What does the Forest Service do?

Updates published annually

The Forest Service (FS) is a subdivision of the US Department of Agriculture responsible for managing public lands in national forests and grasslands. The agency's mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of these lands to meet the needs of present and future generations. It provides leadership in the protection, management, and use of the nation's forest resources, ensuring their long-term sustainability. It was established in 1905.

In FY 2024,

$10.8B

was spent by the Forest Service

In FY 2024,

5.3%

of Dept. of Agriculture spending was by the Forest Service

How much does the Forest Service spend?

The Forest Service spent a net total of $10.8 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 5.3% of the $203.4 billion spent by the Department of Agriculture, which itself was 3% of all federal spending. The FS ranked second among USDA subdivisions in net spending.

Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Forest Service ranked second among Department of Agriculture divisions in net spending in 2024.

USDA net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Forest Service’s federal spending has increased from $6.78 billion in 1980 to $10.8 billion in 2024.

The Forest Service’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by FS, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Forest Service's spending has increased 59.3%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. FS spending grew less than overall federal spending since 1980, which means that its share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, FS accounted for 0.2% of overall federal spending.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Forest Service’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Net spending by FS as a share of federal spending, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, the Forest Service transferred 6.5% of its total spending to states and local governments.

The chart below outlines all net FS spending.

How did the Forest Service spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to FS, FY 2024

How many people work for the Forest Service?

Some 39,285 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Forest Service as of September 2024. This is 7.2% fewer people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Forest Service has decreased 7.2% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for FS, September 2010–2024

The Forest Service accounts for 1.7% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (2%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Forest Service’s share of the workforce (1.7%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.2%).

Who leads the Forest Service?

The Forest Service is led by the Chief of the Forest Service. This individual is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Chief of the Forest Service reports to the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. There is no fixed term for this position.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement