The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (FS)

ESF #11 NCH is organized and coordinated by the United States Department of the Interior (DOI) and works with a series of other organizations to respond to incidents threatening Natural and Cultural Resources and Historic Properties.

ESF #11 – NCH support agencies:

• The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) 
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
• The Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 
• The Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (FS)

  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the coordinating agency for ESF #11. USDA primarily assists ESF #11 NCH through two of its agencies, the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS).

  The USFS is a Federal agency that manages 193 million acres of public lands in national forests and grasslands. USFS provides technical and financial assistance to state and private forestry agencies, and is the largest forestry research organization in the world. USFS also coordinates wildfire response through staffing their Incident Command Centers with various resources and fire experts.

  USFS aids ESF #11 NCH by providing technical and financial assistance to State and tribal government in developing natural resource management and protection plans, primarily for forested areas. Their strong ties with State and local governments, forest industries, and private landowners allow them to interface with multiple organizations on ESF #11 NCH’s behalf to help protect natural resources not only on National Forest System lands, but non-Federal forest and associated range and watershed lands as well.

  Proceed to FS Website.

DOI also partners with the Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), a partnership of non-governmental organization (NGOs) and federal agencies that provides the combined experience and resources of its members to support ESF #11 NCH.

When ESF #11 NCH is activated, DOI consults and works with these support agencies to provide support to response activities as well as for professional expertise and guidance.

Certain partners, such as HENTF, participate in preparedness and response even when ESF #11 – NCH is not activated, and can be a valuable source of information and aid for everyday preservation of natural and cultural resources