	Introduction

The Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193 million acres of the National Forest System, as well as for conducting forestry research and providing assistance to state, local, private, and international forest owners. Funding to complete such work is provided through both discretionary and mandatory appropriations (see Figure 1 ). The budget authority for several of these mandatory spending accounts is dependent on revenue generated by activities on the national forests. This report presents and analyzes the discretionary and mandatory appropriations for the FS over the five years from FY2012 to FY2016. Forest Service Discretionary Appropriations

FS discretionary appropriations—which account for 88% of total agency appropriations on average—are primarily divided among six main accounts, described below and listed in the same order as they generally appear in appropriations laws. State and Private Forestry (S&PF). National Forest System (NFS). Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CI&M). Wildland Fire Management (WFM) and FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund (FLAME) . The FLAME account was established under the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act of 2009 for emergency wildfire suppression activities. The FS allocates the appropriations from these accounts among the nine FS regions, five research stations, two service centers and laboratories, and the national headquarters office in Washington, DC. Forest Service Mandatory Appropriations

The FS has more than 20 permanent appropriations accounts and 4 trust funds that constitute mandatory spending. Together, they account on average for about 12% of total agency appropriations. Budget authority for these accounts is provided in authorizing laws. In FY2016, FS estimates its mandatory spending will be approximately $700.8 million. The FY2016 appropriation of $1.509 billion (24% of FS discretionary appropriations) is a slight increase from the FY2015 appropriation of $1.494 billion. FY2017 Budget Request

For FY2017, the Administration is requesting $5.757 billion in discretionary appropriations for the FS (see Table 3 ). However, funds provided for wildfire management (supplemental and regular appropriations) are responsible for much of the observed differences. Furthermore, funding for wildfire management activities accounts for an increasing percentage of agency appropriations, which may raise questions about the amount of funding necessary to adequately address wildland fire management issues or about the extent to which wildfire management activities direct agency resources—financial and otherwise—away from other FS statutory obligations.
The Forest Service (FS) is responsible for managing 193 million acres of the National Forest System, as well as for conducting forestry research and providing assistance to state, local, private, and international forest owners. Funding to complete such work is provided through both discretionary and mandatory appropriations.
For FY2016, the FS received $7.065 billion in discretionary and mandatory appropriations. This figure includes funding provided under a $700 million emergency supplemental appropriation for wildfire suppression activities from FY2015. The FY2016 discretionary appropriation was $6.364 billion, more than $1 billion above the five-year average of $5.334 billion. Much of this increase is due to the wildfire supplemental, as well as additional funds provided for FY2016 wildland fire management activities. FS discretionary appropriations are primarily divided among six main accounts: Forest and Rangeland Research (FRR); State and Private Forestry (S&PF); National Forest System (NFS); Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CI&M); Wildland Fire Management (WFM); and the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve account established under the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-88). The agency then allocates the appropriations from these accounts among the nine FS regions, five research stations, two service stations and laboratories, and national headquarters. Discretionary appropriations account for an average of 88% of the agency's total FY2012-FY2016 appropriations.
The FS has more than 20 permanent appropriations accounts and 4 trust funds that are mandatory spending. Together, they account, on average, for about 12% of total agency appropriations. Budget authority for these accounts is provided for in authorizing statutes, and for several of the accounts it is dependent on the level of revenue generated by specific activities on the national forests. The FS estimates that FY2016 mandatory spending will be $700.8 million.
For FY2017, the Administration is requesting $5.757 billion in discretionary appropriations for the FS. The request continues a proposal from FY2015 to change wildfire suppression funding by providing access to nearly $1 billion outside of the statutory discretionary limits for emergency purposes. Funding for wildfire management activities in general and suppression activities specifically accounts for an increasing percentage of agency appropriations, which may raise questions about the amount of resources necessary to adequately address wildland fire management issues or about the extent to which wildfire management activities direct agency resources—financial and otherwise—away from other FS statutory obligations.