There are many kinds of public lands in the United States: some public lands are managed by the federal government through agencies such as the Forest Services, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers. About one-fourth of the federal public lands in the United States are managed by the Forest Service which is a part of the Department of Agriculture. The Forest Service manages 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The mission of the Forest Service is:
“To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.”
While many people view the national forests as a source of timber to be harvested by private companies, the national forests also provide recreational activities for many people.
Shown below are photographs of the Lava Island Day Use Area on the Deschutes River near Bend, Oregon. This is an area managed by the Deschutes National Forest.