USDA Forest Service

Mission Statement

To sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.  

At the heart of our agency’s mission is our purpose—the ultimate answer to why we do what we do. Everything we do—across our broad and diverse agency—is intended to help sustain forests and grasslands for present and future generations. Why? Because our stewardship work supports nature in sustaining life. This is the purpose that drives our agency’s mission and motivates our work across the agency. It’s been there from our agency’s very beginning, and it still drives us.

To advance our mission and serve our purpose, we balance the short and long-term needs of people and nature by—

• Working in collaboration with communities and our partners;
• Providing access to resources and experiences that promote economic, ecological, and social vitality;
• Connecting people to the land and one another; and
• Delivering world-class science, technology, and land management.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and CTBUH are equal opportunity employers and providers.

This is our value: what the Forest Service uniquely has to offer.

Binational Softwood Lumber Council

The Binational Softwood Lumber Council (BSLC) was established by the Canadian and U.S. Federal governments as part of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement. The Council’s mandate, as outlined in annex 13 of the agreement, is “to promote increased cooperation between the U.S. and Canadian softwood lumber industries and to strengthen and expand the market for softwood lumber products in both countries.”

The BSLC benefits from the leadership and expertise of its 12-member board which consists of Canadian and U.S. senior industry representatives and stakeholders. The construct of this board is unique within the industry and offers an influential and powerful vehicle to establish strategic direction for market development programs, direct broad industry initiatives, and facilitate collaboration among organizations serving the North American softwood lumber industry.

Underpinning the BSLC’s efforts is a firm belief that the relationship between the Canadian and United States’ industries can only improve when the lumber market is sufficiently robust for both industries to first stabilize, and then to prosper. The BSLC also believes that this will only come about through increased demand for new and previous uses of lumber products.

Since its inception, the BSLC has actively supported initiatives by a variety of industry organizations that meet the mandate. Funds have been directed into programs in which immediate opportunities can be quickly exploited for a fast turnaround in identifiable demand.  Clear benefits have already been achieved for the North American softwood lumber industry as the result of some of these programs.