36 CFR 200.4 – Administrative issuances
(a) The regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture governing the protection and administration of National Forest System lands and other programs of the Forest Service are set forth in Chapter 2 of Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) Administrative policy, procedure, and guidance to Forest Service employees for the conduct of Forest Service activities are issued as directives, or through correspondence, by the office of the Chief of the Forest Service and by the field officers listed in § 200.2.
(1) Directives are issued through the Forest Service Directive System, which is comprised of the Forest Service Manual and related Forest Service Handbooks. The Directive System codifies the agency’s policy, practice, and procedure affecting more than one unit and the delegations of continuing authority and assignment of continuing responsibilities; serves as the primary administrative basis for the internal management and control of all programs; and is the primary source of administrative direction to Forest Service employees.
(2) In contrast to direction issued through the Directive System, guidance issued to one or more organizational units through letters and memoranda relate to decisions or interpretations on specific activities, cases, or incidents or to other matters of agency business, especially those matters of short-term duration or immediate interest.
(c) Forest Service Directive System issuances are published under delegated authority as follows:
(1) The Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbook issuances to all Forest Service units are published by the Office of the Chief.
(2) Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbook issuances may be supplemented as needed for field office use by a Regional Forester, a Regional Special Agent in Charge of Law Enforcement and Investigations, a Research Station Director, the International Institute for Tropical Forestry Director, the Area Director, or a Forest Supervisor.
(d) Guidance issued through letters and memoranda must be issued in accordance with signing authorities delegated through issuances to the Forest Service Directive System.
(e) An alphabetical index of the contents of the Forest Service Manual and related Forest Service Handbooks is published in Forest Service Handbook 1109.12, Directive System Handbook. The index contains a listing of all Series, Titles, and Chapters in the Forest Service Manual and a listing of all Forest Service Handbooks in the Directive System.
(f) Forest Service Handbook 6209.11, Records Management Handbook, outlines and indexes the filing system for all correspondence and other records.
(g) Forms and reports used by the agency are listed in, and instructions for their use are issued throughout, the Forest Service Directive System and are collated in Forest Service Handbook 1309.14, Information Requirements Handbook.