition of these resources. Inventory data and analytical 
software are available to the public on CD-ROM.
National Cooperative Soil Survey  The National Cooperative Soil Survey 
provides the public with local information on the uses and capabilities 
of their soils. The published soil survey for a county or other 
designated area includes maps and interpretations that are the 
foundation for farm planning and other private land use decisions as 
well as for resource planning and policy by Federal, State, and local 
governments. The surveys are conducted cooperatively with other Federal, 
State, and local agencies and land grant universities. The Service is 
the national and world leader in soil classification and soil mapping, 
and is now expanding its work in soil quality.
Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program  This program collects 
snowpack moisture data and forecasts seasonal water supplies for streams 
that derive most of their water from snowmelt. It helps farm operators, 
rural communities, and municipalities

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manage water resources through water supply forecasts. It also provides 
hydrometeorological data for regulating reservoir storage and managing 
streamflow. The Snow Supply Program is conducted in 11 Western States 
and Alaska.
Plant Materials Program  At 26 plant materials centers across the 
country, NRCS tests, selects, and ensures the commercial availability of 
new and improved conservation plants for erosion reduction, wetland 
restoration, water quality improvement, streambank and riparian area 
protection, coastal dune stabilization, biomass production, carbon 
sequestration, and other needs. The Plant Materials Program is a 
cooperative effort with conservation districts, other Federal and State 
agencies, commercial businesses, and seed and nursery associations.
River Basin Surveys and Investigations  This program involves NRCS with 
Federal, State, and local agencies in river basin surveys and 
investigations, flood hazard analysis, and floodplain management 
assistance. It addresses a variety of natural resource concerns: water 
quality, water conservation, wetlands protection, agricultural drought, 
rural development, municipal and industrial water needs, and fish and 
wildlife habitat.
Public Law 83-566 Small Watersheds Program  The Small Watersheds Program 
helps local sponsoring groups to voluntarily plan and install watershed 
protection projects on private lands. These projects include flood 
prevention, water quality improvement, soil erosion and sediment 
reduction, rural and municipal water supply, irrigation water 
management, fish and wildlife habitat enhancement, and wetlands 
restoration. The Service helps local community groups, government 
entities, and private landowners working together using an integrated, 
comprehensive watershed approach to natural resource planning.
Public Law 78-534 Flood Prevention Program  This program applies to 11 
specific flood prevention projects covering about 35 million acres in 11 
States. It provides help in flood prevention, water management, and 
reduction and erosion sedimentation. It also can help in developing 
recreational facilities and improving fish and wildlife habitat.
Emergency Watershed Protection Program  This program provides emergency 
assistance to safeguard lives and property in jeopardy due to sudden 
watershed impairment by natural disasters. Emergency work includes 
quickly establishing a protective plant cover on denuded land and stream 
banks; opening dangerously restricted channels; and repairing diversions 
and levees. An emergency area need not be declared a national disaster 
area to be eligible for help under this program.
Great Plains Conservation Program  This program (GPCP) helps bring about 
long-term solutions to natural resource problems in the 10 Great Plains 
States. It is aimed at total conservation treatment of entire farms or 
ranches. Participation in GPCP is voluntary and provides technical 
assistance and a long-term cost-share contract between the participant 
and NRCS. The program has been effective in addressing the needs of 
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and the needs of American 
Indian farmers and ranchers. In addition to providing significant 
erosion and sediment reduction benefits, it addresses problems related 
to water quality, wildlife habitat protection, and other environmental 
concerns.
Resource Conservation and Development Program  This program (RC&D) is a 
locally driven program--an opportunity for civic-oriented groups to work 
together sharing knowledge and resources in solving common problems 
facing their region. The program offers aid in balancing the 
environmental, economic, and social needs of an area. A USDA coordinator 
helps each designated RC&D council plan, develop, and carry out programs 
for resource conservation, water management, community development, and 
environmental enhancement.
Rural Abandoned Mine Program  This program (RAMP) helps protect people 
and the environment from the adverse

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effects of past coal-mining practices and promotes the development of 
soil and water resources on unreclaimed mine land. It provides technical 
and financial assistance to land users who voluntarily enter into 5-to-
10-year contracts for the reclamation of eligible land and water.
Wetlands Reserve Program  Under this program, USDA purchases easements 
from agricultural land owners who voluntarily agree to restore and 
protect wetlands. Service employees help these owners develop plans to 
retire critical wetland habitat from crop production. The primary 
objectives are to preserve and restore wetlands, improve wildlife 
habitat, and protect migratory waterfowl.
Water Bank Program  The Service helps landowners protect, improve, or 
restore wetlands by identifying eligible lands, helping owners develop 
conservation plans, and implementing necessary land treatments. Through 
10-year rental agreements between USDA and landowners, the Water Bank 
Program protects important nesting, breeding, and feeding areas for 
migratory waterfowl. Other benefits of the program include water 
conservation, erosion control, flood control, and landscape 
beautification.
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program  This voluntary incentive 
program supports the Nation's commitment to water quality in the 
Colorado River, which provides water to more than 18 million people in 
parts of seven Western States and Mexico. NRCS provides financial and 
technical assistance to control salt loading in the Colorado River from 
both natural and human-caused sources. Among the remedies used are 
management practices to prevent irrigation-induced erosion.
Forestry Incentives Program  This program helps to increase the Nation's 
supply of products from nonindustrial private forest lands. This also 
ensures more effective use of existing forest lands and, over time, 
helps to prevent shortages and price increases for forest products. The 
program shares the cost incurred by landowners for tree planting and 
timberstand improvement.
Farms-For-The-Future Program  This program guarantees USDA loans and 
subsidizes interest on State loans to purchase agricultural land or 
development rights to preserve vital farmland resources for future 
generations. The money also can be reinvested by the States to generate 
earnings for future farmland protection efforts.

For further information, contact the Office of Public Affairs, Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 
2890, Washington, DC 20013. Phone, 202-720-3210.