November 13, 2018 - By Michael Lofton Prescription drug and opioid abuse has become a tragic epidemic with tremendous social and economic impacts, affecting communities and families of all sizes and from all socio-economic backgrounds. “The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries,” said USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. “… Read more
November 8, 2018 - “You can’t have a forest without a foundation of quality soil,” said Debbie Page-Dumroese, a soil scientist for the U.S. Forest Service’s Rocky… Read more
November 2, 2018 - By Linda Wang, Cooperative Forestry 2018 was another record year of hurricanes and fires, which have inflicted huge economic losses to timber landowners as well as homeowners with landscape trees. The good news is that landowners may be able to deduct eligible losses on their tax returns, which… Read more
October 31, 2018 - Posted by Margee Haines, Cooperative Forestry, and Josh McDaniel The summer of 2015 was exceptionally hot and dry in northern Idaho. Fuel moistures had dropped to alarming levels, and when a series of lightning storms moved across the region in early August, hundreds of fires flared up. A group… Read more
October 24, 2018 - On August 10 of this year, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue proclaimed October 24 through 31 to be National Bat Week. The Secretary’s proclamation was followed by proclamations from the governors of West… Read more
October 22, 2018 - From October 21-27, 2018, we celebrate the value of America’s forests and recognize how vital they are to our well-being and national prosperity during National Forest Products… Read more
October 18, 2018 - Carbon foam—a stiff, porous structure formed from a web of carbon atoms—is the stuff of manufacturers’ dreams. The breakthrough material is strong but lightweight, non-flammable and able to maintain its performance at high temperatures, and capable of absorbing sound and radiation. This unique… Read more
October 5, 2018 - Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law two landmark pieces of legislation: the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and the National Trails System Act. These Acts created the system of rivers and… Read more
October 1, 2018 - “From birth to death, natural resources, transformed for human use, feed, clothe, shelter, and transport us. Upon them we depend for every material necessity, comfort, convenience, and protection in our lives. Without abundant resources prosperity is out of reach.” Gifford Pinchot, first chief of… Read more
September 24, 2018 - For 25 years, National Public Lands Day has brought together thousands of people to donate their time, talent, and passion to support America’s public lands. It’s celebrated the fourth Saturday of September, but volunteer events and celebrations are… Read more
September 7, 2018 - “Lumber and economic growth are tightly connected,” says USDA Forest Service scientist Jeffrey Prestemon. “At a certain rate of GDP growth, you get a certain path of lumber consumption.” Prestemon recently led a study that projects softwood lumber demand under different economic growth scenarios… Read more
August 31, 2018 - Boise, Idaho is famous among college football fans for the blue turf on the Boise State University Broncos’ field. But in wildland fire management circles, the city is just as well-known as home of the National Interagency Fire Center, or NIFC. In fact, NIFC is… Read more
August 24, 2018 - Deadly and destructive wildland fires consuming so much of the West, from California all the way to British Columbia, are not only affecting those who have had to flee but those who are downwind of these massive infernos. Smoke from this year’s summer wildfires have delayed air traffic in the… Read more
August 20, 2018 - Located in northern Wisconsin, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has been called home by many species of turtles. The wood turtle, which resides in this forest, is classified as a Species of… Read more
August 10, 2018 - More than 80 million acres of national forests are at risk from insect infestations, the impacts of prolonged drought, and the too frequent devastation caused by catastrophic wildfire. And the USDA Forest Service has a responsibility to the American public to… Read more
August 3, 2018 - I once lived in a home where fighting lawn weeds seemed a never-ending task. This was a new housing development. Pickets tied with bits of pink ribbon still clearly showed where our property began and ended, and they were handy for helping me determine where I could put in my fence and where I… Read more
July 23, 2018 - A caterpillar that’s been rarely observed in the wild is about to join with another species of inch worms to wreak destruction upon two national forests in New Mexico. The culprit, called Janet’s looper… Read more
July 20, 2018 - Journeys can lead us to destinations of breathtaking beauty, test our courage, and challenge the limits of our endurance. It all starts with your first step on a wilderness trail. The USDA Forest Service offers lots of opportunities for this type of adventure.… Read more
July 11, 2018 -
The problem of illegal marijuana farms on national forests is, pardon the pun, growing. Although marijuana is now legal in California and other parts of the U.S., illegal marijuana growing is still a billion dollar industry with international tentacles.
“Twenty years ago the people who… Read more
June 29, 2018 - When most people think of forested lands in our country what comes to mind are public wild lands like the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon or the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. But the reality is most forests in America, nearly sixty percent… Read more
