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U.S. Forest Service officials say they've increased inspections of companies they hire to manage Federal timberland.

The move comes after complaints from activist groups about the mistreatment of workers who do things like plant trees and put out forest fires.

Ron Hooper is in charge of lining up contractors for the Forest Service. He told a group of forest workers and employers in Eugene Wednesday that the government will also be closely monitoring the contracts to make sure they're fair to everyone involved.

Ron Hooper: "So that you as contractors, you as workers on these contracts, can look at that contract and know exactly what you're entitled to in terms of being treated appropriately and in terms of your wage and benefits that you're entitled to."

Hooper says the government will also distribute pamphlets to workers outlining their rights in both Spanish and English.

Many forest service workers are in the country on special work visas and aren't aware of existing protections.
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