INDIAN TIMBERLANDS 

 Bv J. P. Kinney 



In Charge of Timhcrlands, Office of Indian Affairs 



I read with much interest the article by E. A. Sherman in the April 

 number of the Journal, entitled "A Plan for the Disposition of Indian 

 Timberlands." 



References in this article to certain recommendations that appear to 

 have been made by the Forest Service of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture to the Committee on Indian Affairs in the House of Representa- 

 tives give the article some color as an official discussion of Indian 

 timberlands. However, I assume that it was not 'Mr. Sherman's inten- 

 tion to present this subject as an official in the Forest Service but 

 merely as a member of the Society of American Foresters, an associ- 

 ation that should, of course, be deeply interested in all questions relative 

 to the maintenance of an adequate supply of timber in the United 

 States. 



While there are several features in Mr. Sherman's plan to whicli I, 

 as an official in the Indian Service, might feel impelled to take 

 exception, I am writing now solely from the standpoint of a r.iember 

 of the Society of American Foresters who has a rather intimate ac- 

 quaintance with the intricate problems of Indian administration and 

 particularly of the forestry branch of that Service. In attempting to 

 present certain phases of the problem from this detached point of view. 

 I must necessarily refer to my connection with the Indian Service ; but 

 I desire to disclaim any intention of presenting official comments or 

 suggestions. 



Mr. Sherman's article in the Journal indicated a belief on his part 

 that the only manner in which the non-agricultural lands of the various 

 Indian Reservations could be maintained in a state of efficient use. 

 either as protecting forests or as timber production forests, would be 

 through the inclusion of such lands within the National Forests in the 

 near future. A critical study of the whole situation might lead Mr. 

 Sherman to very material qualifications of this view. While I believe 

 that large areas, properly classifiable as primarily valuable for water 

 conservation purposes, could be immediately attached to adjacent 

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