Existing comment:
Forest Service History:
President Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot were instrumental in establishing the U.S. Forest Service in 1905. Smokey Bear's well-known message, "Only you can prevent forest fires," was introduced in 1948. ...
The Forest Service, an agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was created 100 years ago, thanks to the foresight of foresters, conservationists, and legislators. Until the late 19th century, there was little public concern for the future of our natural resources. But in 1891, the U.S. Congress authorized the President to set aside reserves of forested public lands to be managed by the General Land Office in the Department of the Interior. In February 1905, these reserves were transferred to the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Forestry, and on July 1, 1905, that Bureau of Forestry was renamed the Forest Service. |