United States Forest Service

United States Forest Service. Department of Agriculture. "Without natural resources life itself is impossible. From birth to death, natural resources, transformed for human use, feed, clothe, shelter, and transport us." ~Gifford Pinchot, The United States Forest Service came to northern Wisconsin to address forest protection, restoration and utilization. Between 1934 and 1936, the Medford Administrative Site was created to service the forest and today serves the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. A cozy home once stood in front of you, facing the river. It was home to the Forest Service Ranger and his family. Across the tree line and still in use today, are the administration buildings. The work conducted from this site has assisted in timber management, fire protection, control of invasive species, and recreation for the greater half of a century. The Medford Administrative Site helped the Forest Service continue to meet their mission of "Caring for the Land and Serving People" right here in Medford., Chief, U.S. Forest Service , Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, pioneered the forestry practices we see in use today. Pinchot's motto for the administration of our national resources was "...to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run.", Wisconsin's Lumber Trade , The booming timber industry in Wisconsin brought immigrants from all over Europe. Between 1870 and 1920, the hard working lumbermen had cleared about one million acres of forest land and floated the logs down rivers such as the Black River. This industry helped create what is now the city of Medford., Two Forests in One , In 1993, two separate forests combined to create the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Initially, the Medford Administrative Site was part of the Nicolet, but passed to the Chequamegon side in 1934.