[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 5 (Monday, February 7, 2005)]
[Pages 125-126]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7867--Centennial of the Forest Service, 2005

 February 1, 2005

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

    In 2005, the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service celebrates a 
century of service to our Nation. After President Theodore Roosevelt 
established the Forest Service as part of the Department of Agriculture 
in

[[Page 126]]

1905, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson wrote to the First Chief of 
the Forest Service, Forester Gifford Pinchot, that ``all land is to be 
devoted to its most productive use for the permanent good of the whole 
people.'' The Forest Service has now upheld this noble charge for 100 
years, and America's forests remain vibrant because of the hard work and 
dedication of our foresters.
    Beyond serving as places for recreation, our forests are also 
sources of paper products, building materials, chemicals, and many other 
resources that drive our economy. Over the last century, the Forest 
Service has combined this ethic of good stewardship with sound science 
and a spirit of innovation to cultivate and sustain our forests in ways 
that benefit our entire society.
    Today, Americans continue to be responsible stewards of national 
forests and grasslands. Through the commonsense management approach of 
my Healthy Forests Initiative, the Forest Service is working with State 
and local governments, tribes, and other Federal agencies to help 
prevent destructive wildfires, return forests to a healthier, natural 
condition, and maintain a full range of forest types. The Forest Service 
is also providing important work, education, and job training to 
citizens in need. This commitment to ``Caring for the Land and Serving 
People'' contributes to our country's success in conserving our 
environment and ensuring that our natural resources remain sources of 
pride for our citizens, our communities, and our Nation.
    Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim February 1, 2005, as the 
Centennial of the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture. I 
call upon the people of the United States to recognize this anniversary 
with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities in honor of the 
Forest Service's contributions to our country.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of 
February, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
ninth.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., February 4, 
2005]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 
February 7.