Intermountain Region

Welcome from Harv Forsgren, Regional Forester for the Intermountain Region.

From the famous red sands of southern Utah to the rugged and craggy ridge line of the Sawtooth Mountains to the stark openness of Nevada the Intermountain Region offers amazing diversity and some of the most beautiful, famous and stunning forests in the nation.

The health of our forests and grasslands is an important focus that we take very seriously as we strive to succeed at Caring for the Land and Serving People.

Economic Recovery

Many of the communities most affected by the economic downturn are located near national forests. Using funding from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Forest Service will create and maintain private sector jobs for communities by funding projects to remove hazardous biomass, restore watersheds, repair trails, bridges and roads, and make fish passage improvements. We will also update facilities to increase their efficiency in the use of energy and water.

Secure Rural Schools

On October 3, 2008, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 was reauthorized as part of Public Law 110-343.  On January 15, 2009 the Forest Service began distributing more than $477 million to 41 states and Puerto Rico for improvements to public schools, roads and stewardship projects.  Under the Secure Rural Schools Act an additional $52 million is available this year to be used by local resource advisory committees to fund projects to maintain infrastructure, improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems, protect communities, and strengthen local economies.

Climate Change

Global climate change is dramatically altering forests and grasslands for present and future generations. Forests and grasslands produce many ecosystem services on which society relies: water, clean air, wood products, recreation, wildlife habitats, and biological diversity.

Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act

The Act provides agencies with recreation fee authority for 10 years, which will allow the agencies to make improvements and provide additional services to forest visitors. Visit the web page to learn more about the act and see what types of accomplishments have been made throughout the Region.

Wild and Scenic Rivers Suitability Study for National Forest System Lands in Utah

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, establishes a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System for the protection of selected national rivers and their immediate environments, which possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values which are to be preserved in free-flowing condition. Forests are required by law to consider during forest planning, rivers that may be eligible for incorporation into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Read more about what the Utah Forests are doing.