194 THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL FORESTS 



In each of the regional headquarters noted previously, the work is 

 divided similarly to that at the Washington office except that research 

 is administered directly from Washington rather than from the 

 regional offices, as at Missoula, Montana; there is a separate law 

 branch for each region to handle legal matters and law enforcement. 



The U. S. Forest Service is divided for organization purposes into 

 three principal divisions or activities, namely: (a) the protection, 



administration, and develop- 

 ment of the National Forests; 

 (6) research and technical in- 

 vestigations to improve the 

 growing conditions, and more 

 efficient utilization of our for- 

 ests, particularly on federal 

 properties; (c) extension work, 

 known also as public relations, 

 including cooperation with the 

 various State Forest services 

 and private owners in promot- 

 ing better forestry practice in 

 the woods. 



The permanent force of the 

 Forest Service includes about 

 3000 men, of whom two-thirds 

 are employed in the National 

 Forests as supervisors, assistant 

 supervisors, rangers, lumber- 

 men, junior foresters, and other 

 technical assistants. The re- 

 mainder are engaged in admin- 

 istrative, scientific, and clerical 

 work at the Washington and 

 regional offices, as well as at the Forest Products Laboratory at Madi- 

 son, Wisconsin, and the forest and range experiment stations. In addi- 

 tion to the permanent force, more than 3400 temporary guards are 

 employed on National Forests during the hazardous fire season. 



1. Protection and Administration of National Forests. Protection 

 from injurious agencies. The most important work of the National 

 Forests, both in time and in significance, is that of protecting the 

 forests from fire, insects, and disease. This is of fundamental and 

 outstanding value because if the future of the forest is not assured 

 there is little need of other administrative work. The growing use of 



FIG. 101. Hanging an insulator on a 

 tree in constructing a telephone line in 

 the Fremont National Forest in Oregon. 

 The construction of telephone lines is 

 an important part of forest protection 

 as well as of forest administration. 



