Fire fighters gaining containment on the Tony Grove Fire, northwest of Tony Grove Lake (Courtesy: US National Forest)
Ogden – The Forest Service Intermountain Region is making changes that will further enhance the Shared Stewardship initiative proposed in 2019 by installing Mary Farnsworth as Acting Regional Forester.
The USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen recently announced Farnsworth has been appointment for the Forest Service Intermountain Region headquartered in Ogden.
In her new position, Farnsworth will oversee management of more than 32 million acres of national forest and grasslands, in six states including the Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest and she will supervise over 2,500 employees.
“I look forward to building upon the amazing work this region has accomplished in the past few years,” said Farnsworth. “My focus will be building upon the principles of shared stewardship by maintaining and enhancing partnerships with state, tribal and local partners to ensure we maintain healthy, productive and sustainable forest lands on behalf of the American people.”
Before Farnsworth became the Deputy Regional Forester for the Intermountain Region, she was the Forest Supervisor on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest. Beginning her career on the Umatilla National Forest in 1987, Farnsworth has dedicated more than 30 years to the agency. She has held a variety of leadership and staff positions across the agency including in the agency national headquarters in Washington, D.C., California, Oregon, Idaho and Utah. Farnsworth has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Forest Management from Humboldt State University in northern California.
As Regional Forester, Farnsworth will play an essential role in carrying out agency and regional goals including enhancing shared stewardship opportunities; emphasizing, strengthening and strategically planning future program delivery of recreation and range programs; and, increasing the Region’s ability to treat priority landscapes to reduce the risk of wildfire.
Forest lands in America are facing more and more urgent challenges, not only are there catastrophic wildfires, but there are more public use, degrading water sheds, forest insects and disease killing the trees.
The Shared Stewardship in Utah is a cooperative approach for managing the forests by the Forest Service joining forces with state, as well as communities, industries, organizations and users of the lands to solve problems and issues concerning forest health.
Utah has eight National Forest, including: Grasslands, Scenic Areas Recreational Areas and Tall Grass Parries under their care.
Farnsworth is taking over the position left vacant in April 2020 when Nora Rasure retired after serving six years as the Regional Forester for the Intermountain Region.