April 7, 2025

US Forestry Service 120 years old

Nice News - The U.S. Forest Service is marking a milestone this year: its 120th anniversary. And in the century-plus that the organization has been around, its scope has changed quite a bit.

In 1905, the Forest Service was founded to provide quality water and timber to the country. Guided by the official motto “Caring for the Land and Serving People,” the service later evolved to help sustain more resources (like wildlife, recreation, and forage) and support the “health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.”

In other words, there’s a lot of ground for Smokey Bear to cover. The service stewards 193 million acres of public lands from Alaska to Florida, including 154 national forests, 20 national grasslands, and 84 experimental forests and ranges. Much of the work today also involves emergency response, helping fight fires and supporting recovery efforts in the aftermath of disasters.

So in the spirit of celebration, read these 10 fun facts about the Forest Service’s history, including the deets on some iconic rangers and Smokey’s official zip code.

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