new forest service chief announced

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced the selection of Dale Bosworth as new Chief of the Forest Service, succeeding Mike Dombeck who retired March 31, 2001.

Bosworth is currently a regional forester who oversees 25 million acres in 12 national forests and four national grasslands for the Northern Region, including northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and part of South Dakota.

Prior to working in the Northern Region, he served as the regional forester in the Intermountain Region and deputy regional forester in the Pacific Southwest Region.

Bosworth was one of those recommended by former Chief Dombeck, and said Bosworth was instrumental in the development of parts of the natural resource agenda and led development of the roads rule- a sweeping ban on road-building and logging in nearly 60 million acres of national forest lands.

Bosworth began his Forest Service career at the St. Joe National Forest in Idaho.