The United States Forest Service (USFS), is responsible for the management and resurvey of federal lands as well as for the monumentation of national forest. Its mission it to protect and preserve the country's natural resource. This agency manages many programs to improve management of these resources. Among these programs are forest fire research and the National Recreation Strategy.
The development of national forests began in the mid-19th century. Edward T. Allen was the first regional forester in the Pacific Northwest Region. The majority of the national forests in the 20th century were used for timber harvesting, grazing, and other purposes. The result was that recreation on these lands had a slow pace of growth. But the Roaring Twentyies brought about a significant increase in recreation. There were many ways to enjoy national forests, including campgrounds and road construction.
In the 1920s, 12 research stations were established by the Forest Service. These labs were dedicated to the collection of dendrological data and other information required to manage federal forests. After World War II, however, there was an increase in the need to do additional forestry research. The Civilian Conservation Corps was established in the 1930s. Enrolled members were sent to West Virginia to fight wildfires. CCC built hundreds upon hundreds of lookout stations to help locate and battle fires. In the 1940s, over a thousand men were assigned to fighting fires. Although a few women were hired, they seldom worked in the field.
In the 1950s the Forest Service took over primary responsibility for the protection of rural areas from fire. Its first step in this direction was the creation of the Division of Fire Research. It was also empowered to create cooperative units. This legislation revolutionized the Forest Service's operation and allowed it to attain the autonomy it enjoys today.
The Forest Service also developed a professional standard of firefighting. This policy was called the "10 a.m." rule. This mandated that fires had to be contained by 10 am after being reported. This was also a Federal agency stipulation.
The Forest Service responded to economic and social change by establishing a National Recreation Strategy. This strategy required the establishment of public-private partnerships to promote outdoor recreation.
A key component of the strategy was the development of a computer network to track lightning strikes. The network, which has now grown to over a hundred stations nationwide, is also used to monitor the location of fires that start during lightning storms. The Forest Service is now using an ecosystem-based approach for forest management.
Forest Service efforts were a major factor in the success and longevity of the National Recreation Strategy. Its research also has played an important role in shaping the agency's operations. The Wagon Wheel Gap watershed study was an example of a joint U.S.-American project. Weather Bureau and Forest Service. This study was used as a guideline for the creation of the National Park Service.