New U.S. Forest Service Saw Policy

July 19, 2016 – The U.S.D.A. Forest Service’s new Saw Policy was published today in the Federal Register. The new policy revises Forest Service Manual 2350 regarding training and certification for the use of chain saws and crosscut saws in National Forests. The new policy affects not just Forest Service employees but also volunteers and others.

According to the Forest Service, since the 1970s, the agency’s nine regions have developed policies concerning employee and partner use of chain saws and crosscut saws, which are often used for trail maintenance activities and other work on national forests. The new national policy creates a national saw program and standardizes instruction, knowledge and skill requirements for all Forest Service sawyers.

If your organization has trails on USFS land or does work on USFS lands, American Hiking Society encourages you to read the policy and to download and retain it for future reference.