Region 5 - Home

Role of Resource Conservation Districts in Promoting Cross-Boundary Restoration

There are 97 districts throughout California that coordinate conservation work in their communities and accomplish thousands of practical, hands-on conservation projects annually.

Aflutter for Monarchs

Along with partners, the San Bernardino National Forest provides breeding habitat for the conservation and recovery of monarch butterflies.

Partnering Up Brings Critical Supplies to Forest Wilderness

This past fall the California National Guard’s 1-126th Aviation collaborated with the Stanislaus National Forest to deliver critical supplies to remote areas of the forest.

Creative Conservation for Endangered Frogs

Conserving endangered species requires a bit of creativity. And when it comes to the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, zoos, coolers and laundry baskets are part of an innovative toolkit.

Indigenous Stories from Our Forests

As the original stewards of forests, Indigenous peoples’ unique knowledge of these lands can strengthen our own connections to nature.

When Wildfires Meet Thinned Forests

Two of this year’s larger fires in Southern California provide examples of just how treatments can be used as opportunities to defend homes and communities.

Paving the way on the Sierra National Forest

Historic funding opportunities and improved contracting practices sped up repairs on a California scenic byway and heliport

10 Years of Conserving a Rare Tropical Wetland Forest

The Yela Valley on Kosrae — an island within the Federated States of Micronesia — is a freshwater wetland forest conserved through the Forest Legacy Program.

How to get started birding

How do you get started birding? Perch up and stay awhile. Here’s what you’ll need to take flight.

Two-Eyed Seeing — A Vision to Care for Our Forests

“Two-Eyed Seeing” — a blending of western science and Indigenous Knowledge — can inform how we care for our forests.

Honoring tribal co-stewardship Growing investments in Klamath River Basin

Agriculture Undersecretary Homer Wilkes and Forest Service Chief Randy Moore met with local tribes to hear firsthand about the health of the Klamath River Basin.

The CCCs Lend a Hand at Badger Hill

The Greenwood Center California Conservation Corps helped breathe life back into the Badger Hill Seed Orchard.

Lake Tahoe Restoration Act: Experiencing the Impact

The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act could expire this September after nearly 25 years of conservation. This article highlights some of the accomplishments of that legislation.

Plants Aplenty for Pollinators

Insects, birds and bats transport pollen for plant reproduction, and those plants give back food and habitat. This ecological exchange supports biodiversity in our national forests.

The Healing Power of Nature

Nature can be damaging and cause fear. Natural disasters like catastrophic wildfires can change landscapes, communities and lives. But nature can also help us heal.

Deaf and Dedicated on the Fireline

For Nicole Bringolf being deaf hasn’t stopped her from being many other things.

From Covering Fires to the Rose Parade – How Do You Get That Job?

This series shares how college students and recent graduates find their way to the Forest Service Resource Assistants Program.

50 Years of Recording Rare Plants

As one of 36 biodiversity hotspots on Earth, California has been globally recognized for its high number of plants that grow naturally here and nowhere else — endemic, as the botanists say.

Night Sky Party on Lassen National Forest

Have you ever experienced a national forest after the sun sets and skies darken?

HELP Is in the Name — Healthy Eldorado Landscape Partnership

The landscape of the Eldorado National Forest faces unprecedented challenges from devastating wildfires like the King, Caldor, and Mosquito fires. That’s where HELP comes in.

Growing Hope: Rim Fire Replanting Wraps Up on Stanislaus National Forest

The Stanislaus National Forest planted an impressive 493,000 trees over 1,500 acres in under three weeks in the Rim Fire burn scar as part of their annual spring planting.

Urban Forestry: From Redlining to Green Lining

Communities across the country are rethinking urban planning and what a greener, cooler cityscape might mean for residents.

On the Range – Meet the People Caring for Land, Livelihoods and Livestock

Meet two employees at the heart of a rangeland management.

Trailblazing Firefighter Pushes Back on Tradition

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, meet Nancy Curran, a trailblazer whose journey through forestry and land management is legendary throughout Northen California.

How Arborists Go Beyond Just Planting Trees

Arborists often play a hidden but vibrant role in community building and resilience.

Evolutions of a Name: Tahoe National Forest

Though Lake Tahoe and the forest share a common name, the Tahoe National Forest hasn’t shared boundaries with Lake Tahoe in over 50 years.

Trail cleanup: an ongoing conversation with the weather

Upper Lake OHV Trail cleanup makes progress, but storms continue to impact the trail system.

Battling Invasive Fungi to Save Native Hawaiian Trees

The ‘ōhi‘a lehua, a native tree in Hawai‘i, builds forest ecosystems that provide habitat for hundreds of species, including threatened or endangered birds.

Producing Opportunity: A New Sawmill opens in the Sierra Nevada Range

A newly opened sawmill in Carson City, Nevada, will soon provide the means to support healthy forests, post-fire recovery efforts, and the local economy.

Confronting the Crisis: Reducing Wildfire Risk in the Klamath River Basin

Learn more about the Forest Service's strategy for protecting communities and improving resilience in forests in the Klamath River Basin.

Stanislaus National Forest Celebrates 127th Birthday Filled with History

While the geological wonders that carved this piece of land occurred millions of years ago, what we know as the Stanislaus National Forest began just 127 years ago.

One Path to the Forest Service — From Brazil to Hawai'i and Beyond

Jennipher Himmelmann, resource assistant at the Institute of Pacific Island Forestry, shares her career path journey.

Innovative Finance Tool Takes Forest Restoration to Next Level in NorCal

With the fourth launch of Blue Forest’s Forest Resilience Bond, forest restoration is gaining the powerful ally it needs.

Behold the Beauty of Butterfly Valley

The 2023 Mt. Hough trail crew helped bring the Butterfly Valley boardwalk construction to life in the Plumas National Forest.

Seeds, Sage, Zip Ties and Smokey Bear: Behind the Scenes at the Rose Parade

Meet the team that had four days to decorate the Forest Service wagon for the 135th Annual Rose Parade.

Arnold Avery Project: Restoring Forests and Popular Trails in the Sierra Nevada

The Arnold Avery Healthy Forest Restoration project checks all the boxes of a successful collaborative landscape project.

Race to Preserve Hawaiian Nēnē and Native Dry Forest

Events like the Run for the Dry Forest provide important conservation education and resources that protect native species like the Hawaiian Nēnē, the world's rarest goose.

Find Your Path: One Engineer's Story

Have you considered how you arrived in a national forest? Or launched your boat by ramp? Crossed a forest bridge? Thank the thousands of our civil engineers working across the nation.

Expediting Recreation Repair

The Plumas National Forest Feather Falls viewing platform was destroyed in the North Complex Fire.

Endangered Species Act Supports Collaborative Conservation

For the past 50 years, many partners have come together to help preserve biodiversity on National Forest System lands under the Endangered Species Act.

California's Trail of Tears Commemorated in 100-mile Nome Cult Walk

Read an article, view photographs and watch a video featuring descendants from those who were marched in 1863 and participants of the 28th annual commemorative Nome Cult Walk.

Thriving Forests Rely on Thriving Forest Products — From Surfboards to Biofuels

The USDA Forest Service and partners are constantly exploring new ways to grow markets that can support healthy forests.

I Feel the Need, the Need for Seed

The camps are built around a day in the classroom and a day in the field. Participants network and learn from industry experts from various agencies.

Resource Assistants Take the Classroom Outdoors

Meet Farrah Masoumi, Tahoe National Forest's Conservation Education Program Manager.

Wildfire and Wool: How grazing on national forests is a win-win

Forests are managed to allow grazing to co-mingle with other forest uses, such as recreation.

Standing Watch – The Ongoing Tradition of Fire Lookouts

The importance of fire lookouts in early fire detection is as old as the U.S. Forest Service.

Wildfire: A Modern-Day Paradox

Wildfire is both simple and complex. It is restorative and destructive. It burns areas completely and partially. Wildfires are natural and they are human caused. Contained and uncontained.

Curbing Weeds on the Sierra National Forest

If you thought weeds in your yard or garden were bad, imagine them on a forest scale.

Pocket-sized Intel: Fighting Wildfire with Data

The information we use to fight fire has changed. A decade ago firefighters were lucky if they had a map.

Restoring Ackerson Meadow

Learn how National Forests and National Parks Partner Up to Save Habitats on the Stanislaus National Forest

An Aerial Eye on the Forest

Spotlight featuring photos and video of the Forest Service using Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS)

The Grassroots of Our Urban Forests

Imagine your neighborhood... whether a big or small town. The trees, vegetation and green spaces are likely a part of the picture. But they probably aren't the focus.

Tahoe Basin: A Forest’s Past and Future

The Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The land and the people who have experienced it have many stories to tell.

Smokejumping: A Quick Commute

The wildfire suppression success rate by the Forest Service is impressive, and smoke jumpers are among the fastest responders.

Becoming a Hotshot

Learn about the rewarding career of a hotshot.

City Leaves: The Benefits of Urban Forests

The past eight years were the warmest on record. It’s a trend more noticeable in larger cities, where forest floors and lush green canopies have been replaced by pavement and roofing.

Prelude to Reforestation: Goat Grazing & Tree Archives

For forests, the prelude of goats chomping and tree branches rustling within seed orchards prepares the way for reforestation.

Keeping the Water Away from Fire

How the Wildfire Crisis Strategy Protects Critical Infrastructure

Forestry Technician: A Job with Many Opportunities

Meet Sonya Lucatero, a timber sales administrator on the Tahoe National Forest.

Wildfire Strategy Focuses on Where the City Meets the Forest

An area that encompasses four national forests and spans 4 million acres in Southern California is being treated to confront the wildfire crisis.

Who Are the People in Your Forests? Resource Assistant to Tribal Relations

Meet Rosa-Lee Jimenez, Region 5 Tribal Relations

CA Wildland Restoration Alliance Tackles Wildfire Mitigation & Community Uplift

CalForest WRX hopes to identify alternative revenue streams for small diameter wood and biomass to create social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Revival of the Colt Timber Sale – Saving the Klamath

This is Forest Supervisor Rachel Smith’s firsthand account of the Antelope Fire and its aftermath.

Many Hands Tippin’ Torches

Crews from across the Forest Service descended upon the Stanislaus National Forest during the month of May and June to participate in the spring Stanislaus Landscape Prescribed Burn.

A Forest Service Hydrologist Talks Water

National forests provide a significant amount of the nation's water. Hydrologists on those national forests know its importance and the impact their meaningful work has.

Snowpack to Snowmelt: The Three Acts to This Year’s Stormy Weather

The transformation of water in California's played out like high drama in 2023. Heavy snowpack has a flip side too, most noticeably the power to damage forest infrastructure and more.

The Village Reforesting Giant Sequoia Landscapes

It takes a village — of partners and actions — to steward landscapes with giant sequoias.

The Meaning of Fire

Cultural burning uses fire as a tool to take care of the land, to restore balance, and to cultivate resources.

Western Forests Are at an Inflection Point

Western forests are at an inflection point. The U.S. Forest Service has a plan to combat the Wildfire Crisis Strategy and its being implemented on the Stanislaus National Forest.

Volunteers Help Make the San Bernardino National Forest Go ’Round

Volunteers in the San Bernardino National Forest give back to the land they love.

Salmon River Saddles — The Innovative Pack Saddle You May Have Never Heard Of

First up, when it comes pack mule teams on the national forests, a saddle determines how loads are comfortably placed and carried through rugged terrain.

Harmonizing with Hawai'i Forests

The feel of the forest came to the stage thanks to musicians, animators, foresters, educators and cultural practitioners, creating Symphony of the Hawai'i Forests.

Planting Trees for Tomorrow’s Climate

With rapid changes in our climate, replanting trees is not as simple as it seems. Learn more about the process of choosing what trees to plant and how to plant them.

Up to the Test: Forest Service Turns Up the Heat for Safety

For wildland firefighters, knowing their equipment and gear are tested and proven to handle the stresses and rigors of wildland fire operations should never be in question.

Prescribed Fire and Supporting Wildlife

Prescribed fire, the intentional and scientific use of fire on the landscape, reduces risk to communities that dot the wildland landscape.

Regrowing Our Forests

The Forest Service is working with partners to increase post-fire restoration.

Anatomy of a Timber Sale — Part 2

In this two-part series we explain how timber sales can restore forest health and cover timing, the how of logging, and the ultimate benefits across communities.

Anatomy of a Timber Sale — Part 1

Join us for this two-part series on understanding how timber sales can restore forest health in the Pacific Southwest.

Climbing to New Partner Heights: Vegetation Training in Micronesia

USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program funded a two-week intensive technical training. These sessions empowered local communities to remove and manage vegetation.

Meet Monique Rea, Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Monique explains what a resource assistant does and how that springboard led to a career with the Forest Service.

Storm Damage in Pictures: National Forest Roads

While the uptick in winter precipitation can benefit national forests, forest roads have experienced major damage.

Earth Day: Investing in Forest Health & Resilience

See how the Pacific Southwest Region and partners are investing in our national forests, now and for the future.

Wildfire: Understanding risks, making plans in the Tahoe Basin

Potential operational delineations (PODS) combines local fire knowledge with advanced analytics to come up with cross-boundary, cross-jurisdiction response options for first responders.

Ripple Effect of Fire-Resilient Forests

The USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy is working to reduce the amount of hazardous vegetation within high-risk landscapes like the North Yuba Landscape.

Virtual Connections to Junior Snow Rangers

We spoke with Genie Moore about virtual conservation education program as well as Junior Snow Rangers.

River Stewards to Girls in Science

Take a peek at the work of Farrah Masoumi, Conservation Education Program Manager, sharing the wonders of the Tahoe National Forest.

Protecting the Stanislaus Landscape

The Forest Service and partners work to protect the Stanislaus Forest as part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy

The Interweave of Land Stewardship: Relationships, Knowledge and Tribal Culture

The California Indian Basketweavers Association demonstrates efforts to increase awareness of California basketry and Native California cultural traditions.

Meet Larry Swan - Fighting Wildfires to Wood Innovations, Building a Career

Larry has worked across many forest positions and made such a difference from pushing back wildfires, to sharing how wood and biomass utilization helps restore forests and strengthen economies.

Slow Down and Smell the Pine with Ski With A Ranger Program

Anyone in a Ferris Bueller state of mind is the perfect candidate to enjoy the USDA Forest Service’s Ski with a Ranger program.

The Battle to Slow Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in Hawaiʻi

With February as National Invasive Species Month in Hawaiʻi, the Forest Service explores the partnership with native Hawaiians to curb one of the deadliest tree fungi on the island.

Ski Resorts and National Forests for the Triple Win

The Forest Service and ski resorts across California have worked together for decades to welcome visitors to enjoy the snow.

Keystone of Recreation Within Species Conservation

A story about a collaboration between the Forest Service and a destination ski resort to protect a keystone tree — the whitebark pine.

2023 Storm Damage Assessment and Repair

Strong storms occurred across California in Dec 2022 and Jan 2023 caused extensive damage to Forest Service infrastructure. We are in the process of assessing the scope of damage.

Innovative Forestry: New Equipment, Big Data Potential

Parts of California, steep terrain is a challenge. Along with private, nonprofit, academic, tribal and government partners, we are exploring how to tackle these most difficult areas.

Fathoming the Snow Depths

The art of cartography and an enduring fascination with weather merge in the snow-depth map.

Photo Essay: Pile Burning on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest

Fuels reduction projects are a critical step in helping protect homes, businesses, and recreation sites from destructive wildfires.

Meet Jeff DeSalles – Printing Services Specialist

From Marine to Forest Service artist and everything in between, Jeffrey Desalles shares his adventures and career path as he enters retirement.

Meet Scott Kusumoto – “The Tree Dude”

Scott Kusumoto went on a skiing trip to Mammoth in 1980 and never left. For 35 years, he worked on the Inyo National Forest. Here is a summary about his life and career.

Botanical Rescue Goes Digital

After a fire saw the evacuation of thousands of plant specimens, botanists statewide are moving plant herbaria into the digital age.

Archives: Windows to a Bygone Era

In a room of our regional office is a cache of historic photo negatives, pamphlets, posters, newsletters and film.

Beneath the Surface: The Hydrology of Hidden Forests Systems

Hydrologists from the Pacific Southwest Research Station are exploring linkages buried under soil, bark, and streams to inform our responses to drought and overstocked forests.

Growing Wildland Communities and Reducing Wildfire Threat

One in three homes in the U.S. is now located in a wildland community, areas often referred to as the wildland urban interface, where private lands sit adjacent to fire-adapted ecosystems.

Tribal and Indigenous Fire Tradition

This article highlights Tribal traditional knowledge of wildfire and cultural burning and what the Forest Service stands to learn from North America’s first stewards.

Back to Basics with the Great American Outdoors Act

Sometimes the allure of national forests is the awe of trees sweeping up a mountain side or unbelievable rock formations. Sometimes it’s a new toilet and hand water pump.

Innovating Overstocked Forests to Better Health

To an untrained eye, dense forests across the country might seem in good health and, well, natural. But what many foresters will tell you is these forests are overstocked.

The 98% Suppression Rate: Analyzing Extreme Wildfire Behavior

The Forest Service and its local, state and federal partners in fire suppression estimate that 98 percent of wildfires are suppressed before they grow larger than 100 acres.

Pinecone Hailstorm

If you’re afraid of heights, this story isn’t for you… or maybe it is?! Honestly, this story involves ropes, carabiners and swaying from 150 feet in the air.

“I Have the Best Job in the Forest Service” – Forest Service Retiree Reunion

The legacy of U.S. Forest Service retirees is at the heart of what the agency does today.

The Keepers of Traditions: Pack Teams on the National Forests

One group stands in stark contrast to the inevitable march of progress – the men and women of the Forest Service’s pack strings, who lead a collection of pack horses and mules.

Giving Back Together: National Public Lands Day

National Public Lands Day has attracted volunteers to national forests for almost three decades, participants help restore and improve federal, state and local nature areas

A Little of This, A Little of That: A Partners’ Recipe for Renaturalization

Groups from the Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne River Trust, AmeriCorps, and Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership team up for the hard and dirty work of renaturalizing illegal trails.

Stewarding the Giant Sequoia National Monument with Great American Outdoors Act

On a map, national forest roads appear as meager lines, but the access they provide makes them mighty in value. Their significance grows when they lie within a national monument.

Direct Download: Fighting Fires with Drone Intelligence

Drones are playing an increasingly important role in fighting wildfires by providing precise and timely information to U.S. Forest Service firefighters and incident management teams.

Behind the Firelines: How Buying Teams Help Save Forests and Communities

U.S. Forest Service buying teams are called onboard from all over the Pacific Southwest Region and beyond, to provide critical support for wildfire firefighting efforts.

The Bear Necessities – A Tale of New Food Lockers on Stanislaus National Forest

Visitors to national forests often expect to see a dumpster, a fire ring, a picnic table, and a bear box to stow their food. But what happens when something is missing?

Monitoring the Giants: Tracking Resilience of Giant Sequoias After Wildfires

The Forest Service is initiating emergency fuels reduction treatments in California to provide for the long-term survival of giant sequoia groves against immediate wildfire threats.

The Art of Forest Resilience

The beneficial results of a thriving and attractive forest is on display at the FOREST⇌FIRE interpretive art exhibit at the Truckee Community Recreation Center.

Backcountry Trail Crew: Five Months in the Wilderness

The California Conservation Corps recruits individuals each year to live and work in the wilderness for months building and restoring trails affected by wildfire and erosion.

Celebrating Two Years of the Great American Outdoors Act

The Great American Outdoors Act provides the Forest Service with new opportunities to improve outdoor recreation through repairs and upgrades to vital infrastructure.

Beyond the Firelines: Once a Life Saver, Always a Life Saver

The country’s first responders But even when the emergency subsides, and the uniform comes off there’s a dedication that doesn’t.

Discovering Dispatch

The Tahoe National Forest dispatch team has mastered the gentle art of putting into harmony what could easily be a cacophony of information.

Searching for Bonsai on California’s National Forests: “Every Tree Has a Story”

Californians love the ancient practice of bonsai – and the Forest Service supports these traditions with special use permits that allow a bit of the forest to come into towns and cities.

Fuels Specialist Receives Leading In A Natural Resource Environment Award

Fuels Specialist receives Leading In A Natural Resource Environment Award, impacts own backyard.

Hollywood’s National Forests

They may not be listed as the credits roll, but California’s national forests make cameo appearances in many Oscar-nominated films.

Hotshot Robby Burns competes in winter Olympics

Shasta-Trinity National Forest hotshot Robby Burns competed as part of the U.S. Olympic Snowboarding Team at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

In Memoriam – Lorraine Macebo (1922-2022)

Los Padres National Forest was saddened to that our beloved retiree Lorraine Macebo died at age 99 in Arroyo Grande on Jan. 19, 2022. Lorraine began her U.S. Forest Service career in 1947.

Partnerships in Hawai’i Making Progress Against an Invasive, Dangerous Beauty

To the untrained eye, the albizia framing Hawaiian highways and horizons are an attractive sight. Although they have appealing aesthetics, these trees are an invasive, dangerous beauty.

Guzzlers: Watering Holes for Thirsty Wildlife

Precipitation catchment systems, called Guzzlers, have become crucial during harsh drought years in ensuring species persistence to the multitude of wildlife living in this arid valley.

Shared Stewardship Produced Abundant Benefits on the Modoc National Forest

The Modoc National Forest and Modoc County Farm Bureau had a fruitful year of shared stewardship.

U.S. Forest Service in California Receive Elk Country Partnership Awards

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) presented three awards to the Forest Service for roles in finalizing the Sanhedrin Land Acquisition this past summer.

The Survival of the Redwood Canoe

Along the Klamath River near the northern coast of California, the Forest Service is working with the Yurok Tribe to preserve the rich tradition of carving redwood canoes.

A Plus Tree hosted US Capitol Christmas Tree stop in Vallejo

Our partners A Plus Tree hosted the US Capitol Christmas Tree Vallejo Visit in early November and produced this fun video!

Firefighter protects the home of the president who granted him US citizenship

A stretch of U.S. Highway 101 was closed as crews raced to extinguish an active fire, which threatened historic ranchettes, like Ronald Reagan’s 688-acre property.

Crews take mule train into Sespe

On April 14, 2021 two strings of pack mules of eight animals apiece left a trailhead north of Ojai, carrying tools and supplies for a major trail project in Sespe Wilderness.

Inyo National Forest’s Michael Morse Honored as Ranger of the Year

The Inyo National Forest is pleased to share that Michael Morse has been honored as the 2020 Ranger of the Year by the National Forest Recreation Association (NFRA)!

Redding Hotshots Gather For 50th Anniversary Reunion

The Redding Hotshots hosted their 50th anniversary reunion Nov. 4-5 in Redding, California, and had more than 125 alumni in attendance.

California Conservation Corps Finds New Home on the Cleveland

The California Conservation Corps (CCC) has returned to the Cleveland National Forest as the new occupant of the Los Pinos Conservation Camp on the Trabuco Ranger District.

Partnerships, Volunteers Help Wetland Restoration

The Inyo National Forest, working with partner agencies and volunteers, has restored water flow to the DeChambeau Ponds, in what is a “win for the Mono Basin.”

Forest Service Scientists Highlight Hawaiiʻs Human And Forest Connections

When asked what of value comes from a forest, people say timber. Timber only scratches the surface, saying nothing about the vital connections humans have to forests.

Saipan Crew Travels 8,000 Miles To Work On Northern California Fires

There are 541 wildland hand crews available each year to fight fires across the U.S. One crew traveled 8,000 miles from their home in Saipan to assist on fires in California.

Collaborative Project Set To Bring "Good Fire" Back To Klamath Mountains

Surrounded by Western Klamath Restoration Partnership, Six Rivers National Forest leadership signed a decision to bring “good fire” back to the Klamath Mountains.

Cartographer Wins Award For Wild And Scenic Map

If you go exploring with Daniel Spring you might never get lost. Spring is a cartographer with 18 years of map making experience at the USDA Forest Service.

A Vision for the Future: First Revised Forest Plan Released in California

The first forest plan in the Pacific Southwest Region revised under the 2012 Planning Rule is on-line! The Inyo NF plan will guide the management of the forest’s 2 million acres.

New Wildland Fire Investigators Complete Training

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire- and fire investigators. The U.S. Forest Service investigates all human-caused wildfires on National Forest System lands.

Portugal Sends Delegation To PSW To Observe Wildland Fire Management

In April of 2018, officials from Portugal visited the U.S. After a brief stop at the National Interagency Fire Center, the delegates made their way to the Pacific Southwest Region.

Women in Wildfire Training Camp 2017

The Los Padres National Forest hosted its 4th Annual Women In Wildfire Training Camp, Dec. 10-15, 2017, in the shadow of the Thomas Fire.

Denny and Jim Jam Reclaimed From Illegal Grows

In 2016 and 2017, several large public land trespass marijuana cultivation complexes were discovered on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest managed by the U.S Forest Service.

Lilac Fire Provides Employee Chance To Help Humans And Horses

When a wildfire starts, a call to action is sounded. Firefighting personnel converge to manage the incident. However, supporting a fire doesn’t always mean working the fire line.

Mantra Gives Employee Structure For Amazing 38 Year Career

“If you work hard you can become anything you want in the Forest Service. Anything is possible.” Kubota said these words and practiced that mantra during his 38 year career.

Lake Tahoe Basin partners with hospital to promote “Nature as Medicine"

The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and their local area health care system, Barton Health, signed a partnership agreement to use the national forest for at-risk populations.

New FireWorks Program for Sierra Nevada: Igniting a Passion for Science

Plumas Unified School District science teachers are using a new fire science curriculum, the Sierra Nevada FireWorks, to ignite students’ passion for science.

What is a Fire Incident Buying Team?

When a wildfire gets beyond initial efforts to suppress it, a series of actions begins involving multiple agencies and thousands of federal, state and community employees and volunteers.

Paiute Cutthroat Trout Return to Silver King Creek for First Time in 71 Years

Fish and Wildlife Service biologists, Forest Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, conducted Paiute cutthroat trout population augmentation in mountain streams.

National Public Lands Day Celebrated in Northern California

National Public Lands Day, devoted to conservation and improvement of our nation’s public lands, drew nature lovers to the Mendocino National Forest Red Bluff Recreation Campground.

Forests Bridge Gap To Reach Wildfire

As a wildfire rages across a forest, fire equipment travels along forest roads until they find a bridge out. This problem faced firefighters on a Modoc National Forest fire.

Great American Eclipse and Fire Prevention

On Aug. 21, the event known as The Great American Eclipse, traveled along its path of totality through the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

French Fire Commander Visits Region

The USFS entered into a MOU with the French government to conduct Incident Command System training regarding how large fire incidents are managed in the U.S.

Concrete Evidence Cellulose Nanotechnology Works

The process of moving cellulose nanomaterials from a research endeavor to a commercial application took a big step forward in late July 2017.

Trash Talk: Fire Hoses in Northern California Get a Second Life

On average an estimated 15 tons of waste is generated annually by fire suppression efforts in Northern California. Our fire cache personnel did an audit to find ways to reduce that number.

Pacific Island Firefighting Crew Heads Home

A 15-member Saipan crew from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) arrived in California and was assigned to help with the wildfires on the Modoc National Forest.

Youth Conservation Corps Summer Program On National Forest Changes Lives

The Mount Shasta McCloud Management Unit of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest is proudly hosting its 42nd year of the Youth Conservation Corps program for local area youth.

Mendocino NF Intern Receives Forest Service Accessibility Accomplishment Award

The U.S. Forest Service honors an individual who shows commitment and leadership for the advancement and integration of accessibility in Forest Service facilities and programs. And we won!

Circle V Ranch Camp Rescue

The weather forecast for Saturday, July 8, had all the ingredients for a wildland fire start – unseasonably hot temperatures had been building since mid-week.

Lake Tahoe Basin Defender Retires After 38 Years in Forest Service

After 38 years, I can retire knowing I’ve been a part of change and growth in the wildland fire community.

Wilderness Ranger Academy Prepares New Hires To Survive And Be Successful

MaGuire, a seasoned wilderness ranger for the U.S. Forest Service, was prepared to answer any and all questions newly hired employees had at the 2017 Interagency Wilderness Ranger Academy.

2017 Fire Science Class At Frazier Mountain High School Concludes Its 19th Year

The Mt. Pinos Ranger District concluded its annual wildland fire training course, on April 29, for high school upper-class students and local young adults in Frazier Park.

Large Scale Replanting Effort Restores Damaged Forest

The San Bernardino National Forest contracted GE Forestry, a forestry service company out of Medford, Oregon, to assist in a planting project on the Mountaintop Ranger District.

Mount Shasta Interagency Search and Rescue Helicopter Training

Multiple federal and state agencies gathered at the Weed Airport, in Northern California, May 3, 2017, for the annual Mount Shasta search and rescue helicopter training.

Pacific Islands Spring Fire Training a Success

The Pacific Southwest Region, through the Cooperative Fire Program, provides technical assistance to enhance firefighting capabilities to our island partners in the Pacific.

California Conservation Corps Helps Forest Clean Up Hazard Trees

A 12-person crew from the California Conservation Corps conducted hazard tree mitigation and fuels reduction work alongside Forest Service crews on Sequoia National Forest.

Shasta-Trinity National Forest Hosts Leadership Days

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest hosted its annual “Leadership Days” meeting for all employees, Feb. 28 to March 1.

Bear and the Bats: Smokey Bear Gets New Roommates

Smokey Bear shows us he is one of the friendliest, most approachable bears there is by letting some unique forest friends stay in his cabin at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop.

Trabuco Dam Removal to Begin in Silverado and Holy Jim on the Cleveland NF

The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Marine Corps will be removing 10 man-made dams from Silverado and Holy Jim Creek in March.

Stanislaus NF, local high school students share their community spirit

Students from Tioga High School spent four hours at the site of the July 2015 Big Creek fire on Stanislaus National Forest in Groveland, Calif., March 3, 2017, planting trees.

Forests Dealing With Visitor Surge and Trash

Piles of trash, overflowing pit toilets, and damage to trails and roads are just a few issues Forest Service staff are addressing on many of the 18 National Forest across California recently.

Region 5 Dam Specialist Wins Technical Engineer of the Year

Stephen Romero, P.E., Regional Geotechnical, Dams, and Dam Safety Engineer for Region 5, has been named the 2016 “Technical Engineer of the Year” for the U.S. Forest Service.

Defending the Giant Sequoias: Emergency Response to Wildfire Threats

Recent wildfires have had devastating impacts on giant sequoia groves. To address this urgent situation, the U.S. Forest Service is implementing the Giant Sequoia Emergency Response.

USFS Patrol Officers and K9 Units Assist in Apprehension of Homicide Suspect

U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers need to be ready at a moment’s notice for any incident. Earlier this month, Region 5 officers answered that call.

Paul Johnson named Division Chief of the Year

Paul is the first recipient of the award from the Six Rivers National Forest, which is located in northwest California.

Restoring an Ancient Fishpond in Hawai'i: Enticing fish, relocating goats

The day starts out with high energy and laughter, as our group prepares for a drive across the island of Hawai'i, from Hilo to the fishpond restoration site in Kīholo.

Generation Green Helps Teenagers Trade Ice Cream Scoopers For Shovels And Saws

High schoolers spent the summer backpacking through the Eldorado National Forest fixing trails and cutting brush as part of the USDA Forest Service’s Generation Green program.

Blue Waters Exchange: Connecting ideas and cultures across the Pacific

How far would you travel to follow your passion? Four students from the Lake Tahoe Basin recently crossed the Pacific Ocean for the U.S. Forest Service’s Blue Waters Exchange.

Los Padres NF Wins Award for Women In Wildland Fire Training

The Training Camp introduces students to basic wildland firefighting techniques and tactics, and provides opportunities for females to explore careers in fire.

Aloha and Kuleana: A Hawaii-Based Global Sustainability Initiative

Imagine the longest trip you’ve taken? How long did it last? How far did you travel? Chances are it was shorter and closer to home than that of the Hōkūleʻa.

Six Rivers NF Sends Employees To Assist In Hurricane Relief

Two employees from the Six Rivers NF heard the call for help from the USDA Forest Service to assist Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands in the aftermath of Hurricane’s Irma and Maria.

Jackhammers Used To Battle Back Invasive Plants

Pu`u Wa`awa`a State Forest Reserve, about 15 miles northeast of Kailua Kona on Hawaii Island contains some of the best remaining dry and mixed mesic forest left in the Hawaiian Islands.

California Tree Mortality Numbers Released: 18 Million Trees Died In 2018

The Forest Health Aerial Survey numbers for 2018 were released in February and despite being down from the drought, the numbers remained high relative to background mortality rates.

San Bernardino National Forest Celebrates 39 Years of Bald Eagle Program

The Mountaintop Ranger District has long worked to share the thrill of seeing bald eagles with the public while also managing the public lands to protect eagles and their habitat.

4H Volunteers Give Campground an After-Fire Facelift

Volunteers from a 4H organization arrived at the Gray’s Peak Campground like a breath of fresh air swooping over the San Bernardino National Forest, April 8, 2017.

PARC Receives USFS-BLM Conservation Leadership Partner Award

On March 8, 2017, Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation was selected as the recipient for the Forest Service-Bureau of Land Management Conservation Leadership Partner Award.

Prescribe Burning On The Green Mountain

Fire managers on the Shasta Lake Ranger District of the Shasta-Trinity NF took advantage of fair weather and continue prescribed burn operations in the Green Mountain area.

One Region, One Program of Work. Many Successes.

Region 5 is improving how we manage the public’s national forests by sharing people, skills and resources to meet restoration goals. We call it 1R1POW.

Interior Secretary, Forest Chief lead ceremony to dedicate Berryessa

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell led a ceremony to dedicate the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, March 19, 2016.

Beyond the Firelines: Once a Life Saver, Always a Life Saver

The country’s first responders put the uniform every day. But when the uniform comes off, the emergency subsides, there’s a dedication that doesn’t.

Connecting On-the-Ground Work, Online

The Stewardship Mapping & Assessment Project helps to understand, highlight, and support community groups that care for special places in Oʻahu, like its eastern and southern watersheds.

Heroic Forest Service K-9 survives injuries during raid on forest property

Ice, a highly decorated USDA Forest Service law-enforcement K-9, played a lead role during an August 27 marijuana raid in the Klamath National Forest.

Biocultural Blitz Inspires Tomorrow’s Stewards Today

More than 200 fourth graders, 100 teachers and 20 biologists came together during the third annual Biocultural Blitz at the Hawaii Experimental Tropical Forest on the Big Island.

Humanitarian Crisis Spurs Forest Service Ecologist to Action in Micronesia

Super Typhoon Maysak pounded Micronesia devastating the food supplies on Chuuk and the outer islands of Yap. Support efforts soon discovered a potential problem with food security.

Tallac Site Gives Visitors A Stroll Back In Time

Historic area offers a rich experience — and a quiet respite from a busy Tahoe summer.

Interagency Wilderness Interpretation and Education Workshop

Robert Hamm attended his first Interagency Wilderness Interpretation and Education Workshop and learned how to better explain, understand and share what exactly is a wilderness.

USDA Forest Service Responds to Super Typhoon Yutu

On Oct. 25, 2018, Super Typhoon Yutu made landfall on the shores of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); the most significant storm to impact U.S. soil since 1935.

Forest Service Hosts A Booth At The Girl Scouts Central Area's Adventure Camp

The USDA Forest Service hosted a booth at the Girl Scouts Central Area's Adventure Campout at Lake Camanche. More than 600 girls, troop leaders and volunteers attended.

Forest employee earns Certification as Silviculturist

In July, Pacific Southwest Regional Forester Randy Moore had the proud honor of awarding Sequoia National Forest employee, Marianne Emmendorfer, with the title of Certified Silviculturist.

Forest Service Law Enforcement Use D.A.R.E., Other Strategies To Combat Drugs

Recently the Office of National Drug Control Policy sent guidance to the Department of Agriculture on addressing the President’s strategy on confronting drug control challenges.

A Lasting Legacy

Tahoe National Forest, the 1882 Foundation, and the US-China Railroad Friendship Association jointly hosted the second Return To Gold Mountain Tour.

Urban Meets Wild Trail

The USDA Forest Service designed the “Urban Meets Wild Trail,” an interactive experience at the America’s Great Outdoors site at the Los Angeles County Fair.

Forest Service Community Forest Program Continues Agroforestry In Hawai’i

The Amy B. H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Kealakekua is Hawaii’s first “Community Forest!” The beloved garden has been closed to the public since 2016, until now.

Honor Guard Takes Care Of Our Own

An important group of Forest Service employees trained in Redding last week. The Forest Service Honor Guard takes its mission of “Taking Care of Our Own,” very seriously.

Bear and the Bats: Smokey Bear Gets New Roommates

Smokey Bear shows us he is one of the friendliest, most approachable bears there is by letting some unique forest friends stay in his cabin at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop.

Videos Released by California ReLeaf, Save Our Water & U.S. Forest Service

You can watch two “Save Our Water AND Our Trees” videos that show California residents how to best care for their trees during this historic drought.

Student Trail Crew assists in Moonlight Fire Restoration

High above the floor of Indian Valley, in the Plumas National Forest, the rhythmic sound of picks and shovels displacing earth echoes across the slopes of Keddie Ridge.

Spotlights