September 2018

National forests and grasslands—and indeed all of America’s public lands—draw visitors from all over the world. There is no other land management system quite like it.

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Deirdre Holder, FSA regulatory review director, was diagnosed two years ago at stage 3a and is now a survivor in remission. Here, she shares her story.

Every day, we make decisions about what to eat. And what we eat plays an important role in our body weight and long-term health. Given the high obesity rates in the U.S., a growing number of researchers are asking: how important is geographic access to restaurants in people’s food choices? Some observers argue that the abundance of high-calorie, less nutrient-dense restaurant fare is to blame for Americans’ poor diets and expanding waistline.

Every year during National Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize the contributions made by Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States. Approximately 50.5 million Hispanics live in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau (PDF, 1.5 MB).

For 25 years, National Public Lands Day has brought together thousands of people to donate their time, talent, and passion to support America’s public lands. It’s celebrated the fourth Saturday of September, but volunteer events and celebrations are held throughout September and well into October.

Growing up in central New Jersey, I loved to eat the fresh fruit from the two pear trees my family grew in our backyard. I found it special that we had the chance to grow these healthy treats at home. Though I didn’t know it at the time, pears grow commercially in almost all 50 U.S. states, and are even the state fruit of Oregon. Even so, anyone who’s ever eaten a fresh, juicy pear knows they’re rather delicate and don’t always travel well.

Every year the USDA Forest Service hosts a Fall Colors webpage full of useful information about where and when to see fall colors in your part of the country. And, every year, we think of some new angle to encourage folks to visit the webpage and to have fun exploring it with family and friends.

The Glacial Lake Cranberries farm, located in Cranmoor, Wisconsin, has been in Mary Brown’s family since 1923. Her 6,000 acres consists of 330 acres of cranberries, 2,600 acres of forest, and 3,000 acres of reservoirs that support the cranberry acres. Her 96 fruit beds produce 10 million pounds of fruit yearly. She runs the operation with her son, Stephen, four employees that live on the property year-round, seasonal staff, and help from family.

Remember “plastics make it possible!” – the advertisement campaign from the 1980s? There’s a new kind of plastic in town 30 years later – bioplastics.

America’s vast western grazing lands produce food for the nation, recreation revenues for local communities, and habitat for wildlife. Producers often manage large swaths of rangelands, making it a challenge to track how vegetation has fared over time.