The U.S.Forest Service was established in 1905 under the Transfer Act of February 1, 1905 (16 U.S.C. 472) which transferred the Federal forest reserves and the responsibility for their management from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture. The mission of the USDA 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.