Temporal Trends in the Characteristics of USDA Forest Service Chiefs

Abstract

Abstract USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) chiefs have significant influence on the agency and publics they serve, yet little scholarly attention is given to understand their characteristics. Using a quantitative biographical approach, we examine the demographics, education, career length, and leadership tenure of the chiefs and the trend in those characteristics over the century. Of the twenty Forest Service chiefs who served between 1905 and 2022, the vast majority (85%) were white and male with an average age of 52.0 years at appointment. The average career length of chiefs was 30.2 years, including 22.8 years spent with the Forest Service prior to appointment. although chiefs’ age at appointment and career length showed an increasing trend over the century, tenure length displayed a decreasing trend. Average duration of the chiefs’ tenure in office was 5.8 years and it was negatively correlated with career length, age at appointment, and year of appointment. On average, chiefs had 6 years of postsecondary education, with most earning degrees in forestry or biophysical sciences. A retrospective examination of Forest Service chiefs helps us to consider changes in this position over time. Study Implications: The study compiles quantitative data on multiple attributes (characteristics) of all Forest Service chiefs who have served since 1905 and presents quantitative analyses of trends over time. As such, the study contributes to the compilation of biographical data related to the chiefs, consolidating the information from many sources. The findings suggest that tracking chiefs would help to understand the organizational and cultural change of the agency over time.