Created in the early 20th century to provide scientific management of the nation's forests, the U.S. Forest Service was, for many years, regarded as a model agency in the federal government. The author contends that this reputation is undeserved and the Forest Service's performance today is unacceptable. Not only has scientific management proven impossible in practice, it is also objectionable in principle. Furthermore, the author argues that the Forest Service lacks a coherent vision and prefers to sponsor only fashionable environmental solutions--most recently ecosystem management. Describing its history and failures, the author advocates replacing the service with a decentralized system to manage the protection of national forests.

Established in 1911, The Rotarian is the official magazine of Rotary International and is circulated worldwide. Each issue contains feature articles, columns, and departments about, or of interest to, Rotarians. Seventeen Nobel Prize winners and 19 Pulitzer Prize winners – from Mahatma Ghandi to Kurt Vonnegut Jr. – have written for the magazine.