The U.S. Forest Service manages about 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands, mostly in the West. This executive branch agency, overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, fights wildfires and conducts research on forestry and rangeland management. The Forest Service manages timber harvest and sales; in 2015, it sold timber worth more than $200 million. It also provides funding and technical help to public and private groups for projects like tree-planting, trail work and education campaigns. The agency’s 2016 budget was more than $5 billion, and it employs about 35,000, including around 11,000 seasonal workers and firefighters.
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