Leadership

Acting Regional Forester Jacque Buchanan

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Jacqueline “Jacque” Buchanan is the Regional Forester for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6), where she leads the management of national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington. She has served in this role since Jan. 14, 2024.

Jacque assumed additional interim leadership roles Nov. 2, 2025, and is the Acting Regional Forester of the Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) where she manages national forests and grasslands in California, Hawaii and the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands. She also supervises the Acting Regional Forester of the Alaska Region (Region 10). Additionally, Jacque is the Forest Service Executive who oversees the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)/Planning and Tribal Relations programs.

Jacque has served with the USDA and the Forest Service for more than 30 years. Prior to her current role as Regional Forester, she served as a Deputy Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region for 8 years in Lakewood, CO.

Jacque’s career in the Forest Service has been diverse. She has worked extensively in resource management focusing on overall forest health, fire management, range, wildlife, wilderness and Wildfire Crisis Response. She has also worked in International Forestry and has traveled to Brazil, Guyana, and India teaching Fire Leadership courses and helping those countries to establish both Fire and Wilderness management programs.

She has also served as the Director for Renewable Resource in the Rocky Mountain Region, the Forest Supervisor on the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Jackson Hole, WY and was the Deputy and Forest Supervisor on the Lincoln National Forest in the Southern part of New Mexico.

Jacque holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from Pennsylvania State University.

Acting Deputy Regional Forester Jim Bacon

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As acting deputy regional forester, Jim Bacon oversees Operations — including public services, engineering, outreach and recruitment, public affairs, and grants and agreements.

Jim brings over 20 years of experience with the federal government and, in his permanent role, is the director of Public Services for the region. Prior to moving to the Forest Service, Jim worked for the National Park Service — serving as superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa and as a project manager and outdoor recreation planner at Yosemite National Park and Denver Service Center. 

He’s also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala, where he advanced ecotourism development and environmental education projects. 

Jim holds a master’s degree in natural resource planning from the University of Vermont. And he enjoys getting out with friends and family — anything, as long as it’s outside.

Acting Deputy Regional Forester Merv George

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Merv George has been serving as Acting Deputy Regional Forester for the Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region since Nov. 17, 2025. 

Merv has served the Forest Service in various leadership roles since 2008, when he started his career as the Pacific Southwest Region Tribal Relations Program Manager. 

Prior to his current position, Merv worked as the Deputy Regional Forester for the Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region since July 2023. Before serving as Deputy Regional Forester, Merv was the Forest Supervisor for the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest from 2018 to 2023 and the Forest Supervisor for the Six Rivers National Forest from 2014 to 2018. During this time, he also completed detail assignments for both the Lassen and Los Padres National Forests. Merv also worked as the Deputy Forest Supervisor on the Six Rivers National Forest from 2011 to 2014.

As an enrolled member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, Merv came to the Forest Service after 15 years of working in various positions with Tribal Governments. He began his professional career as a Watershed Planner for his Tribe in 1993 and served in this capacity until becoming their Tribal Council as Vice Chairman in 1995 and the Tribal Chairman in 1997. After roughly three years, he went on to become the Director of the Klamath River Inter-Tribal Fish and Water Commission from 2000 to 2008.

Merv is a graduate of Cal Poly Humboldt receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Native American studies in 1997. 

Acting Deputy Regional Forester Ted McArthur

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Ted McArthur serves as the acting deputy regional forester overseeing Fire and Aviation Management, State and Private Forestry, and Property and Procurement Services program areas.

Ted brings over 20 years of experience with the Forest Service, most recently as the forest supervisor of the Six Rivers National Forest since 2018. He started as a rangeland management specialist on the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, then on the Malheur National Forest in Oregon. 

After a few years as a vegetation ecologist in the Washington, DC office, he moved to Hawaii to work for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He returned in 2014 as district ranger on the Klamath National Forest.

Ted holds two degrees from Oregon State University — a bachelor’s degree in human dimensions of natural resource management and a master’s degree in ecology. He appreciates time outdoors — hiking, camping, kayaking, fishing, beach combing, and collecting firewood. 

Pacific Southwest Region Regional Foresters