A POLICY OF FORliSTRV FOR THE NATION 903 



1. Areas needed for the protection of water resources, to prevent 

 erosion, for recreation and other general public purposes. These 

 should include both virgin forests and cut-over lands. 



2. Cut-over lands, with the purpose of insuring the production of 

 lumber and other products and of establishing demonstration areas 

 and centers for Federal cooperation with States and private owners. 



The present Weeks Law program contemplates the purchase of 

 about one million acres in New England and five million acres in the 

 Southern Appalachians. This program should be completed as fast 

 as is compatible with public financial conditions, and should be extended 

 to include other important areas needed for watershed protection and 

 other general public service. Lands acquired for protective purposes 

 as well as those for lumber production should be distributed through 

 all forest regions of the country. 



The acquisition of cut-over lands by exchange for stumpage would 

 serve to consolidate and block out the National Forests of the West. 

 This principle has already been recognized in several special laws 

 applicable to certain Forests. 



There are still forest lands in the public domain which should be 

 added to the National Forests. There are several million acres of 

 such lands outside of Alaska. The great forests of the interior of 

 Alaska should also be placed under adequate protection and admin- 

 istration. 



State Forests 



The States should establish public forests, with the same general 

 objectives as the Federal government, and with special reference to 

 the economic and industrial needs within their boundaries. Many 

 western and southern States still own forest lands received in pre- 

 vious grants from the Government. These should be placed under 

 permanent forest administration, with provision for the settlement of 

 areas suited to agriculture. Lands reverting to the States for taxes 

 or otherwise should, where practicable, be retained and used to build 

 up permanent public forest reservations. 



Other Public Forests 



Every encouragement should be oftered to municipalities to estab- 

 lish public forests or woodland parks. These may be necessary to 

 protect the local water supplies, or to serve as public recreation 

 grounds ; and in many instances they may yield products that will 



