The field organization of the Forest Service consists of regions, stations, and areas as described below:

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(a) Regions of the National Forest System. For the purpose of managing the lands administered by the Forest Service, the United States is divided into nine geographic regions of the National Forest System. Each region has a headquarters office and is supervised by a Regional Forester who is responsible to the Chief for the activities assigned to that region. Within each region are located national forests and other lands of the Forest Service.

(1) National Forests. Each Forest has a headquarters office and is supervised by a Forest Supervisor who is responsible to the Regional Forester. Two or more proclaimed or designated National Forests, or all of the Forests in a State, may be combined into one Forest Service Administrative Unit headed by one Forest Supervisor. Each Forest is divided into Ranger Districts. The Alaska Region is composed of two National Forests without Ranger Districts; with one Forest divided into three areas, each administered by a Forest Supervisor.

(2) Ranger districts. Each district may include a portion of a national forest, a national grassland or portion thereof, a national recreation area, a wilderness or primitive area, and other lands administered by the Forest Service. Each district has a headquarters office and is supervised by a District Ranger (or Area Ranger in some cases) who is responsible to the Forest Supervisor.

(b) Forest and rangeland research coordination. The field research program is coordinated by six research stations, the national Forest Products Laboratory, and the International Institute of Tropical Forestry. Each has a headquarters office and a Director who is responsible to the Chief for all research activities within a geographical area of the United States or its territories. Scientists are based at Research Work Units with laboratories located in 36 lower States, Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. Scientists primarily conduct their work within a given geographical area, but due to the integrated and cooperative nature of the research program, they make work nationwide and internationally.

(c) State and private forestry cooperation. Field level cooperation between the Forest Service, States, and the private sector on forestry activities is accomplished by the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry for the Northeastern States; and by the National Forest Regional Offices in the Southeastern and Western States. The Northeastern Area is supervised by an Area Director who is responsible to the Chief for State and private forestry activities within the Area. Regional Foresters in Regions 1 through 8 and Region 10 are responsible for State and private forestry activities within those regions.

(d) International Institute of Tropical Forestry. The Institute is managed by a Director who is the senior Forest Service official in Puerto Rico. The Director is responsible to the Chief for planning and directing research, science and technology exchange, technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and international cooperation on natural resources concerning tropical forestry.

(e) Field addresses. The addresses of Regional Foresters, Station Directors, and Area Directors are given below. Under each Regional Office address is a list of National Forest Administrative Units by States with locations of Forest Supervisor headquarters. Headquarters locations for Ranger Districts, National Grasslands, and National Recreation Areas are not listed but may be obtained from Forest Supervisors or Regional Foresters.