United States Forest Service

What United States Forest Service does

The United States Forest Service (USFS) is a federal government agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture that manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across all 50 states and Puerto Rico through 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands. Founded in 1905 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. (with a planned relocation to Salt Lake City, Utah in 2026), the agency operates nine geographic regional offices and employs approximately 30,000 people. Its mandate spans wildfire prevention and response, active forest management, timber production, watershed and wildlife habitat protection, recreation access, and scientific research — the latter conducted through the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world and a National Genomic Center in Missoula, Montana.

USFS delivers services through a direct-to-government model funded by Congressional appropriations rather than commercial revenue. Its revenue streams are effectively programmatic: federal appropriations support core operations, while recreation passes ($40-$80 annually) and lifetime senior/disability passes generate limited fee revenue. The agency distributes funds outward via grant programs including the Community Forest Program (up to 50% federal cost-share for local conservation acquisitions), Wood Innovations Grants (up to $95 million for wood construction and energy), and the Secure Rural Schools Program supporting over 700 counties. Customer segments include the general public, state and local governments, tribal governments, the timber and forest products industry, and urban development partners participating in programs like the Accelerator Cities wood construction initiative. The agency maintains active R&D partnerships with NASA Ames, American Forests, and academic institutions, and operates a stewardship mapping platform (Missouri Outdoor Connections / STEW-MAP) connecting over 170 conservation organizations.

Name

United States Forest Service

Legal name

United States Forest Service

Website

https://fs.usda.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The United States Forest Service is a federal agency under the USDA that manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across the United States, providing wildfire response, recreation access, timber management, conservation, and forestry research to the American public, state and tribal governments, and industry partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Forest and Grassland Management

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forest Fire Management & Fuels Reduction Services (IMAMAAAH), Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services (IMAMAJAG), Integrated Forest Health & Fire Management Planning (AFAMAEAK), Forest Ecosystem Services & Carbon/Conservation Programs (AFAMAAAJ), Forest Health & Protection Services (Pest/Disease, Invasive Species) (IMAMAJAF)

Keywords

• Public forest management
• Wildland fire services
• Recreation pass programs
• Forest conservation research
• Community forest grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Placerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations: The Forest Service is a federal government agency funded through Congressional appropriations. It does not operate as a commercial enterprise generating revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The United States Forest Service is a federal agency that manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. It delivers wildfire prevention and response, recreation access (through America the Beautiful passes and visitor services), timber and forest products oversight, scientific research, and grant-based community conservation programs (Community Forest Program, Wood Innovations, Shared Stewardship).

Product overview

The United States Forest Service is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture that manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands. The agency operates as a single unified service offering multiple interconnected programs including recreation management (via America the Beautiful passes and fee-free days), forest conservation (Community Forest Program, Shared Stewardship), wildfire management, research (National Genomic Center, Science and Technology divisions), and community engagement (Youth Conservation Corps, Volunteer Program, STEW-MAP). The Wood Innovations Grants and Secure Rural Schools Program represent additional federal funding mechanisms supporting forest product innovation and rural community support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Forests and Grasslands Public access to and management of 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, providing recreation, conservation, timber harvesting, watershed protection, and wildlife habitat management.
• America the Beautiful Recreation Passes Recreation fee passes for public access to national forests and grasslands, including Forest Annual Pass ($40/vehicle/year), Interagency Annual Pass ($80/year), Interagency Senior Pass ($80 lifetime or $20/year for 62+), Interagency Access Pass ($10 lifetime for individuals with disabilities), Interagency Military Pass (free for active military and dependents; free for Veterans and Gold Star Families), Every Kid Outdoors pass (free for 4th graders), and Interagency Volunteer Pass (free for volunteers with 250+ documented hours).
• Wildfire Management Services Comprehensive wildfire response including seasonal firefighter hiring, prescribed burns, aviation operations, UAS-based aerial firefighting, and interagency coordination across the National Forest System.
• Community Forest Program Federal grant program providing up to 50% federal funding to local governments, tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations to acquire private forestlands and establish community forests. Recent investments include $3.1 million to conserve 1,544 acres nationwide.
• Wood Innovations Grants Competitive grant funding through the Wood Innovations program to advance innovative wood uses, expand wood-based construction, and grow U.S. wood energy markets.
• National Genomic Center Genetics testing and research facility located in Missoula, Montana, conducting research on forest genetics and species identification to support forest management.
• Missouri Outdoor Connections (STEW-MAP) Stewardship mapping platform connecting over 170 organizations to map and coordinate groups caring for natural resources in Missouri, supporting collaboration on outdoor recreation, conservation, education, and land management.
• Secure Rural Schools Program Federal funding program providing payments to over 700 counties across the U.S. for schools, roads, and other municipal services in rural communities near national forests.

Quantifiable outcome

• 193 million acres of public land managed for multiple uses
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American ForestscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Co-authored report with American Forests, Michigan State University Forest Carbon and Climate Program, and Natural Resources Canada quantifying the climate mitigation potential of climate-smart forestry in Minnesota.
• NASA Ames Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026Completed five-year wildfire management collaboration with NASA Ames Research Center. Joint flight tests with Reliable Robotics and Collins Aerospace at the Hollister Airspace Ecosystem. Continued UAS operations with Overwatch Aero for aerial firefighting support. NASA executed $133,011,050 in reimbursable agreements through 108 agreements.
• The Conservation FundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026Partnership to acquire 480 acres on Mount Bross near Fairplay, Colorado, including a portion of the popular DeCaLiBron Loop trail, for permanent public access and conservation. Previously acquired 289 acres on Mount Democrat in 2023 through similar arrangement.
• SLBcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Expanding Accelerator Cities Program with new city-led initiatives in Portland and Santa Monica to promote innovation in wood construction for affordable, sustainable building solutions.
• U.S. Senator Ben Ray LujánminorOthers · 18 November 2025Senator introduced three wildfire-related bills informed by New Mexico's Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire caused by botched Forest Service prescribed burns. Bills address local contractor work, wildfire detection technology, and federal cost-sharing for escaped prescribed burns.
• High Peaks AllianceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 August 2025Community Forest Program recipient - received $234,000 federal funding to acquire 200 acres at Mosher Hill Falls Community Forest in Maine.
• Rising AppalachiaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 August 2025Community Forest Program recipient - received $600,000 federal funding to acquire 600 acres for Sugar Creek Community Forest in Ohio.
• Harris Center for ConservationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 August 2025Community Forest Program recipient for Sargent Camp Community Forest in New Hampshire - 591 acres.
• Western New York Land ConservancyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 August 2025Community Forest Program recipient - received $161,000 federal funding for Yates Lakeshore Preserve - 153 acres in New York.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bureau of Land Management: The BLM is the Department of the Interior counterpart to the Forest Service, managing approximately 245 million acres of public land for multiple uses including grazing, timber, recreation, and conservation. It is the closest federal peer in scale, mission, and stakeholder dynamics.
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: A USDA sister agency providing technical and financial assistance to private landowners for soil and forest conservation. It is directly comparable in scope and complementary in mission to the Forest Service's private landowner assistance programs.
• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE): The largest state-level forestry and fire protection agency in the U.S., managing state responsibility areas and coordinating with the Forest Service on wildfire response. Directly comparable in fire management mission, federal-state shared stewardship contracts, and forest health programs.

Broad incumbents

• National Park Service: Another Department of the Interior land management agency administering 85+ million acres of national parks. While its conservation mandate is more restrictive than the Forest Service's multiple-use framework, it shares federal land stewardship, recreation access, and scientific research functions.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: A Department of the Interior agency focused on wildlife and habitat conservation on national wildlife refuges. It partners closely with the Forest Service on threatened species (e.g., grizzly bear recovery in Cabinet-Yaak) and shares regulatory exposure under the Endangered Species Act.
• Weyerhaeuser Company: One of the largest private timberland owners in the U.S., managing approximately 11 million acres of commercial forests. While private and profit-driven, Weyerhaeuser competes for the timber and ecosystem services markets adjacent to the Forest Service's timber sale and conservation programs.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada - Canadian Forest Service: The Canadian federal counterpart conducting research on forest health, wildfire, and climate-smart forestry. The Forest Service has co-authored climate mitigation research with Natural Resources Canada, signaling direct collaboration and methodological parity.

Regional players

• Oregon Department of Forestry: The state forestry agency for Oregon, administering forest practices, wildfire protection, and stewardship on state and private forestlands. It operates under Good Neighbor Authority agreements with the Forest Service to perform restoration work on federal lands.

Emerging players

• American Forests: A national conservation nonprofit that co-authored climate-smart forestry research with the Forest Service. While nonprofit, it operates adjacent to the agency on urban forestry, forest restoration, and policy advocacy, providing a peer-like perspective on non-federal forest stewardship.
• The Nature Conservancy: A global conservation organization managing more than 125 million acres of land and water. It is comparable to the Forest Service in scale of conservation activity, science-driven approach, and partnership-based stewardship model, even though it operates without statutory federal authority.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/forestservice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/usdaForestService
• Facebookfacebook.com/USForestService
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bitterroot-national-forest
• Instagraminstagram.com/u.s.forestservice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United States Forest Service