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The motto of the Forest Service is “Caring for the Land and Serving People.” Since the time of Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, this multiple use concept has guided us to achieve “the greatest good, of the greatest number, in the long run." In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt set aside the Klamath as a “forest reserve”. In 1907 the name was changed to National Forest.
In the last 100 years we have struggled with this balance of land vs. people. It has led to periods of overgrazing, over logging and destruction of public lands as well as a boom in recreation, reclamation and replanting of devastated forests. Modern management practices place the emphasis on ecosystems management and not just parcels of timber, or habitat for endangered species or protection of watershed. As John Muir taught us “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”
Today, the Regional Forester has identified 5 strategic priorities. These priorities are forward looking, and by focusing our efforts in these key areas, we will be prepared for the land management challenges of the 21st century, including climate change, the increasing threat of wildfire, and human population pressures.
The links at the left will lead you to important information about the Klamath National Forest planning process, current and past projects, ongoing resource programs and related geospatial data.
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