Rain forests provide a haven for the largest diversity of plants and animals on Earth. Watch the “America’s Rain Forests” broadcast LIVE on location from rain forests in Puerto Rico and Alaska. Join experts on location in Puerto Rico and Alaska to:

• Understand the basic ecology and functioning of both tropical and temperate rain forests
• Recognize the value of rain forests and the challenges these ecosystems face due to human impacts
• Be motivated to explore, study, and understand the ecosystems where you live
• Understand that National Forests are public lands, managed for all, with unique challenges

Explore further for lesson plans and resources for your classroom. Your class will enjoy the conversation between the boreal toad in Alaska and the coqui frog in Puerto Rico.

North America is home to multiple kinds of forests, including the tropical rain forest in the Caribbean National Forest and the temperate rain forest found in the Tongass, Chugach, and Olympic national forests.

A Managed Forest in the Tropics

If the clouds lift, even momentarily, El Yunque rock is visible to the northeast. At 3,469 feet (1,058 m) in elevation, El Yunque is the second highest peak in the Caribbean National Forest and its most visible point in the horizon. The Taino Indians considered this a sacred place and the seat of their god Yuquiyú. With the clouds almost constantly drifting over the mountain and the stillness and beauty of this place, it is easy to see why they felt this way.

On a clear day, from Mt. Britton Tower you can see the city of Luquillo straight ahead. Far to the northwest you will glimpse the tip of Isla Verde, in the outskirts of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico — just a speck on the horizon. But mostly you will see the forest. A warm climate and as much as 240 inches (610 cm) of rain a year have produced a dense evergreen forest, rich in native flora and fauna — 225 native tree species, a vast variety of vines, ferns, giant tree ferns and mosses, and more than 100 species of vertebrates. Thirty five species are endemic — meaning they can be found nowhere else. Of these, five are considered threatened or endangered, including the beautiful and rare Puerto Rican Parrot.

Forest Types

From Mt. Britton four of Puerto Rico’s distinct forest types can be seen: Tabonuco, Palo Colorado, Sierra Palm, and Cloud Forest. Tabonuco forest is dominated by the majestic Tabonuco Tree (Dacroydes excelsa) that can reach up to 100 feet (30 m) and grows primarily in protected sites at low elevations. Tabonuco forest has many of the characteristics for which tropical rain forests are noted. The forest canopy has three levels: an upper level that may be as much as 35% Tabonuco, a lower canopy, and an under story. The second most prominent tree in this forest type, the Motillo (Sloanea berteriana), has large buttress roots, typical of many rain forest trees. Such roots help support the heavy canopy of large trees growing in very wet soil. The forest floor is only scarcely vegetated, but the forest canopy is rich with aerial plants: bromeliads, orchids, vines, and arboreal ferns.

Above 2,000 feet (600m) is the Palo Colorado forest. It takes its name from the Palo Colorado (Cyrilla racemiflora), a tree that is also found in Central and South America and the southeastern United States. Tree height in the Palo Colorado forest is less than 50 feet (15m), and the layers of the forest canopy are less distinct than in the Tabonuco type.

At about the same elevation as the Palo Colorado, but on very steep slopes, are the Sierra Palm forests dominated by the Sierra Palm (Prestoea montana). Sometimes called palm-breaker, this forest type may reach 50 feet (15m) in height.

At the highest elevations, near the top of EL Yunque, grows the cloud forest, also known as dwarf or elfin forest or moss forest. This forest type is composed of very dense stands of small, stunted trees and shrubs. The cloud forest has many of the same tree species as the Palo Colorado, but growth is limited by adverse climate — heavy rain, strong winds, and almost constant cloud cover.

Forest Decline

From Mt. Britton, the forest seems to stretch forever. However, this is only an illusion. Very little is left of the magnificent forests that once covered the island of Puerto Rico. Since first they were seen by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, Puerto Rican forests have been subjected to intensive use and abuse. With increasing population, the forests were cleared to make way for human settlements, farms, coffee plantations, and other agricultural crops. By early 1900s, probably 85 percent of the original forests were gone.

The lowland Ausubo (Manilkara bidentata) forests were the first to be cut. Very little of that forest type remains. The Tabonuco forest was once an important habitat of the Puerto Rican Parrot, and destruction of much of this forest type is a likely cause of the species’ decline. The Parrot, a beautiful green bird with bright-blue wing feathers, is now rarely seen. It survives only in small numbers in an isolated area of the Caribbean National Forest and in a captive population used for breeding purposes.

More of the Palo Colorado type remains, but in the 1940s and 1950s, many large, old Palo Colorado trees were selectively cut for charcoal or to encourage growth of trees more valuable for timber. This destruction occurred before scientists learned that the Parrot nests in these trees.

Forest of Many Names

he Caribbean National Forest contains land that was part of the original forest reserves set aside by the Spanish in 1876. Originally just 12,400 acres (5,020 ha), this reserve now covers more than 28,000 acres (11,300 ha). It includes the largest block of undisturbed forest on the island. Unique in the tropics, the Caribbean National Forest is the oldest forest reserve in the National Forest System and has been under some form of management for more than 100 years.

The reserve is managed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and has two primary functions — management and research — from which the area takes its two names: Luquillo Experimental Forest and Caribbean National Forest. Actually, the forest has had many names over the years, names that reflect a long and colorful history. First called Yuké by the Tainos, and later El Yunque by the Spaniards, in 1903, President Roosevelt proclaimed it the Luquillo Forest Reserve. In 1935 this was changed to Caribbean National Forest and in 1956, the forest was also designated Luquillo Experimental Forest in recognition of the growing importance of research in the reserve. Often, however, the forest is locally referred to as El Yunque, its second oldest and most picturesque name.

The Caribbean National Forest is part of the National Forest System and is managed by law for multiple use benefits. Areas within the forest are dedicated to what is considered their best uses whether for outdoor recreation, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, or growing trees.

Outdoor Recreation

In the forest, there are many opportunities for outdoor recreation. The coolness of the mountains draws people from the urban centers of San Juan and other towns in the warm and humid coastal lowlands. Puerto Rico is the cruise ship hub for the Caribbean and also has the largest and busiest airport in the region. Tourism represents 12 percent of the local economy and El Yunque is the first nature destination in the Island. Of the more than 700,000 visitors to the forest in 2004, 38 percent were international and 42 percent were local.

For these visitors, the first contact with the Forest Service if often with interpretive displays and a fine film at the splendid El Portal Rain Forest Center, located at the entrance to the Forest. Its unique, award winning tropical architecture, inserted in a spectacular natural setting is combined with the attention of the USDA Forest Service staff who are available to assist and answer questions about El Portal and El Yunque’s educational and recreational opportunities. Whether backpacking, bird watching, hiking, picnicking, playing in the water, attending a special event or taking a guided tour, your experience will be unforgetful.

Watershed Protection

Water is the unifying element and the determining factor for the characteristics of the forest. Over 200 inches of rain, or about 100 billion gallons, fall every year over the expanse of El Yunque. Eight major rivers have their headwaters in the Caribbean National Forest and provide water and hydroelectric power for towns and rural areas in eastern Puerto Rico. Today critical watersheds, peaks, ridges, and steep slopes are off limits to timber harvesting. As a result, filtered by vegetation, these are some of the purest waters found on the island. Visiting recreation sites around water bodies and cooling off in the ponds, rivers, and waterfalls is a favorite activity for both local and foreign visitors alike.

Wildlife Habitat

The entire forest is also a wildlife refuge. It has 68 species of native birds, many migratory birds, and numerous reptiles and amphibians. At night, the rain forest resounds with a loud chorus that may include 16 different species of miniature tree frogs — the beloved coquís of Puerto Rico. The only native mammals are bats. However, mongooses, rats, and domestic cats have been introduced and now run wild.

Baño de Oro Natural Area

Three fourths of all the virgin (primary) forests that remain in Puerto Rico are located in the experimental forest. To protect this unique and valuable resource, some 2,100 acres (850 ha) have been set aside as the Baño de Oro Natural Area. Timber harvest is not allowed in this area, and no roads or trails maybe built.

Important Trees

Although timber is considered to be an important use of the forest, very little has been cut in recent years. In fact, the Forest Reserve was created in response to deforestation, and emphasis has been on reforesting cutover areas. Over the years, many acres have been planted with trees. In the future these plantations will be an important and sustainable source of timber for local use.

The Caribbean National Forest has 225 different species of trees and a highly diverse plant community typical of tropical rain forests around the world. Some of the most important or interesting native trees are listed here:

• Ausubo (Manikara bidentata) is a large, slow-growing tree with a dense crown of dark-green elliptical leaves. The wood of ausubo is beautiful, resistant to termites and rot, and highly desirable for furniture and construction purposes. This was once one of the most important timber tree in Puerto Rico. Now, few large, old trees remain.
• Fern trees (Cyathea urbureu and C. aquilina) are among the most beautiful and fascinating plants of tropical forests. These small, evergreen trees have slender trunks and feathery, lacy leaves called fronds. The Carib Indians used the hollow stems to carry and preserve fire. Now these stems are cut for use as planters for orchids and bromeliads or for potting material. Fern trees are also used in home and commercial gardens. Unfortunately, most of the fern trees are stolen from along forest roads.
• Palo Colorado (Cyrilla racemiflora) is a very large tree that may live to be 1,000 years old. Its name comes from its reddish bark, which splits off in thin plates or scales. Large, old Palo Colorado trees are important nest trees for the Puerto Rican Parrot. Many of these trees support complete communities of other plants: vines, mosses, herbs, ferns, liverworts, and even seedlings of other tree species.
• Tabonuco (Dacroydes excelsa) is perhaps the stateliest tree in El Yunque. These forest giants often reach a height of 100 feet (30 m) and a diameter of 40 inches (1 m). The smooth, pale bark often exudes a white resin useful for starting fires and for incense. The wood of the Tabonuco was used by Tainos to construct canoes, and later to make furniture and boxes, but today it is rarely cut.
• Sierra Palm (Prestoea montana) is a striking feature of the Luquillo Mountains. Although palms are slow growing, they reproduce in abundance in the shade of the forest floor and survive hurricanes that topple many broad-leaved trees. Palm fruits are produced all year and are a staple food of the Puerto Rican Parrot.

International Institute of Tropical Forestry

Establishment of a forestry research station in Puerto Rico was authorized by Congress in 1927, but it was not until 1939 that the Tropical Forest Experiment Station, now called the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, was created. Located on the grounds of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, the Institute has become a focal point for forestry research and education in tropical America.

Together, the International Institute of Tropical Forestry and the Caribbean National Forest have pioneered the application of sound forest management principles in Tropical America. Between 1931 and 1956, the amount of land in the Caribbean National Forest was increased and consolidated from surrounding farmlands, and trespass was essentially eliminated. By 1975, 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of land had been replanted. Today, plantation forests look so much like native forests that few people can tell them apart, and they have many of the same benefits. In 1934, as an aid to reforestation efforts, research was initiated on natural regeneration and species trials begun. Growth records have been kept on approximately 20,000 trees for more than 50 years.

Researchers at the Institute were the first to report decrease in the Puerto Rican Parrot population in the National Forest. Subsequently, a monitoring and research program was begun, and the parrot was given protection under the Endangered Species Act. Over the years, the captive flock has continued to increase, giving hope that the wild population can eventually be reestablished.

In 1989, the experimental forest was designated for a long-term ecological research by the National Science Foundation. As a result, scientists are now learning more about the native flora and fauna and how to react to natural and human caused disturbances.

Over the years, the International Institute of Tropical Forestry has enjoyed a growing reputation in forestry extension and education. Thousands of people have participated in training courses and technical meetings, and the library has one of the best collections of tropical forestry information in the world.

Highlights in the History of the Caribbean National Forest/Luquillo Experimental Forest

1839 – First Spanish forest comprehensive law for Puerto Rico.
1876 – The Spanish Crown proclaims El Yunque and other areas in Puerto Rico as forest reserves.
1903 – President Roosevelt designates the Luquillo Forest Reserve (now called Caribbean National Forest).
1905 – The Bureau of Forestry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, publishes the first detailed report about the forest and its resources.
1931 – The first forest plantations (mahogany) are established.
1933 – The Emergency Conservation Program began. With the Civilian Conservation Corps (1937) extensive work is accomplished in reforestation and road and recreational facilities construction.
1935 – Name changed to Caribbean National Forest.
1937 – First timber inventory completed.
1939 – Tropical Forest Experimental Station (now International Institute of Tropical Forestry) established.
1946 – Forest designated as a wildlife refuge.
1956 – Entire forest designated as the Luquillo Experimental Forest in recognition of the growing importance of research.
1968 – Conservation efforts began for the Puerto Rican Parrot.
1976 – The Caribbean National Forest is designated as a Biosphere Reserve.
1988 – Experiment Station receives a grant from the National Science Foundation for long-term ecological research.
1988 – El Portal Visitor Center planning is initiated.
1989 – Hurricane Hugo causes major damage to the forest, Catalina Work Center, and to the recreational areas. Wild Parrot population reduced to half.
1992 – International Institute of Tropical Forestry is established, enhancing international cooperation and collaboration.
1996 – El Portal Tropical Forest Center opens, continuing a tradition of education, outreach, and public service.
2003 – The Centennial of the proclamation of the Luquillo Forest Reserve is celebrated with a year of special events.
2005 – The Centennial of the creation of the USDA Forest Service is celebrated.

For more information, go to http://www.fs.usda.gov/elyunque/.

Please note: This summary and excerpts were adapted from Luquillo Experimental Forest by John K. Francis and J. Louise Matrantonio, General Technical Report IITF-14, August 2001.

The Tongass National Forest is the largest National Forest with almost 17 million acres. It’s a forest of islands and trees and rain—lots of islands and trees and rain. It also abounds in animals and birds and fish, with unsurpassed scenery and hardy people. It’s a place where eagles are commonplace, almost every road is a deer crossing, and bears use the trails, too. The Tongass is a wild place, where the natural world is a strong presence that nurtures spiritually and materially and demands respect.

Tongass Forest Service employees work to balance the multiple uses of the forest resources. Tongass has healthy fish and wildlife populations, clean water, trees to support local industry, recreation opportunities unique to Alaska, and plenty of unspoiled beauty and solitude. What roads exist in Southeast Alaska have been developed from forest roads built to reach timber.

The Common Conifers of Southeast Alaska

The temperate rain forest of the panhandle of Alaska is widely known for its lush vegetation. Conifers, cone-bearing trees such as hemlock, and spruce, seem to be everywhere. In reality, they cover a bit over half of southeast Alaska. Western hemlock (70 percent) and Sitka spruce (20 percent) are the most abundant. Western red cedar, yellow-cedar, mountain hemlock, and shore pine make up most of the rest.

Sitka spruce (Alaska’s state tree)
Picea sitchensis

Leaves — dark green, 5/8 to 1 inch long, needle sharp, growing in all sides of branches from woody pegs (a trait common only to spruce)
Cones — light orange-brown, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, usually found in the top quarter of tree, hanging down from branches, papery scales
Bark — thin and smooth, developing scaly plates with age, gray, becoming dark purplish brown with age
Size at maturity and lifespan — 150 to 225 feet in height and 5 to 8 feet in diameter, grows much larger in the southern part of its range, 500 to 700 years
Distribution — sea level to 3,000 feet elevation in Southeast Alaska, throughout Southeast Alaska, west to Kodiak Island and north to the coast of the Alaska Peninsula

Both species of hemlock have very thin branches and tops that curve downward and appear to be gracefully nodding. In the spring, new vegetation bursting from the buds is bright yellow-green. Here’s how to tell them apart:

Western hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla

Leaves — light green to medium green on top, with two whitish parallel lines beneath, 1/4 to 7/8 inch long, blunt-tipped, soft, shiny, and flat, growing from two sides of branch parallel to the ground
Cones — brown, oval-shaped, 5/8 to 1 inch long; thin, papery scales; hanging down at end of twig
Bark — reddish-brown when young, turning gray-brown; scaly when young, becoming thick and furrowed with age
Size at maturity and lifespan — 100 to 150 feet in height and 2 to 4 feet in diameter; 200 to 500 years
Distribution — sea level to subalpine areas; throughout the coastal forest of Southeast Alaska and north to Prince William Sound

Mountain hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana

Leaves — dark blue-green; 1/4 to 1 inch long; soft but more pointed than western hemlock; growing from all sides of the branch in a starlike pattern
Cones — purplish when new, brown when mature; cylindrical; 1 to 2 1/2 inches long; thin, papery scales
Bark — divided into narrow flattened ridges; becoming thick and deeply furrowed with age; gray when young, turning reddish brown with age
Size at maturity and lifespan — 50 to 100 feet in height and 10 to 30 inches in diameter; prostrate near timberline; slow-growing trees; size 18 to 20 inches in diameter at 180 to 260 years; 400 to 500 years
Distribution — sea level to 3,000 to 3,500 feet elevation; throughout Southeast Alaska

Shore Pine
Pinus contorta Dougl. var contorta

Leaves — yellow-green to dark green; 1 to 2 1/4 inches long; two leaves, each a half-round, bundled together, making a circle when pressed together
Cones — light brown; egg-shaped; 1 1/4 to 2 inches long; pointed backwards on branches; woody, with stiff prickles on the end of each scale
Bark — resinous and scaly, becoming furrowed with age; dark brown to blackish
Size at maturity and lifespan — often a small, scrubby tree; 20 to 40 feet in height and 8 to 12 inches in diameter; sometimes 75 feet in height and 18 to 32 inches in diameter on well-drained, sunny sites; 200 to 600 years
Distribution — especially in coastal muskegs; sea level to alpine zone; throughout Southeast Alaska, north to Yakutat

Both species of cedar have scale-like needles that look like braided hair. The needles are small, pointed, smoth, and flattened tot eh branch. Though commonly called cedars, they are members of the cypress family. Yellow-cedar, also known as Alaska cedar, is named for its bright yellow heartwood, and western redcedar, for its deep reddish brown heartwood. Both are aromatic and highly resistant to rot. Here’s how to tell them apart:

Yellow-cedar
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis

Leaves — dark green; 1/16 to 1/8 inch long
Cones — patchy green and black, nearly round; 1/2 inch in diameter; scattered among the needles; sharp central point on each cone scale
Bark — shreddy; generally ash gray
Size at maturity and lifespan — 40 to 80 feet in height and 1 to 2 feet in diameter; slow-growing trees; 15 to 20 inches in diameter at 200 to 300 years; up to 1,000 years
Distribution — muskegs, alpine meadows, and nearby forests of Southeast Alaska as far north as Prince William Sound; sea level to timberline in Southeast Alaska, though mainly at elevation of 500 to 1,200 feet; common in northern Southeast Alaska scattered in southern Southeast

Western redcedar
Thuja plicata

Leaves — shiny yellow-green; 1/16 to 1/8 inch long; springy, fan-shaped branches, turning up at the ends
Cones — brown, oval-shaped, 1/2 inch long; clustered near end of branches; cone scales woody and curve outward at maturity
Bark — fibrous and stringy; cinnamon-red when young, becoming gray with age
Size at maturity and lifespan — 70 to 100 feet in height in Southeast Alaska (growing much taller in souther part of range); 2 to 4 feet in diameter (occasionally reaching 6 feet); 300 to 700 years (occasionally 1,000)
Distribution — found in coastal forests in Southeast Alaska; sea level to 3,000 feet elevation; southern Southeast Alaska to just north of Sumner Strait

Other Conifers in Southeast Alaska

Four other species of cone-bearing plants are found in Southeast Alaska. Common mountain juniper (Juniperus communis) is a low-spreading evergreen shrub that grows in muskegs, and on dry slopes and rock outcrops in alpine or subalpine areas. Two fir species — Pacific silver fir (abies amabilis) and subalpine fir (abies lasiocarpa) — are found in this region. The Pacific silver fir is mainly found east and south of Ketchikan on well-drained sites from sea level to 1,000 feet in elevation. The subalpine fir is most common in Misty Fjords National Monument, the head of Lynn Canal, and in areas of recent glaciation, such as valley bottoms, or on moist subalpine slopes near timberline. Pacific Yew (Taxus brevifolia) is rare in Southeast Alaska and found only in the most southern part of the panhandle.

What on Earth is Muskeg?

Like a soggy blanket draped over the landscape, muskeg, or peat bog, covers more than 10 percent of southeast Alaska. It provides a surprisingly fragile home for an abundance of plants that thrive in the wet, acid soil. During the summer, the flowers on many of them add a carpet of soft color to the muted greens and browns typical of muskeg.

Muskeg itself consists of dead plants in various stages of decomposition, ranging from fairly intact sphagnum peat moss or sedge peat to highly decomposed muck. Pieces of wood, such as buried tree branches, roots, or whole trees, can make up 5 to 15 percent of the soil.

The water level in muskeg is usually at or near the surface. Stepping on muskeg is like stepping on a sponge, and walking across it involves avoiding the multitude of open ponds that range in size from potholes to small lakes. Despite their innocuous appearance, muskeg holes can be more than just messy – they can be dangerous. Some are quite deep and offer no toeholds to help the unwary climb back out.

Sphagnum moss is the mainstay of muskeg. It soaks up and holds 15 to 30 times its own weight in water. In the process, it keeps water from draining through the soil. So muskegs can form even on relatively steep slopes, especially in Southeast Alaska’s cold wet climate.

Muskeg is so wet, acid, and infertile that about the only trees that grow in it are a few stunted shore pine (Pinus contorta). These may grow only 5 to 15 feet high and less than 10 inches around in 300 to 400 years.

Muskegs need two conditions to develop: abundant rain and cool summers. A dead plant that falls on dry soil is attacked by bacteria and fungi and quickly rots. If that plant lands in water or on saturated soil, though, it faces a diffferent fate. Air can’t get to it, so the bacteria and fungi can’t function well. The cool temperatures slow them down even more. All this slows decomposition, and the plant debris accumulates to form peat and eventually, a muskeg.

Additional Resources

To learn more about Tongass National Forest and the temperate rain forest, click on these pdf files:

• Geology and Glaciers of the Tongass
• Caves and Karst
• Cultural History of the Tongass National Forest
  • Rock Art
  • Ranger Boats
  • Alaska’s Gold Rushes
  • Whaling History

When you think of rain forests, the Chugach National Forest (pronounced “Chew’gatch”) is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, this 5.6 million acre national forest located in Southcentral Alaska represents America’s northern most range of temperate rain forest. The Chugach National Forest is the second largest Forest in the National Forest System. Roughly the same size as the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island combined, the Chugach is the most northern of National Forests, only 500 miles south of the Arctic Circle. One third of the Chugach is composed of rocks and moving ice. The remainder is a diverse and majestic tapestry of land, water, plants, and animals. The mountains, lakes, and rivers of the Kenai Peninsula, the islands and glaciers of Prince William Sound, and the copious wetlands and birds of the Copper River Delta are what make this National Forest unique.

Glaciers! They have sculptured much of America’s beauty. Yet, there are few places today where glaciers still wage their ancient battle against the land. The Chugach National Forest is one of these places – a land of glacial diamonds set on a ring of fire. However, the slow, relentless force of glacial ice has not been the only land-shaping agent. Forces as quick and powerful as earthquakes and as dramatic as volcanoes have played a role in creating one of the most diverse landscapes in Alaska, if not America.

umans, too, have continued the shaping of this land. For more than 10,000 years, the lands of what is now the Chugach National Forest have been continually inhabited by populations of Alaskan Eskimos and Indians. Place names such as Valdez, Cordova, Zaikof Bay, and Prince William Sound, show that the lands, waters, and natural resources of the Forest have attracted the attention of the Spanish, who were seeking empires; Russians, who were seeking furs; and the English, who were seeking a northwest passage to the Pacific.

Americans too, have sought much in Alaska, from whale oil to petroleum oil, fish, gold, copper, coal, furs, timber, and strategic defense. Following the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, the lands surrounding Prince William Sound became the focus of mineral exploitation. An impending private monopoly on the reserves and transportation of its coal and copper motivated President Theodore Roosevelt to designate the lands of the Chugach National Forest in 1907, originally some 23 million acres in size.

The temperate rain forest in the valleys of the Quinault, Queets, and Hoh rivers are protected and contain some of the most spectacular examples of undisturbed Sitka spruce/western hemlock forests in the lower 48 states. This ecosystem stretches along the Pacific Coast from Oregon to Alaska; other temperate rain forests are found in several isolated areas throughout the world. What defines a rain forest quite simply is rain–lots of it. Precipitation here ranges from 140 to 167 inches–12 to 14 feet–every year. The mountains to the east also protect the coastal areas from severe weather extremes. Seldom does the temperature drop below freezing in the rain forest and summertime highs rarely exceed 80 F.

The dominant species in the rain forest are Sitka spruce and western hemlock; some grow to tremendous size, reaching 300 feet in height and 23 feet in circumference. Douglas-fir, western redcedar, bigleaf maple, red alder, vine maple, and black cottonwood are also found throughout the forest. Nearly every bit of space is taken up with a living plant. Some plants even live on others. These are the epiphytes, plants that do not come into contact with the earth, but also are not parasites. They are partly responsible for giving the rain forest its “jungly” appearance.

Mosses, lichens, and ferns cover just about anything else. Oregon oxalis is also a common ground cover. But because of this dense ground cover it is hard for seedlings to get a start. Many seedlings germinate on fallen, decaying trees. As they grow they send their roots down the log to the ground. Eventually the log rots completely away and a row of young trees is left, up on stilt-like roots, all in a row. The thick and protective vegetation also provides excellent habitats for the animals of the rain forest. In turn, they contribute to the health of the forest by keeping the rampant vegetation under control by browsing.

The USDA Forest Services is the largest forestry research organization in the world and the national and international leader in forest conservation. As part of the Forest Service, the largest agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), our research contributes to the advancement of science and the conservation of many of our Nation’s most valuable natural resources. Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) scientists carry out basic and applied research to study biological, physical, and social sciences related to very diverse forests and rangelands. Public lands that make up the National Forest system comprise 1/20 of the entire land base in the United States. Our research promotes ecologically sound management of these vast natural resources. We also serve the Nation’s private forest landowners, and we investigate new ways to process and recycle wood into products.

Our scientists work throughout the United States, from Florida to Alaska and from Maine to Hawaii. They perform research on university campuses, as well as in our own laboratories. Much of their research is outdoors, in forests and watersheds, on mountain tops and in grasslands.

International Institute of Tropical Forestry

The International Institute of Tropical Forestry (IITF) is part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. The IITF is located in Río Piedras, Puerto Rico on the grounds of the University of Puerto Rico, Agricultural Experimental Station. The Institute is dedicated to tropical forestry on an international level. Within the Forest Service’s mission of caring for the land and serving people, the IITF’s mission is to:

Develop and exchange knowledge critical to sustaining tropical ecosystem benefits for human kind.

Pacific Northwest Research Station

The Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station is part of the Research Branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and comprises ten research laboratories in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, as well as the headquarters office in Portland, Oregon. The PNW Research Station is one of eight Forest Service research facilities throughout the United States.

Forest Service Research develops and provides scientific and technical knowledge for all 1.6 billion acres of forests and rangelands in the United States including, but not limited to, the national forests. The Forest Service has the most extensive and productive program of integrated forestry research in the world. The PNW Research Station is a group of about 522 scientists, professionals, technicians, administrative staff employees, and research managers. Station expertise is in biological, physical, and social sciences.

The mission of the PNW Reserach Station is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand and make informed choices about people, natural resources, and the environment.

Comparison of Tropical & Temperate Rain Forests

Sometimes you hear the words “tropical” and “temperate” associated with rain forests. The difference is in the location. If the rain forest is close to the equator, it is considered tropical. If the rain forest is farther away from the equator (between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer or the Antarctic Circle and the Tropic of Capricorn) then the forest is considered to temperate.

Since Alaska and the Pacific Northwest’s rain forests are found between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer, these forests are temperate. All temperate rain forests share similar characteristics, but different plants and animals populate each.

Tropical rain forests are located in the warm regions south of the Tropic of Cancer and north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Tropical rain forests have the greatest biodiversity, but there are non-tropical or temperate rain forests as well (such as those on the northwest coast of the USA). The only tropical rain forest in the United States is found on the island of Puerto Rico.

Rain Forest Recipe

The key ingredients:

• Rain, and lots of it (or other precipitation, i.e. snow, drizzle,
  mist, fog . . .). Temperate rain forests receive up to 100 inches
  of precipitation/year, while tropical rain forests may receive up
  to 400 inches of rain/year.
• Forest (without trees we might have grasslands, but it wouldn’t
  be rain forest!).

Precipitation and Climate

Both tropical and temperate rain forests are very lush and wet. The tropical rain forest has downpours at the rate of two inches an hour adding up to some 400 inches of rain per year. It rains a lot in the temperate rain forest, too — about 100 inches per year. And even more moisture comes from the coastal fog that hovers among the trees.

Tropical rain forests are warm and moist; while temperate rain forests are cool.

Temperate Rain Forests

Adapted with permission from The Rain Forests of Home: An Atlas of People and Place (http://www.ecotrust.org/publications/rain_forests_atlas.html), from Ecotrust (http://www.ecotrust.org).

Overview

Coastal temperate rain forests are found in wet, cool climates where the collision of marine air and coastal mountains causes large amounts of rainfall. The worldwide distribution of coastal temperate rain forests has always been limited and today much of their remaining thirty to forty million hectares is located in Chile and along the Pacific Northwest of North America.

These forests stand mainly in watersheds that empty directly into saltwater and, as a result, are fundamentally shaped by the cycling of water and nutrients between land and sea. Organic debris washes out of coastal watersheds, enhancing the productivity of marine ecosystems; salmon and other fish travel inland to spawn and die, transporting valuable nutrients with them. Evidence has been found for 137 animal species that depend upon salmon as a significant part of their diet. Realization of the uniqueness of coastal temperate rain forests has come quite recently. Although scientists have recognized temperate rain forests for over fifty years, the term “coastal” temperate rain forest has a scientific currency of just a decade. Knowledge of these forests and interest in the bioregions where they stand are now growing rapidly.

What Is a Coastal Temperate Rain Forest?

In 1990, ecologists Paul Alaback and James Weigand proposed four features to distinguish coastal rain forests from other temperate forest types: proximity to oceans, the presence of coastal mountains, cooler summer temperatures, and higher rainfall levels with significant precipitation occurring in all seasons. These conditions lead to a unique set of dynamic links between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. In effect, the high tide line does not bound the coastal rain forest ecosystem: the forest influences the abundance and distribution of coastal sea life, and a number of animal species return the favor by carrying marine nutrients back into coastal watersheds.

Where Are They Found?

The largest contiguous coastal temperate rain forest traces the northwestern maritime margin of North America, from Kodiak Island in Alaska south through British Columbia and the U.S. Pacific Northwest to California’s “fogbelt” redwoods. Elsewhere in the northern hemisphere, Norway contains small fragments of coastal rain forest, but the forests formerly found along the west coasts of Ireland and Scotland, in parts of Iceland, and in a narrow crescent along the eastern shore of the Black Sea are long gone. Chile contains the Southern Hemisphere’s largest remaining coastal temperate rain forest. Significant areas of coastal rain forest also stand on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island and on the Australian island of Tasmania. The forests along the western coast of North America from the redwoods in California to Alaska’s Kodiak Island contain approximately half of the remaining worldwide distribution of coastal temperate rain forest. Alaback (1991, 1995) distinguishes four coastal rain forest zones in North America based on temperature and precipitation distribution, which are the primary determinants of the distribution of plants and animals.

Important and Productive

Coastal temperate rain forests foster a hugely disproportionate share of the world’s biological production. They accumulate and store more organic matter than any other forest type (including tropical rain forests) – as much as 500-2,000 metric tons of wood, foliage, leaf litter, moss, other living plants, and organic soil per hectare. Some individual trees in temperate rain forests have grown for two millennia and surpass six meters in diameter. The adjacent waters are productive as well. The upwelling zones and cold-water currents that bathe the edges of coastal temperate rain forests account for a substantial share of the biological production of the oceans. The productivity of these marine ecosystems is enhanced by the nutrients and organic debris washed out of the coastal watersheds.

The Status of Temperate Rain Forests

Once found on five continents, coastal temperate rain forests have been modified throughout much of their original range. The North American coastal temperate rain forest, stretching from Northern California to Alaska, accounted for roughly fifty percent of the original global distribution of this forest type. Now, forty-four percent of the North American range has been developed. The impact of this development is abundantly evident from Vancouver Island south. North America’s coastal rain forests contain some of the world’s most valuable commercial timber lands. Throughout their original distribution, the fecundity and relatively mild maritime climates of coastal temperate rain forest regions have invited heavy exploitation. Coastal rain forests were among the first landscapes logged when Euro-Americans settled North America’s Pacific Coast in the 1850s. They have been heavily harvested, particularly in the southern third of the bioregion. Clearcut logging of old-growth conifers remains widespread in this region today, and many rain forest valleys have become industrial tree farms from which trees have already been harvested three times.

Industrial exploitation of the lands and waters of the coastal temperate rain forest has meant secure profits for a relative handful of corporate enterprises but insecure livelihoods for thousands of residents. Communities dependent on logging, mills, and coastal fisheries have seen their prosperity wax and wane with the boom-and-bust cycles typical of raw materials economies. In virtually every stretch of the eight thousand kilometer coastline that supports these forests around the world, residents are seeking to diversify local economies and to capture more of the value of the raw materials harvested and exported from the rain forest fringe.

The growing importance of recreation, tourism, and environmental services in the economies of many coastal areas as well as the recognition that methods of conventional resource extraction deplete natural capital are forcing a reappraisal of resource-based industries and the landscapes they leave behind. New insights into the interdependence of land and sea in the coastal rain forest zone offer further challenges to traditional management practices.

Tropical Rain Forests

The world’s tropical forests, which circle the globe, are diverse. Ranging from the steamy jungles of the rain forests to the dry forests and savannas, they provide habitat for millions of species of plants and animals. Once covering some 15.3 billion acres (6.2 billion ha), these tropical forests have been reduced through cutting and clearing by 210 million acres (85 million ha) between 1985 and 1990.

About half of all the world’s forests are in the Tropics—the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This region may be best known for its rain forests – lush, steamy jungles with towering trees, epiphytes, and dense under stories of smaller trees, shrubs, and vines.

Not all forests in the tropics are rain forests! Tropical forests are surprisingly diverse. In addition to rain forests, there are mangroves, moist forests, dry forests, and savannas. Such classifications, however, give only a slight indication of the diversity of tropical forests. One study by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which considered 23 countries in tropical America, 37 in tropical Africa, and 16 in tropical Asia, identified dozens of types of tropical forests: open and closed canopy forests, broadleaved trees and conifer forests, closed forests and mixed forest grasslands, and forests where agriculture has made inroads.

The largest remaining areas of tropical rain forests are in Brazil, Congo, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Precipitation generally exceeds 60 inches (150 cm) per year and may be as high as 400 inches (1000 cm). Giant trees may tower 200 feet (60 m) in height and support thousands of other species of plants and animals. Montane (mountain) rain forests grow at higher elevations where the climate is too windy and wet for optimum tree growth.

Mangrove forests grow in the swampy, intertidal margin between sea and shore and are often considered part of the rain forest complex. The roots of mangrove trees help stabilize the shoreline and trap sediment and decaying vegetation that contribute to ecosystem productivity.

Dry Forests

Large areas of tropical dry forests are found in India, Australia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Africa, and Madagascar. Dry forests receive low rainfall amounts, as little as 20 inches (50 cm) per year, and are characterized by species well adapted to drought. Trees of dry tropical forests are usually smaller than those in rain forests, and many lose their leaves during the dry season. Although they are still amazingly diverse, dry forests often have fewer species than rain forests.

Savanna is a transitional type between forest and grassland. Trees are often very scattered and tend to be well adapted to drought and tolerant of fire and grazing. If fire is excluded, trees eventually begin to grow and the savanna is converted to dry forest. With too much fire or grazing, dry forest becomes savanna. This vegetation type has fewer species of trees and shrubs but more grasses and forbs than other forest types in the tropics.

All forests have both economic and ecological value, but tropical forests are especially important in global economy. These forests cover less than 6 percent of the Earth’s land area, but they contain the vast majority of the world’s plant and animal genetic resources. The diversity of life is astonishing. The original forests of Puerto Rico, for example, contain more than 500 species of trees in 70 botanical families. By comparison, temperate forests have relatively few. Such diversity is attributed to variations in elevation, climate, and soil, and to the lack of frost.

Wood and Other Products

Tropical forests provide many valuable products including rubber, fruits and nuts, meat, rattan, medicinal herbs, floral greenery, lumber, firewood, and charcoal. Such forests are used by local people for subsistence hunting and fishing. They provide income and jobs for hundreds of millions of people in small, medium, and large industries.

Tropical forests are noted for their beautiful woods. Four important commercial woods are mahogany, teak, melina, and okoume. Honduras mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), grows in the Americas from Mexico to Bolivia. A strong wood of medium density, mahogany is easy to work, is long lasting, and has good color and grain. Teak is native to Southeast Asia and India. It is commonly used for furniture, molding, paneling and trim. Its wood has medium density, is strong, polishes well, and has a warm yellow-brown color. Also prized for resistance to insects and rot, teak is commonly used in cabinets, trim, flooring, furniture, and boats. Melina (Gmelina arborea) grows naturally from India through Vietnam. Noted for fast growth, melina has light colored wood that is used mainly for pulp and particleboard, matches and carpentry. Okoume (Aucoumea klaineana) is native to Gabon an the Congo in west Africa. A large fast-growing tree, the wood has moderately low density, good strength-to density ratio, and low shrinkage during drying. It is commonly use (for plywood, paneling, interior furniture parts, and light construction).

Other Economic Values

Tropical forests are home for tribal hunter-gatherers whose way of life has been relatively unchanged for centuries. These people depend on the forests for their livelihood. More than 2.5 million people also live in areas adjacent to tropical forests. They rely on the forests for their water, fuelwood, and other resources and on its shrinking land base for their shifting agriculture. For urban dwellers, tropical forests provide water for domestic use and hydroelectric power. Their scenic beauty, educational value, and opportunities for outdoor recreation support tourist industries.

Many medicines and drugs come from plants found only in tropical rain forests. Some of the best known are quinine, an ancient drug used for malaria; curare, an anesthetic and muscle relaxant used in surgery; and rosy periwinkle, a treatment for Hodgkin’s disease and leukemia. Research has identified other potential drugs that may have value as contraceptives or in treating a multitude of maladies such as arthritis, hepatitis, insect bites, fever, coughs, and colds. Many more may be found. In all, only a few thousand species have been evaluated for their medicinal value.

Environmental Benefits

Tropical forests do more than respond to local climatic conditions; they actually influence the climate. Through transpiration, the enormous number of plants found in rain forests return huge amounts of water to the atmosphere, increasing humidity and rainfall, and cooling the air for miles around. In addition, tropical forests replenish the air by utilizing carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen. By fixing carbon they help maintain the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels low and counteract the global “greenhouse” effect.

Forests also moderate stream flow. Trees slow the onslaught of tropical downpours, use and store vast quantities of water, and help hold the soil in place. When trees are cleared, rainfall runs off more quickly, contributing to floods and erosion.

Status of Tropical Rain Forests

Before the dawn of agriculture approximately 10,000 years ago, forests and open woodland covered about 15.3 billion acres (6.2 billion ha) of the globe. Over the centuries, however, about one-third of these natural forests has been destroyed. According to a 1982 study by FAO, about 27.9 million acres (11.3 million ha) of tropical forests are cut each year-an area about the size of the states of Ohio or Virginia. Between 1985 and 1990, an estimated 210 million acres (85 million ha) of tropical forests were cut or cleared. In India, Malaysia, and the Philippines, the best commercial forests are gone, and cutting is increasing in South America. If deforestation is not stopped soon, the world will lose most of its tropical forests in the next several decades.

Reasons for Deforestation

Several factors are responsible for deforestation in the Tropics: clearing for agriculture, fuelwood cutting, and harvesting of wood products. By far the most important of these is clearing for agriculture. In the Tropics, the age-old practice of shifting, sometimes called “slash-and-burn,” agriculture has been used for centuries. In this primitive system, local people cut a small patch of forest to make way for subsistence farming. After a few years, soil fertility declines and people move on, usually to cut another patch of trees and begin another garden.

In the abandoned garden plot, the degraded soil at first supports only weeds and shrubby trees. Later, soil fertility and trees return, but that may take decades. As population pressure increases, the fallow (rest) period between cycles of gardening is shortened, agricultural yields decrease, and the forest region is further degraded to small trees, brush, or eroded savanna. Conversion to sedentary agriculture is an even greater threat to tropical forests. Vast areas that once supported tropical forests are now permanently occupied by subsistence farmers and ranchers and by commercial farmers who produce sugar, cocoa, palm oil, and other products.

In many tropical countries there is a critical shortage of firewood. For millions of rural poor, survival depends on finding enough wood to cook the evening meal. Every year more of the forest is destroyed, and the distance from home to the forest increases. Not only do people suffer by having to spend much of their time in the search for wood, but so does the land. Damage is greatest in dry tropical forests where firewood cutting converts forests to savannas and grasslands.

The global demand for tropical hardwoods, an $8-billion-a-year industry, also contributes to forest loss. Tropical forests are usually selectively logged rather than clear-cut. Selective logging leaves the forest cover intact but usually reduces its commercial value because the biggest and best trees are removed. Selective logging also damages remaining trees and soil, increases the likelihood of fire, and degrades the habitat for wildlife species that require large, old trees-the ones usually cut. In addition, logging roads open up the forests to shifting cultivation and permanent settlement.

In the past, logging was done primarily by primitive means-trees were cut with axes and logs were moved with animals such as oxen. Today the use of modern machinery–chain saws, tractors, and trucks -makes logging easier, faster, and potentially more destructive.

Endangered Wildlife

Forests are biological communities-complex associations of trees with other plants and animals that have evolved together over millions of years. Because of the worldwide loss of tropical forests, thousands of species of birds and animals are threatened with extinction. The list includes many unique and fascinating animals, among them the orangutan, mountain gorilla, manatee, jaguar, and Puerto Rican parrot. Although diverse and widely separated around the globe, these species have one important thing in common. They, along with many other endangered species, rely on tropical forests for all or part of their habitat.

Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) are totally dependent on small and isolated patches of tropical forests remaining in Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia. Orangutans spend most of their time in the forest canopy where they feed on leaves, figs and other fruit, bark, nuts, and insects. Large trees of the old-growth forests support woody vines that serve as aerial ladders, enabling the animals to move about, build their nests, and forage for food. When the old forests are cut, orangutans disappear.

The largest of all primates, the gorilla, is one of man’s closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Too large and clumsy to move about in the forest canopy, the gorilla lives on the forest floor where it forages for a variety of plant materials. Loss of tropical forests in central and west Africa is a major reason for the decreasing numbers of mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). Some habitat has been secured, but the future of this gentle giant is in grave danger as a result of habitat loss and poaching.

The jaguar (Leo onca), a resident of the Southwestern United States and Central and South America, is closely associated with forests. Its endangered status is the result of hunting and habitat loss.

The Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata), a medium-sized, green bird with blue wing feathers, once inhabited the entire island of Puerto Rico and the neighboring islands of Mona and Culebra. Forest destruction is the principal reason for the decline of this species. Hunting also contributed. Today, only a few Puerto Rican parrots remain in the wild and their survival may depend on the success of a captive breeding program.

In addition to species that reside in tropical forests year round, others depend on such forests for part of the year. Many species of migrant birds journey 1,000 miles or more between their summer breeding grounds in the north and their tropical wintering grounds. These birds are also threatened by tropical forest destruction.

New Directions in Tropical Forestry

The conservation issues of the past seem simple compared with those of today. As we move toward the 21st century, human societies are concerned with global warming, deforestation, species extinction, and rising expectations. Growing populations must be fed, clothed, and sheltered, and people everywhere want higher standards of living.

Global Warming

Warming of the earth’s atmosphere is a major environmental issue. Air pollution, deforestation, and widespread burning of coal, oil, and natural gas have increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. These gases trap heat from the sun and prevent it from radiating harmlessly back into space. Thus, the 64 greenhouse” or warming effect is created.

Because of natural variations in climate, it is difficult to measure warming over large areas. Scientists agree, however, that increases in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases will cause higher temperatures worldwide. Even an increase of a few degrees might cause serious melting of the polar icecaps, a gradual rise in sea level, a disruption in normal weather patterns, a possible increase in forest fires, and the extinction of species.

Role of Forests

Trees, the largest of all land plants, act as a kind of environmental “buffer” for the ecosystem they dominate. They help ameliorate the extremes of climate (heat, cold, and wind) and create an environment where large land mammals, including people, can live comfortably. Trees complement animals in the global environment. Mammals take in oxygen from the air and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants use the carbon dioxide in their growth processes, store the carbon in woody tissues, and return oxygen to the atmosphere as a waste product. This process, known as photosynthesis, is essential to life. Carbon captured from the atmosphere by photosynthesis is eventually recycled through the environment in a process known as the carbon cycle. Trees have an especially important role in the carbon cycle. Tree leaves also act as filters to remove atmospheric pollutants from the air. This effect is particularly beneficial in urban areas.

Forestry Issues

Two key issues will dominate forestry in the years ahead: (1) maintaining long-term productivity of managed forests, and (2) preventing further loss of tropical forests. Both problems will require new approaches to forest management. Traditionally, forestry has focused on growing crops of wood in plantations or in managed natural stands. In this “agricultural mode,” other benefits of forest such as watershed protection, wildlife habitat, climate moderation, and outdoor recreation, have received less attention than wood production.

Perhaps more importantly, the sustainability of the full range of forest benefits has not been measured. There is no question that trees can be grown for crops of wood in managed stands. With intensive management-short rotations, species selection, genetic improvement, fertilization, thinning, and other cultural treatments-more wood can be produced in less time than in natural forests. But for how long? And at what cost in other benefits?

As more and more of the world’s original forests have been cut, the ecological value of forests has come to be more appreciated. In recent years, increased emphasis has been put on what some are calling “ecosystem management.” In this model, the health and long-term stability of the forest are paramount, and timber production is considered a byproduct of good forest management rather than the principal product. In Puerto Rico, for example, wood production is a relatively minor aspect of forestry.

Since the 1930’s when timber harvests were curtailed, the forests have been managed primarily for watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation.

There are no easy solutions to the problem of tropical forest destruction, but most experts agree that the problems cannot be solved simply by locking up the forests in reserves. The forests are too important to local people for that to be a workable solution. There is no doubt that tropical forests will be cut. It is better for them to be cut in an ecologically sound manner than to be cleared for poor-quality farmland or wasted by poor harvest practices.

The only real long-term solutions are: (1) more efficient agriculture on suitable farmland, (2) efficient forestry practice including plantations, and (3) reserves to protect species and ecosystems. Many forestry experts believe that we have only begun to tap the potential for wise use of tropical forests. Many uses have yet to be fully explored. We are only starting to learn the value of tropical forests for medicines, house and garden plants, food and fiber, tourism, and natural resource education.

National forests are America’s great outdoors. They encompass 191 million acres (77.3 million hectares) of land, which is an area equivalent to the size of Texas. National forests provide opportunities for recreation in open spaces and natural environments. With more and more people living in urban areas, national forests are becoming more important and valuable to Americans. People enjoy a wide variety of activities on national forests, including backpacking in remote, unroaded wilderness areas, mastering an all-terrain vehicle over a challenging trail, enjoying the views along a scenic byway, or fishing in a great trout stream, to mention just a few.

Congress established the Forest Service in 1905 to provide quality water and timber for the nation’s benefit. Over the years, the public has expanded the list of what they want from national forests and grasslands. Congress responded by directing the Forest Service to manage national forests for additional multiple uses and benefits and for the sustained yield of renewable resources such as water, forage, wildlife, wood, and recreation. Multiple use means managing resources under the best combination of uses to benefit the American people while ensuring the productivity of the land and protecting the quality of the environment.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is a Federal agency that manages public lands in national forests and grasslands. The Forest Service is also the largest forestry research organization in the world, and provides technical and financial assistance to state and private forestry agencies. Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, summed up the purpose of the Forest Service — “to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run.”

The job of Forest Service managers is to help people share and enjoy the forest, while conserving the environment for generations yet to come. Some activities are compatible. Some are not. You, as a concerned citizen, play a key role. By expressing your views to Forest Service managers, you will help them balance all of these uses and make decisions in the best interest of the forest and the public.

The Forest Service motto, “Caring for the Land and Serving People,” captures the spirit of its mission, which they accomplish through five main activities:

• Protection and management of natural resources on National Forest System lands.
• Research on all aspects of forestry, rangeland management, and forest resource utilization.
• Community assistance and cooperation with state and local governments, forest industries, and private landowners to help protect and manage non-Federal forest and associated range and watershed lands to improve conditions in rural areas.
• Achieving and supporting an effective workforce that reflects the full range of diversity of the American people.
• International assistance in formulating policy and coordinating U.S. support for the protection and sound management of the world’s forest resources.

Find a National Forest

To find a National Forest near you, visit the Forest Service web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/. On that page, you may search for a National Forest service by state or by name.

Forest Service Centennial

The USDA Forest Service is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2005. The Forest Service was created 100 years ago as an agency with a unique mission: to sustain healthy, diverse, and productive forests and grasslands for present and future generations. The creation of the Forest Service initiated a century of change in managing public forests and grasslands, with introduction of a new conservation ethic and professional workforce to carry it forth. The USDA Forest Service asks that you join in reflecting on the organization’s proud history and traditions and explore ways to move into a new century of “caring for the land and serving people.”

The commemoration has included a combination of nationally promoted “signature events” and locally sponsored opportunities. All planned activities are intended to recognize Forest Service past accomplishments and validate the importance of the agency’s current relationship with partners and collaborators. The New Century of Service has coordinated centennial events to encourage a dialogue about the challenges presented to the Forest Service in the next century. These challenges include: rapid natural and social changes, changing public desires, and new technologies.