Forest Management
District Ranger Brown making increment boring. Rapid River Ranger District, Michigan, 1939
From the earliest days of the agency, the U.S. Forest Service has held forest management as a primary focus. Protecting the nation's forests from timber thieves and profiteers spurred the creation of the forest reserves in 1891. Since that time, the national forest system has grown to include 191 million acres. Controversies and management challenges have often kept stride with this growing system, whether caused by fire policies, logging practices, road building, wilderness designations, wildlife or watershed protection, or states and counties asserting rights of ownership. In recent years the concept of ecosystem management has gained wide acceptance and spurred dramatic changes in the way the Forest Service views the forests in its care. Sustainable forestry has become the goal.
Clearcutting
- Williams, Gerald. Controversy Over Clearcutting.
- Backiel, Adela and Ros W. Gorte. "Clearcutting in the National Forests," Congressional Research Service, (1992)
- Robertson, F. Dale. "Statement Concerning H.R. 169, Clearcutting and Ecosystem Management." (1992)
Road Building
- Buck, C.J. "Forest Roads or Forest Fires?" (1936)
States' Rights
- States' Rights and the National Forests (an overview)
Ecosystem Management/ Sustainable Forestry
