Starting in 1876, and undergoing a series of name changes, the U.S. Forest Service grew to protect and utilize millions of acres of forest on public land. Gifford Pinchot

Gifford Pinchot

Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...

, an early advocate of scientific forestry, along with President Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...

 and conservation organizations, led the effort to manage forest for the public good.

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

Franklin B. Hough

Franklin B. Hough was a scientist, historian and the first chief of the United States Division of Forestry, the predecessor of the United States Forest Service. He was among the first to call attention to the depletion of forests in the U.S...

 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

Forest Reserve Act of 1891

The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 is a law that allowed the President of the United States to set aside forest reserves from the land in the public domain. Passed by the United States Congress under Benjamin Harrison's administration...

 authorized withdrawing land from the public domain as "forest reserves," managed by the Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...

. 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 General Land Office

General Land Office

The General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...

 of the Interior Department to the Bureau of Forestry, henceforth known as the US Forest Service. Gifford Pinchot

Gifford Pinchot

Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...

 was the first Chief Forester of the US Forest Service. In 1911, Congress passed the Weeks Act

Weeks Act

The Weeks Act is a federal law passed by the US Congress on 1 March 1911 in the United States. The law, introduced by Congressman John W. Weeks of Massachusetts, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to "Examine, locate and recommend for purchase ... such lands within the watersheds of navigable...

, 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.

Significant federal legislation affecting the Forest Service includes the Weeks Act

Weeks Act

The Weeks Act is a federal law passed by the US Congress on 1 March 1911 in the United States. The law, introduced by Congressman John W. Weeks of Massachusetts, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to "Examine, locate and recommend for purchase ... such lands within the watersheds of navigable...

 of 1911, the Multiple Use - Sustained Yield Act of 1960

Multiple Use - Sustained Yield Act of 1960

The Multiple Use - Sustained Yield Act of 1960 is a federal law passed by the US Congress on June 12, 1960. This law authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to develop and administer the renewable resources of timber, range, water, recreation and wildlife on the national forests for...

, P.L. 86-517; the Wilderness Act

Wilderness Act

The Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...

, P.L. 88-577; the National Forest Management Act, P.L. 94-588; the National Environmental Policy Act

National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act is a United States environmental law that established a U.S. national policy promoting the enhancement of the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality ....

, P.L. 91-190; the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act, P.L. 95-313; and the Forest and Rangelands Renewable Resources Planning Act, P.L. 95-307.

Timeline

• 1876 The Office of Special Agent for forest research is created in the Department of Agriculture to assess the state of the forests in the United States.
• 1881 The Office of the Special Agent is expanded into the newly formed Division of Forestry.
• 1891 The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 authorizes withdrawing land from the public domain as “forest reserves,” managed by the Department of the Interior.
• 1901 The Division of Forestry is renamed the Bureau of Forestry.
• 1905 The Transfer Act of 1905 transfers the management of forest reserves from the General Land Office (within the Department of the Interior) to the Bureau of Forestry (within the Department of Agriculture). The name of the agency changes to the Forest Service.
• 1905–1945 National forest management focuses on protecting lands against overgrazing, controlling and combating fire, protecting fish and game, and providing public recreation.
• 1911 The Weeks Act
  Weeks Act
  The Weeks Act is a federal law passed by the US Congress on 1 March 1911 in the United States. The law, introduced by Congressman John W. Weeks of Massachusetts, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to "Examine, locate and recommend for purchase ... such lands within the watersheds of navigable...
  
   authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase cutover, denuded, and other forested lands for flood and fire control. This new authority led to the expansion of National Forests in the Eastern United States and the protection and restoration of millions of acres of land.
• 1922 The General Land Exchange Act of 1922
  General Land Exchange Act of 1922
  The General Land Exchange Act of 1922 was signed into law by President of the United States Warren G. Harding on March 20, 1922...
  
   authorized the Secretary of Interior to obtain title to privately owned land located within national forest boundaries.
• 1944 The Forest Service begins a campaign stating “Only YOU can prevent forest fires” using a fire-injured bear as a symbol to be careful. Today, “Smokey Bear
  Smokey Bear
  Smokey Bear is a mascot of the United States Forest Service created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires. An advertising campaign featuring Smokey was created in 1944 with the slogan, "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires". Smokey Bear's later slogan,...
  
  ” is one of the most widely recognized icons in America.
• 1946–1960 National forests experience increased demand on forest resources, especially timber and recreation.
• 1960–1980 In response to shifting public values, the Forest Service shifts focus to managing land as integrated systems, instead of individual resources.
• 1989 The Chief ’s New Perspectives initiative stresses ecosystem management and sustainability and is aimed to place timber management in line with other forest values including biodiversity, water quality, and recreation.
• 2001 The National Fire Plan is created to address the buildup of fuels caused by decades of fire suppression, climate change, and developments adjacent to forests.

List of Forest Service Chiefs

	Forest Service Chief Foresters	Years of Service	Name of Agency	Education
1	Franklin B. Hough Franklin B. Hough Franklin B. Hough was a scientist, historian and the first chief of the United States Division of Forestry, the predecessor of the United States Forest Service. He was among the first to call attention to the depletion of forests in the U.S... 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.	1876–1883	Division of Forestry	Union College, Western Reserve College
2	Nathaniel H. Egleston	1883–1886	Division of Forestry	Yale University, Yale Divinity School
3	Bernhard Eduard Fernow	1886–1898	Division of Forestry	University of Königsberg University of Königsberg The University of Königsberg was the university of Königsberg in East Prussia. It was founded in 1544 as second Protestant academy by Duke Albert of Prussia, and was commonly known as the Albertina.... ; Prussian Forest Academy at Münden Hann. Münden Hann. Münden is the German official name of a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. The city is located in the district of Göttingen at the confluence of the Fulda and Werra rivers, which join to form the river Weser. It has 28,000 inhabitants...
4	Gifford Pinchot Gifford Pinchot Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...	1898–1901	Division of Forestry	Yale University
		1901–1905	Bureau of Forestry
		1905–1910	U.S. Forest Service
5	Henry "Harry" Solon Graves Henry S. Graves Henry Solon Graves was a forest administrator in the United States. He founded the Yale School of Forestry in 1900, the oldest continuous forestry school in the United States...	1910–1920	U.S. Forest Service	Yale University
6	William B. Greeley	1920 -1928	U.S. Forest Service	University of California & Yale Forestry School
7	Robert Y. Stuart	1928–1933	U.S. Forest Service	Dickinson College & Yale Forestry School
8	Ferdinand A. Silcox	1933–1939	U.S. Forest Service	College of Charleston & Yale Forestry School
9	Earle H. Clapp	1939–1943 (acting)	U.S. Forest Service	University of Michigan
10	Lyle F. Watts	1943–1952	U.S. Forest Service	Iowa State College & Forestry School
11	Richard E. McArdle	1952–1962	U.S. Forest Service	University of Michigan
12	Edward P. Cliff	1962–1972	U.S. Forest Service	Utah State College
13	John R. McGuire	1972–1979	U.S. Forest Service	University of Minnesota & Yale Forestry School
14	R. Max Peterson	1979–1987	U.S. Forest Service	University of Missouri
15	F. Dale Robertson	1987–1993	U.S. Forest Service	University of Arkansas
16	Jack Ward Thomas Jack Ward Thomas Jack Ward Thomas was the thirteenth chief of the U.S. Forest Service, serving during the Clinton administration years of 1993-1996.He was born September 7, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas. His undergraduate education and degree was from Texas A&M University. He worked for the Texas Parks and Wildlife...	1993–1996	U.S. Forest Service	Texas A&M University, West Virginia University, University of Massachusetts
17	Michael Dombeck Michael Dombeck Michael "Mike" P. Dombeck is an American conservationist, educator, scientist, and outdoorsman. He served as Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management from 1994–1997 and was the 14th Chief of the United States Forest Service from 1997 to 2001...	1996–2001	U.S. Forest Service	University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point and the University of Minnesota
18	Dale N. Bosworth	2001–2007	U.S. Forest Service	University of Idaho
19	Gail Kimbell Gail Kimbell Abigail R. Kimbell was the 16th and first female Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.- Biography :Kimbell was raised New England, where she spent her formative years hiking, fishing, and camping in the White Mountain National Forest...	2007–2009	U.S. Forest Service	University of Vermont, Oregon State University
20	Thomas Tidwell Thomas Tidwell Thomas L. "Tom" Tidwell is the 17th and Current Chief of the United States Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, and was appointed on July 17, 2009, succeeding Gail Kimbell.-Early Life and Education:...	2009–Present	U.S. Forest Service	Washington State University

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