Feature Stories

December 14, 2018 - Fire season now spans the entire year. Before summer even begins, forests are primed in large parts of the country for large fires that spread rapidly in trees that are  dehyrated from drought, compromised from fighting off bugs, and often competing for space in overly dense forests.  National… Read more

December 10, 2018 - With a brief countdown and the flick of a switch the towering US Capitol Christmas Tree, on the West Lawn of Capitol Hill, lit up the dark. Visitors from all across America, who stood in near… Read more

November 26, 2018 - As another extreme drought in southwest Colorado lingers into fall, land managers continue to search for solutions to deal with severe water shortages. Low winter snow pack and record heat left much of the state scorched, and reservoirs have been far below their normal capacity since spring.… Read more

November 19, 2018 - With an eye on to getting forests back to health after wildfires and other disturbances – and protecting cultural heritage sites – the USDA Forest Service Office of Tribal Relations sponsored a… Read more

November 14, 2018 - Hurricane Michael, which roared through the Gulf states on October 10, hit timberland owners and timber markets hard.   John Alter and his wife Elizabeth manage more than 1,000 acres in Malone, Florida, including 18 Tree Farm stands. The Alters were… Read more

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