tooke wagner and perdue

Tony Tooke (left) is sworn in Sept. 1 as chief of the U.S. Forest Service by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue (right) with help from retiring White Mountain National Forest chief Tom Wagner. The ceremony took place at the Russell-Colbath site in the National Forest in Albany. (JAMIE GEMMITI PHOTO)

ALBANY — White Mountain National Forest Supervisor Tom Wagner's last official task Friday before retiring was an unusual one: holding the Bible as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue swore in new U.S. Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke.

The nation’s 18th chief forester now leads more than 30,000 Forest Service employees in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico.

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