“I believe history will judge the leaders of our age by how well we respond to climate change. It is time...(for) a coordinated, agency-wide response to climate change.”

Learn more about Chief Kimbell's vision of the role the Forest Service can play in climate change.

The Forest Service has several inter-related programs to help forests, grasslands and humans mitigate and adapt to global climate change.

	Research & Development
Ecosystem Services: Carbon		Sustainable Operations
International Programs		Sustainable Resource Management
Educator Resources		Biomass Utilization
	Ecological Restoration

What the Forest Service is doing about Climate Change

The Forest Service strategy for dealing with Climate Change is based on 20 years of targeted research and a century of science and management experience. The agency has internationally recognized climate scientists that are developing agency responses to climate change. The Forest Service strategy includes helping forests adapt to changes in climate by restoring the the resilience of forest, range and aquatic ecosystems, establishing programs that support management of forests through mitigation of Climate Change effects on primarily non-Federal forest land, using Forest Service products as sources of heat and power and reducing agency consumption of non-renewable energy and materials. Learn more » (PDF)

Research & Development

Forest Service scientists provide data, information and tools to help managers and policymakers address the effects of climate change on forests and grasslands. Learn more »

See what the Forest Service’s Research & Development program is doing about climate change in your region of the country! Just click on the map!

Information and Tools for Wildland Managers in the West

A Climate Change Resource Center has been developed as a reference for US Forest Service resource managers and decision makers who need
information and tools to address climate change in planning and project implementation on western national forests. Learn more »

Sustainable Operations

The concept of sustainability is embedded in the Forest Service mission to “sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.” Learn more »

Sustainable Resource Management

The Forest Service mission is to “Sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations." Learn more »

Ecological Restoration

The Forest Service is helping re-establish and maintain ecological processes and function in the national forests and grasslands to increase their resilience and capacity to provide goods and services such as clean water, clean air and wildlife habitat. Learn more »

Biomass Utilization

Woody biomass utilization is one of several forest management tools to help restore and maintain healthy ecosystem functions. Learn more »

Ecosystem Services: Carbon

Ecosystem services are the essential benefits that people obtain from healthy forests and grasslands. These include basic services like the delivery of food, fresh water, wood and fiber, and medicine, and other services that are less tangible but equally critical to human health and well-being, such as climate regulation, erosion control, soil formation, recreational opportunities, and scenic landscapes. Ecosystem change over the past century has had a measurable impact on our natural systems and their ability to supply ecosystem services. Learn more »

International Programs

International Programs of the US Forest Service promotes sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation internationally. By linking the skills of the field-based staff of the US Forest Service with partners overseas, the Agency can address the most critical forestry issues and concerns. Learn more »