About the Forest Service
The Forest Service is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and was established in 1905. It specializes in managing public lands including forests and grasslands. The service oversees 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands across the United States. The first designated national forest, the Yellowstone Park Timber Land Reserve was established in Wyoming in 1891 by the General Land Office. You can find forest service materials in the Government Information Collection under call number A 13. Our historic materials date to the founding of the forest service.
Digital Versions of Materials Displayed in the Government Information Department
- Forest Service Display PosterA digital copy of the poster on display in the Government Information area.
- Forest Service: History & CultureLearn about the establishment, organization, and operations of the Forest Service.
- Smokey the BearFor 75 years, Smokey the Bear has been an enduring reminder to Americans that "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires." Learn about Smokey's real-life origins and his evolution at this site.
- Woodsy the OwlLearn about the origin's of Woodsy the Owl, the Forest Service's symbol for conservation. "Give a Hoot; Don't Pollute!" and "Lend a Hand, care for the land."
- Gifford Pinchot - Father of ForestryLearn about the first chief of the Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot. Several documents from Pinchot's time leading the Forest Service are available for review in the Government Information Collection.
- Christmas Tree Cutting InformationLearn about access to permits for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Information available by Ranger District.
Additional Resources for National Forest History
- America's Public Lands ExplainedFrom the Department of Interior, this webpage is a basic primer on types of public lands in the United States.
- Forest Planning & ManagementThe National Forest Management Act governs the management and planning for all national forests. Explore management plans at this site maintained by the Forest Service. See PDF of management plan status on this page.
- Resources on the Histories of National ForestsThe Forest History Society is a non-profit society focused on archiving information related to U.S. national forests.
- Evolution of the Conservation MovementFrom the Library of Congress's American Memory program, this website provides access to digitized materials and timeline of American environmental conservation.
- Library CatalogThe USU Library catalog includes records for government publications 1976-present with incomplete but expanding coverage of pre-1976 publications. Start here and be sure to check the format type. You can limit your search to government materials by using the Advanced Search and limiting your "Material Type" to "Government Document"
- Search Special CollectionsSearch the USU Libraries Special Collections & Archives to find rare books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs.
- HathiTrust
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The HathiTrust is a shared digital repository, incorporating digitized content from some of the largest research libraries in the United States.Note: Login required for some collections.
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Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) Designation
“This library is a congressionally designated depository for U.S. Government documents. Public access to the government documents collection is guaranteed by public law. (Title 44 United States Code)”
