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About the Forest
About the National Forests in Mississippi
A Brief Introduction
The National Forests in Mississippi is administered by the U.S. Forest Service, the largest agency within the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Supervisor’s Office, responsible for the overall management of the National Forests in MS, is located in the downtown area of Jackson, MS. Comprised of 1.2 million acres of the state’s most beautiful landscapes, opportunities abound for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, horseback riding and simply enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.
The Forest Service motto of “Caring for the Land and Serving People” defines our mission to:
- Protect and manage the natural resources on National Forest System lands
- Research all aspects of forestry, rangeland management, and forest resource utilization
- Provide community assistance and cooperation with State and local governments, forest industries, and private landowners to help protect and manage non-Federal forest and associated range and watershed lands to improve conditions in rural areas
- Achieve and support an effective workforce that reflects the full range of diversity of the American people
- Provide international assistance in formulating policy and coordinating U.S. support for the protection and sound management of the world’s forest resources.
The National Forests in Mississippi belong to you – please abide by the laws pertaining to the Forests, and care for and respect the land and its resources so that future generations can enjoy what we have today!
About the U.S. Forest Service
The History of the USDA Forest Service
Established in 1905, the Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service manages public lands in national forests and grasslands.
Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the Forest Service, summed up the mission of the Forest Service— "to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run."
National forests and grasslands encompass 193 million acres of land, which is an area equivalent to the size of Texas.
Read our overview, "Meet the Forest Service."