WHERE FORESTRY AND RECREATION MEET 52^ 



attraction. The bigness and silence of the forest, without something 

 to break the spell occasionally, gets on the traveler's nerve. True, a 

 camp ground can't satisfactorily be used jointly by folks and cattle, 

 but the total area that will be developed and permanently used for 

 camp grounds will be so insignificant as to be unworthy of considera- 

 tion. For instance, we have learned that on the San Isabel Forest, 

 where a comprehensive recreation plan is worked out and in course of 

 development, 240 acres designated as summer-home areas do not 

 reduce the number of stock grazed ; and the public camp grounds, 

 including municipally improved areas, interfere not at all with grazing. 



If in a few rare instances, and there will be some, especially beauti- 

 ful landscapes prove to be of greater direct human value than their 

 economic worth and it is clear that their charm and attractiveness will 

 be destroyed by commercial exploitation, then obviously it will be 

 wise to sacrifice the lesser interest to the greater. 



An appreciation of nature, a stimulation of vigor of the mind and 

 body, and the contentment of soul contributed by association with 

 the forests, goes far toward making a useful and contented citizenry. 

 If the American population can be made to feel contented and its 

 effort directed to useful channels, enlistment in the Red organizations 

 -of this critical period of unrest can be averted. I can conceive of no 

 more useful purpose the forests can be made to serve. 



II 



From a Silvicultural Standpoint 



By M. W. Thompson 



The two most common ways in which forestry and recreation meet 

 in actual practice in the National Forests are : 



(1) Where cutting operations are located on areas now used for 

 recreation or likely to be put to this use in the near future ; and 



(2) Where sawmills or lumber camps are located on or near roads, 

 camp grounds, or other areas of importance from the tourist stand- 

 point. 



Few instances have been reported where cutting in Forest Service 

 sales has affected recreational areas. A case came up last year, how- 

 ever, where a comparatively small cutting had taken place along a 

 main highway leading to a National Park, the cutting and brush dis- 



