Karl Graves of the USFS

 

 

 

 

Karl Graves Chalks up Fifty-Years of

Service to America

 

    Hathaway Pines, Calif. (Sept. 26, 2012) Take any 50-year period in our Nation's 236-year history and you'll see a lot of change - cultural shifts, societal awakenings, political oscillation and evolving business norms.

 

    All are significant challenges for any public servant to navigate. For over a half of century now, Karl Graves has seen the winds of change sweep over the landscape he has been charged with managing. 

 

As a Forester for the USDA Forest Service, Graves has travelled through our National Forests (NF) to prepare timber sales, provided valuable information to the scientific community on the health of our forests, and focused on the best management practices to balance wood supply, ecological restoration and forest regeneration. Forty-seven of those years have been spent on the Stanislaus NF where his intimate knowledge of the forest resources and specific management actions has provided a unique perspective to gauge changes - environmentally, socially and economically.

 

During a recent ceremony to acknowledge his lasting contribution to the Nation, Graves received his 50-year Length of Service Award. Chief of the Forest Service Thomas Tidwell, traveled from Washington D.C to present the award. "These are the kinds of days that make my job so rewarding. It is a highlight of my career, and in my position as Chief, to be present to recognize the incredible level of dedication and commitment you have shown the U.S. Forest Service and     our mission. Thank you, Karl," said Tidwell.