Yes sir, the United States Forest Services is under the Dept of Agriculture. I used to be employeed by the USFS and fought many a forest fires in the Angeles National Forest a on tanker crew, and yes my checks came from the Dept of Agriculture. Most likely because the cutting of timber is a sustainable crop to be harvested.

However my major concern is the number of campers flocking to the Springs (read the post on Memorial Day). I have posted on this before because it is a major concern on mine. The ecosystem of DCHS is not able to sustain the volume of overnight campers on any given weekend as people will need to relieve themselves somewhere and they are probably not hiking out their crap. My fear is that the Forest Service will shut this place down if the volume of campers and unrulely poeple continue to throng to the hot springs. I forgot who posted on this along the thread but the USFS has already closed several hot springs; it happened at Miricle Hot Spring up in the Kernville Area in which the Forest Service dynamited the Spring (the claim that the bacteria count in the spring was too high). Hot Creek in the Inyo National Forest was also closed by the Forest Service. I believe if it wasn't for the consciencious volunteers, DCHS would be trashed and perhaps would have been shut down a long time ago. It is my openion that we need to develop a working realtionship with the USFS to better enforce the illegal activity in and around the hot springs for the enjoyment of those who wish to enjoy "a day at the Springs"