218 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



Several characteristics will distinguish the proposed program from 

 any other kind of highway program ever authorized. First, it will 

 try to meld recreation and transportation into a new mix or syn- 

 thesis. It will heavily emphasize the corridor concept; the corridor 

 is the areaway beyond the highway right-of-way, which imputes to 

 the traveled way its scenic qualities and makes possible a recreation 

 opportunity for the motorist, whether he is in motion or at rest. It 

 will provide a complex of complementary facilities, which are road- 

 side rests, camera stops, scenic overlooks, campsites, boat-launch- 

 ing sites, hiking and bicycle trails, and the like. It will cater heavily 

 to population proximity; that is, the facilities will be located rea- 

 sonably close, in terms of driving time, to the major centers of 

 population of the Nation. 



Probably three or four varying-sized programs will be proposed : 

 A minimum program, a maximum program, and several inter- 

 mediate ones. For each of these, its estimated costs, physical ele- 

 ments, service characteristics, and mileage will be given. It then 

 will be up to the President and the Congress to determine which pro- 

 gram should be authorized. 



Senator NELSON. It is difficult to discuss resources and the proper 

 protection, preservation and utilization of our resources in bits and 

 pieces, since all of the problems that we are discussing at this con- 

 ference are interrelated. 



I understand that it is desired that I say something about scenic 

 easements and how we have used them in the State of Wisconsin; 

 that I make a brief comment about section 3 1 9 of the highway code, 

 and say something on the question of zoning as well as about high- 

 ways. I will also volunteer a comment here (because I don't see 

 it elsewhere on the panel ) in respect to hiking and camping trails. 



First, on the question of easements: As all of us know who 

 have dealt with the acquisition of lands, one of the problems we 

 run into regularly is the problem of making an acquisition over 

 the resistance of property owners or groups of property owners. 

 We happen to have a good statute in the State of Wisconsin 

 which gives the same condemnation powers for acquisition of rec- 

 reation land as the highway department has for highways, ex- 

 cept the highway department can condemn and take first and settle 

 the price later, whereas the question of price has to be settled be- 

 fore the taking under Conservation Department law. This is a 

 good law. It is as important to acquire property for recreation 



