Overview
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and plays a vital role in the preservation and management of our nation’s public lands. Their mission? To “sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations”.
Established in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the Forest Service works together with several other organizations (such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – NOAA, and The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation – ACHP) to protect natural and cultural resources, as well as historic properties.
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah
The Forest Service oversees our nation’s forests, grasslands, and other natural resources; covering 193 million acres of land (this is a little larger than the size of Texas!). The USFS works tirelessly to manage these areas for multiple purposes, including as conservation, recreation, and sustainable resource use. Public Lands provide a multitude of benefits to us, such as clean water, wildlife habitat, timber, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Public lands are also areas for everyone to recreate outdoors, which is beneficial to us on an individual level, as well as for the neighboring communities which rely on tourism as a big part of their revenue.
What does the Forest Service actually do?
The Forest Service aims to make their motto of “Caring for the Land and Serving People” a reality through five main focuses:
- Protection and management of the natural resources on Forest Service land
- Research on 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 lands adjacent to Forest land to help improve conditions in rural areas
- Achievement and support of a diverse and effective workforce
- International assistance to formulate policy and coordinate U.S. support for the protection and sound management of the world’s forest resources.
Maintaining the health and integrity of public lands is a continuous process. The Forest Service engages in various types of maintenance, such as trail upkeep, reforestation, habitat restoration, and wildfire management. Routine maintenance activities include repairing roads, maintaining campgrounds, clearing trails of debris, and keeping signage updated.
They also engage in ecosystem management; ensuring that wildlife habitats remain intact and that natural processes like water flow and soil health are preserved. Wildfire prevention and prescribed burns are also critical parts of their maintenance efforts, helping to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires and promote healthy forests.
Why should we care?
If you live or recreate in the Salt Lake City/Park City area, Forest Service lands are right in your backyard, and are likely the site of a significant portion of your vacation and time outside!
US Forest Service Boundaries in Northeastern Utah
If you enjoy hiking, mountain biking, camping, skiing, snowmobiling, or hunting, the protection and maintenance of National Forests impacts you directly. Forest lands support diverse wildlife populations, and provide us with lumber and clean water; the latter being of paramount importance for our drought-prone corner of the country! Tourism is a significant source of revenue for Park City, and the State of Utah as a whole; National Forests and Public Lands in general play a large role in bringing visitors to our area.
Without the helping hands of the Forest Service and other government agencies who maintain our Public Lands, we face the deterioration of these lands as a consequence. Wildland firefighting efforts would become slower, less efficient and more dangerous for responders without the contributions of the Forest Service. Without the diligent workers who maintain them, trails and other facilities like restrooms and campgrounds on Forest Service land would be left vulnerable to damage, and not able to be repaired, from overuse or major weather events such as storms, flooding or fire.
How we can support National Forests
The main way that members of the general public can help maintain and protect National Forests is by recreating responsibly! Adhering to the recommendations the Forest Service puts out to folks looking to spend time on National Forest lands is one of the most helpful things we can do to contribute to the preservation of our Public Lands.
Practice Leave No Trace when you Recreate:
- Plan ahead and prepare for your trip
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces (aka stay on the trail!)
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate to others while recreating
For more information on Leave-no-Trace principles, check out our blog post on the topic here.
Camp Responsibly:
- Avoid creating new campsites, and use an existing campsite whenever possible. Pick a spot where vegetation is absent.
- Camp at least 200 ft away from streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
- Keep your campsites small.
- Do not dig trenches or build tent platforms.
- Do not carve into or take firewood from living trees.
- Use plain water, or biodegradable soap only if absolutely necessary when washing. Do not wash dishes or clothes directly in waterways.
Disposing of Human Waste Properly:
Protect our waterways by disposing of human waste properly where you recreate! Depending on where you are, and what kind of environment you are in, the steps might look different. The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has a helpful article about this topic here. When using public pit toilets, leave lids and doors closed, and pick up after yourself!
Responsible Campfire Practices:
- Keep fires small and bring in firewood purchased in the local area to avoid introducing invasive pests.
- If collecting firewood, collect dead and down wood only.
- Stay informed about local fire restrictions. These can change frequently.
- Use existing fire rings.
- Never leave fires unattended.
- Put out fires completely before leaving the area. Slowly pour water onto the fire, and stir with a shovel. Continue adding water and stirring until the fire is cool to the touch. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.
Reduce the spread of invasive weeds:
- Learn to recognize common weed species, and avoid camping or driving in weed infested areas.
- Don’t pick the flowers of weeds or take them home to avoid spreading their seeds.
- Carry weed-free feed if using pack animals. Feed them weed-free food within 96 hours of entering backcountry areas.
- Wash your vehicle (including the undercarriage) to remove any weed seeds before driving into forest areas
Avoid disturbing archaeological sites
- Doing so is against the law, and can result in substantial penalties.
Stay informed
It is your responsibility to know and respect the regulations of the area you are visiting. The Forest Service puts out helpful information pages about specific areas. You can also search the National Forest you plan to recreate in on their website to learn more information about visiting. You can also search for activity-specific information here.
The protection of public land is a responsibility that falls on all of us.
This land does not belong to us, it is just our turn to benefit from and show gratitude for the gifts it brings to us for now. The preservation of Public Lands ensures that they remain for current and future generations to benefit from and enjoy for years to come. We thank you for your help and cooperation in maintaining the natural beauty of our home when you come to recreate on your own, or with All Seasons Adventures in the Park City area. Our guides would love to share their expertise in the outdoors with you!
Let us show you around! Enjoy our beautiful Park City scenery by booking a trip with All Seasons Adventures. For more details, visit our activity-specific links below, or reach out to us directly.