National forest

National forest, 186 million acres (75 million hectares) preserved and protected by the U.S. government for controlled use and enjoyment by the public, by ranchers for livestock grazing, and by businesses who harvest wood to make products and perform limiting mining operations. The forests also provide a wildlife sanctuary and safeguard water sources. They are administered by the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture, an arrangement begun in 1905 under President Theodore Roosevelt.

See also: Forest Service, U.S.