Cutting Down the Forest Service

How a "reorganization" could upend scientific research, conservation, and public lands

For many of us, our first introduction to the work of the US Forest Service was the sight of Smokey Bear on our TV screens, telling us only we can prevent forest fires, or Woodsy Owl on highway road signs urging us to “Give a hoot, don’t pollute!” If it wasn’t one of these national stewardship campaigns that first introduced you to the familiar Forest S…