The Forest Service’s Fall Colors 2017 theme is Where the Wild Colors Are, and those colors are also in our grasslands.

How did the laurel wilt epidemic start, and why does that matter so much now?

At a time when land managers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance and value of reintroducing fire to the landscape, one-size-fits-all smoke management policies can delay or reduce the use of fire under favorable conditions, increasing the chances of future fires burning under more hazardous scenarios.

When a species is listed as “threatened,” the effect upon the state’s forest economy is dramatic. The State of Georgia proposes to permanently conserve 100,000 acres of gopher tortoise habitat to preclude a federal listing and protect the state’s forest products market.

“Populations of many frog and toad species have declined,” says U.S. Forest Service research ecologist Katie Greenberg. “The global decline highlights the need to monitor frogs and toads where they live.”

View monthly State of the Climate reports from the National Climatic Data Center.

The new we portal represents a collaborative effort including dozens of Climate Hubs and USDA program coordinators, scientists, technologists, and others.

Downed or weakened trees can be hazardous to people, buildings, and power lines. Storm-damaged trees should be assessed for risk as soon as possible after a hurricane or other major storm.

View current drought conditions and forecasts from the U.S. Drought Monitor.

When asked which tree uses more water, the native, industry favorite loblolly pine or the ultra-fast growing immigrant from Australia, Eucalyptus, U.S. Forest Service biological scientist Chris Maier had a quick answer: both.

Production is high – but not for trout.

You don’t need to actually see an animal to know if it was present -- you just need to find its DNA.

Today, environmental justice at USDA refers to meeting the needs of underserved communities by reducing disparate environmental burdens, removing barriers to participation in decision making, and increasing access to environmental benefits that help make all communities safe, vibrant and healthy places to live and work.

Tribes possess centuries of hands on knowledge that the Forest Service can learn from. Similarly, the Forest Service can provide science and tools to help tribes manage their forests and grasslands.

View wildfire updates on InciWeb, the interagency all-risk incident information management system.

By 1930, the golden age of lumbering was over. Cutover forests were bare, with little prospect of regeneration.