History of the United States Forest Service

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Gifford Pinchot (right) and Theodore Roosevelt shaped the early history of the Forest Service Pinchot Roosevelt.jpg
Gifford Pinchot (right) and Theodore Roosevelt shaped the early history of the Forest Service

Starting in 1876, and undergoing a series of name changes, the United States Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture grew to protect and use millions of acres of forest on public land. Gifford Pinchot, an early advocate of scientific forestry, along with President Theodore Roosevelt and conservation organizations, led the effort to manage forest for the public good. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

From the 1890s to the present, there has been a fierce rivalry over control of forests between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior. Numerous proposals have failed and the Forest Service remains a part of the Department of Agriculture. [4]

History

In 1876, Congress created the office of Special Agent in the Department of Agriculture to assess the state of the forests in the United States. Franklin B. Hough was appointed the head of the office. In 1881, the office was expanded into the newly formed Division of Forestry. The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 authorized withdrawing land from the public domain as "forest reserves," managed by the Department of the Interior. In 1901, the Division of Forestry was renamed the Bureau of Forestry. The Transfer Act of 1905 transferred the management of forest reserves from the United States General Land Office of the Interior Department to the Bureau of Forestry, henceforth known as the US Forest Service. [3] Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief Forester of the US Forest Service. [5] [6] In 1911, Congress passed the Weeks Act, authorizing the government to purchase private lands for stream-flow protection, and to maintain the lands as national forests. This made it possible for the national forest system to expand into the eastern United States.

Timeline

Major legislation

A number of federal statutes govern the United States Forest Service:

The following are additional laws with significant influence on the mission of the Forest Service:

List of Forest Service chiefs

The following persons served as chief of the Forest Service: [7] [8]

No.ImageForest Service Chief ForestersTerm startTerm endEducationRefs.
Chiefs of the Division of Forestry
1 Franklin B. Hough.jpg Franklin B. Hough [nb 1] 18761883Union College, Western Reserve College [9] [10]
2 Nathaniel H. Egleston 18831886Yale University, Yale Divinity School [11] [12]
3 Bernard Fernow.jpg Bernhard Eduard Fernow 18861898 University of Königsberg; Prussian Forest Academy at Münden [13] [14]
4 Gifford Pinchot 3c03915u.jpg Gifford Pinchot 18981901Yale University [15] [16]
Chief of the Bureau of Forestry
1 Gifford Pinchot 3c03915u.jpg Gifford Pinchot 19011905Yale University [15] [16]
Chiefs of the U.S. Forest Service
1 Gifford Pinchot 3c03915u.jpg Gifford Pinchot 19051910Yale University [15] [16]
2 Henry S. Graves.jpg Henry "Harry" Solon Graves 19101920Yale University [17] [18]
3 William B. Greeley.jpg William B. Greeley 19201928University of California & Yale Forestry School [19] [20]
4 Robert Y. Stuart.jpg Robert Y. Stuart 19281933Dickinson College & Yale Forestry School [21] [22]
5 Ferdinand A. Silcox 19331939 [a] College of Charleston & Yale Forestry School [23] [24]
6 Earle H. Clapp, Acting Chief United States Forest Service DPLA (cropped).png Earle H. Clapp (acting)19391943University of Michigan [25] [26]
7 Lyle F. Watts 19431952Iowa State College & Forestry School [27] [28]
8 Richard E. McArdle 19521962University of Michigan [29] [30]
9 Edward P. Cliff, Chief United States Forest Service DPLA (cropped).png Edward P. Cliff 19621972Utah State College [31] [32]
10 John R. McGuire 19721979University of Minnesota & Yale Forestry School [33] [34]
11 R. Max Peterson 19791987University of Missouri [35] [36]
12 F. Dale Robertson January 1987October 28, 1993University of Arkansas [37] [38] [39]
13 Jack Ward Thomas.jpg Jack Ward Thomas December 1, 1993November 1996Texas A&M University, West Virginia University, University of Massachusetts [40] [41] [42]
acting DombeckMichael.jpg Michael Dombeck December 21, 1996January 7, 1997University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and the University of Minnesota [43] [44] [45] [46]
14January 7, 1997March 31, 2001
15 Dale Bosworth, the 15th Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, presents the keynote speech (14993955110).jpg Dale N. Bosworth April 12, 2001February 2, 2007University of Idaho [47] [48] [49] [50]
16 Gail Kimbell February 5, 2007June 17, 2009University of Vermont, Oregon State University [51] [52] [53] [54]
17 Thomas Tidwell official photo.jpg Thomas Tidwell June 17, 2009September 1, 2017Washington State University [55] [56]
18 Tony Tooke official photo.jpg Tony Tooke September 1, 2017March 8, 2018Mississippi State University [57] [58] [59]
acting Vicki Christiansen, Chief of Forest Service.jpg Vicki Christiansen March 8, 2018October 11, 2018University of Washington [60] [61] [62] [63] [64]
19October 11, 2018July 26, 2021
20 Randy Moore, Forest Service Chief.jpg Randy Moore July 26, 2021March 2, 2025Southern University [65] [66] [67]
21 Tom Schultz, US Forest Service Chief.jpg Tom Schultz March 3, 2025PresentUniversity of Virginia, University of Wyoming, University of Montana [68]

Table notes:

  1. Died in office.

See also

Notes

  1. Dr. Franklin B. Hough was originally given the title of "Forestry Agent" in 1876. In 1881 the title was changed to "Chief". When Pinchot became Chief of the Division, he requested that his title be changed from "Chief" to "Forester". The title "Chief Forester" was adopted in 1935.

References

  1. "U.S. Forest Service History Collection". Forest History Society. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  2. "History". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "The Big Burn-Transcript". American Experience. PBS. February 3, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  4. Polenberg, Richard (1967). "The Great Conservation Contest". Forest History Newsletter. 10 (4): 13–23.
  5. Williams, Gerald W. (2000). The USDA Forest Service --- The First Century (PDF). U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  6. "United States Forest Service FAQ" (PDF). Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  7. "Chiefs of the U.S. Forest Service". Forest History Society . Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  8. "History --- Leadership Time Line". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2011.
  9. "Franklin B. Hough". Forest History Society.
  10. "History - Franklin B. Hough, First Chief Division of Forestry, 1876-1883". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020.
  11. "Nathaniel H. Egleston (1822-1912)". Forest History Society.
  12. "History - Nathaniel H. Egleston, Second Chief Division of Forestry, 1883-1886". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020.
  13. "Bernhard E. Fernow (1851-1923)". Forest History Society.
  14. "History - Bernhard E. Fernow, Third Chief Division of Forestry, 1886-1898". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020.
  15. 1 2 3 "Gifford Pinchot (1865-1946)". Forest History Society.
  16. 1 2 3 "History - Gifford Pinchot, First Chief, 1905-1910". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012.
  17. "Henry S. Graves (1871-1951)". Forest History Society.
  18. "History - Henry S. Graves, Second Chief, 1910-1920". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  19. "William B. Greeley (1879-1955)". Forest History Society.
  20. "History - William B. Greeley, Third Chief, 1920-1928". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020.
  21. "Robert Y. Stuart (1883-1933)". Forest History Society.
  22. "History - Robert Y. Stuart, Fourth Chief, 1928-1933". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020.
  23. "Ferdinand A. Silcox (1882-1939)". Forest History Society.
  24. "History - Ferdinand A. Silcox, Fifth Chief, 1933-1939". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020.
  25. "Earle H. Clapp (1877-1970)". Forest History Society.
  26. "History - Earle H. Clapp, Sixth Chief, 1939-1943". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  27. "Lyle F. Watts (1890-1962)". Forest History Society.
  28. "History - Lyle F. Watts, Seventh Chief, 1943-1952". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020.
  29. "Richard E. McArdle (1899-1983)". Forest History Society.
  30. "History - Richard E. McArdle, Eighth Chief, 1952-1962". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020.
  31. "Edward P. Cliff (1909-1987)". Forest History Society.
  32. "History - Edward P. Cliff, Ninth Chief, 1962-1972". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  33. "John R. McGuire (1916 – 2002)". Forest History Society.
  34. "History - John R. McGuire, Tenth Chief, 1972-1979". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  35. "R. Max Peterson (born 1927)". Forest History Society.
  36. "History - R. Max Peterson, 11th Chief, 1979-1987". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020.
  37. "F. Dale Robertson (born 1940)". Forest History Society.
  38. "History - F. Dale Robertson, 12th Chief, 1987-1993". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  39. Kenworthy, Tom (October 29, 1993). "2 Top Officials at Forest Service Are Removed". Los Angeles Times .
  40. "Jack Ward Thomas". Forest History Society.
  41. "History - Jack W. Thomas, 13th Chief, 1993-1996". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020.
  42. "FOREST SERVICE CHIEF QUITS AFTER STORMY TERM". The Roanoke Times . October 11, 1996.
  43. "Mike Dombeck". Forest History Society.
  44. "History - Michael P. Dombeck, 14th Chief, 1997-2001". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020.
  45. "USDA Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck To Retire". U.S. Forest Service. March 27, 2001. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024.
  46. "A New Chief of the Forest Service Is Named". The New York Times . December 21, 1996. p. 10.
  47. "Dale N. Bosworth (born 1945)". Forest History Society.
  48. "History - Dale N. Bosworth, 15th Chief, 2001-2007". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020.
  49. "U.S. Forest Chief Bosworth to retire". Reuters. January 12, 2007.
  50. "Former Utahn appointed to helm of Forest Service". Deseret News . April 13, 2001.
  51. "Abigail Kimbell". Forest History Society.
  52. "History - Abigail R. Kimbell, 16th Chief, 2007-Present". U.S. Forest Service. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020.
  53. "Career forester named US Forest Service chief". The Denver Post . June 17, 2009.
  54. "Montana woman to head Forest Service". The Journal Record . January 16, 2007.
  55. "Thomas Tidwell". Forest History Society.
  56. "U.S. Forest Service Chief Tidwell Closes Distinguished Forest Service Career, Announces Retirement". U.S. Department of Agriculture. August 18, 2017.
  57. "Tony Tooke". Forest History Society.
  58. Heller, Marc (March 8, 2018). "Chief Tooke steps down amid probes into misconduct". E&E News .
  59. "Secretary Perdue Administers Oath to Tony Tooke as New Forest Service Chief". U.S. Department of Agriculture. September 1, 2017.
  60. "Vicki Christiansen". Forest History Society.
  61. "USDA Forest Service Chief Christiansen Announces Retirement". U.S. Forest Service. June 8, 2021. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024.
  62. "Chief reflects on challenging rewards". U.S. Forest Service. July 22, 2021.
  63. "Secretary Perdue Announces Vicki Christiansen as New Forest Service Chief" (Press release). U.S. Department of Agriculture. October 10, 2018.
  64. "Vicki Christiansen Sworn in as Chief of U.S. Forest Service". New York State Urban Forestry Council. October 27, 2018.
  65. "Randy Moore". Forest History Society.
  66. "A note of reflection". U.S. Forest Service. February 26, 2025.
  67. "Today, Randy Moore was sworn in as 20th Chief of the USDA Forest Service". U.S. Forest Service. July 26, 2021.
  68. "Secretary Rollins names Tom Schultz Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service" (Press release). U.S. Department of Agriculture. February 27, 2025.

Further reading