USDA Forest Service Strategic Plan FY 2007-2012

Managing the natural resources of the Nation’s forests and grasslands requires the complex integration of resource assessments, management actions, and cooperative partnerships. United States population growth and expanding urban centers have created a greater demand for goods, services, and amenities from the Nation’s private and public forests and grasslands. Given such changes, this section addresses core principles and issues central to delivering the Forest Service’s mission. Increasingly diverse urban populations are losing their awareness and knowledge of the natural systems on which they depend. The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), must connect with and educate these citizens to expand their understanding of the links between people, the way they live, and the natural settings within which they live. With increasingly urbanized landscapes, emergency response—including fighting wildland fires—becomes more complex and challenging. Along with our partners, the Forest Service is committed to maintaining and fielding a safe, effective response organization that can be mobilized for managing wildland fires or other national emergencies. We are jointly committed to reducing the loss of life and property and maintaining landscape values. Together, we will invest in the personnel, training, and equipment and provide leadership commensurate with those responsibilities.