How to survive your next forest adventure
Have fun, stay safe
Listen, we talk about responsible recreation a lot. Don’t leave trash. Plan and be prepared. Respect each other and wildlife. And, of course, have fun. But let’s hit pause and discuss the more serious end of the recreate-responsibly spectrum — death — and more specifically, how not to. Consider 10 of the most common causes of fatalities on national forests and how you can avoid them. Dehydration (Forest Service graphics by Kay Sisson) Water — essential for life. The average human needs about 6–8...-
How to survive your next forest adventure
June 23,2026
Listen, we talk about responsible recreation a lot. Don’t leave trash. Plan and be prepared. Respect each other and wildlife. And, of course, have fun. But let’s hit pause and discuss the more serious -
Caring for the heart of everything that is
June 16,2026
To the Great Sioux Nation Tribes, there is great spiritual value of this land located in western South Dakota. There is an intricate connection to the natural world. The Sioux believe that every -
Lighting the way on the Allegheny National Forest
June 11,2026
Rugged terrain, proximity to water, and the bustle of a busy national recreation area made the Tracy Ridge Prescribed Fire one of the Allegheny National Forest’s most complex operations. These factors -
Step by step: Forests of the future
June 9,2026
Forests in the West used to be a lot more open, so wildfires were much less severe. How do we know? By looking at tree rings! We can actually see scars from old wildfires in cross-sections like this -
165,000 miles of adventure
June 5,2026
On national forests every day is National Trails Day. There is a trail for everyone, year-round. Across the country, 165,000 miles of Forest Service managed trails wind up, down and through the -
A forest in motion
June 2,2026
Dense, dangerously crowded stands of trees are giving way to healthy, spacious forests across Alabama. Individual trees are gaining the room they need to grow, birds and other wildlife are finding -
Reforestation takes root
May 29,2026
It’s been nearly five years since 25,000 acres burned across the northern slopes of Mount Shasta. And what’s there to see beyond the burn scar of charred soil and dead trees? How about extraordinary -
Wood forensic science
May 19,2026
From assisting with criminal cases and mid-air collisions to identifying wood species to combat illegal logging, the wood anatomy and forensic research done at the Forest Service's Forest Products -
Safer wood for safer buildings
May 19,2026
Fire testing is expensive and complex, which is why industry leaders look to the Forest Service for expertise. The Fire Lab at the USDA Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory conducts research
