Tom Tidwell

Tom Tidwell
Chief of U.S. Forest Service

Age 54

Birthplace Boise, Idaho

Family Married, with a daughter

Professional Tidwell attended classes at Washington State University and University of Idaho before working as a firefighter for the Boise Forest Service. Over the next 32 years, Tidwell worked in eight national forests spread over three of the U.S. Forest Service’s 10 regions. He’s been a forest supervisor, a district ranger and a legislative affairs specialist. He went on to become forest supervisor for the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and was supervising there during 1992 Winter Olympics in Utah. Most recently, Tidwell worked as forest supervisor for Region 1 of the U.S. Forest Service.

Viewpoint Tidwell has long history of working to prevent forest fires. He contributed to the National Fire Plan, which is intended to ensure that communities have adequate firefighting resources to protect houses and wildlands. Some conservationists have criticized Tidwell for his role in the passage of a 2000 law that reimburses rural timber counties for revenues lost after federal policies enacted to protect the spotted owl prevented them from logging. However, Michael Francis, acting VP of the Wilderness Society, stated that Tidwell was strong supporter of protecting wilderness areas, including roadless areas in remote forestland.  (CJ)