22 



Public Forests for Recreation 



That over a million and a half of people use the national 

 forests as playgrounds each year was the statement made by 

 Henry S. Graves, chief of the forest service, before the Amer- 

 ican Forestry Association in Washington this month. "Locat- 

 ed as they are," said Mr. Graves, "the National Forests com- 

 prise many regions of superb scenery and unexcelled recrea- 

 tion attraction. In a very real sense these attractions of the 

 forests constitute a natural resource that must be safeguarded, 

 utilized and developed." 



Mr. Graves stated that a quarter of a century had passed 

 since the establishment of the first national forests by a law 

 which marked the beginning of a new and more enlightened 

 method of public land administration. The nineteenth century 

 land system, he said, was one wholly of land distribution, 

 which was successful as applied to agricultural lands, but 

 unsuccessful as applied to non-agricultural lands chiefly valu- 

 able for growing timber. The keynote of the present-day 

 policy is to secure such a disposition, use and development 

 of the public lands as will render a maximum service to the 

 public. "The country has recognized that public lands of 

 chief value for forest purposes and essential to protect water 

 resources should remain under public control," Mr. Graves 

 continued. "The struggle is now on as to who shall own and 

 control the public w^ater-power sites, the coal, oil, phosphate 

 and potassium deposits and the common grazing lands that 

 are not suited to development by individuals under any of 

 the homestead laws." 



More and more of the larger private holdings are being 

 posted with "No Trespassing" signs, Mr. Graves said, and 

 are closed to the public. "The closing of private lands points 

 to the value of publicly owned forest lands where people 

 living in cities and hot agricultural regions can find an oppor- 

 tunity for the refreshment and recreation that can be secured 

 by a sojourn in the forests." 



Innumerable localities on the National Forests, which are 

 not generally known, have a wealth of scenic beauty, Mr. 

 Graves said. A very practical problem, he stated, is that of 

 opening up and making these great public properties avail- 

 able for as wide use as possible by people of little means 

 as well as by the wealthy. In the national forests of Colorado 

 alone, it is said there were last summer 676,000 visitors. 



"The recreation features of the National Forests are fost- 

 ered in a variety of ways," Mr. Graves further remarked. 

 "Areas of scenic value are set aside as camping sites and are 

 withdrawn from any use which would reduce their beauty. 



