312 CONFERENCE ON NATURAL BEAUTY 



is made. The competitive struggle to attract industry and com- 

 mercial development for ratables results in a scattering of such de- 

 velopment that in turns creates a monotonous uniformity over wide 

 areas which reduces the choices of environment to live in. 



A new category should be considered for National Park Service 

 projects, one to handle natural and scenic areas which are of na- 

 tional or regional significance, but are too small to qualify for exist- 

 ing Service categories. 



A systematic designation of areas of special scenic or natural value 

 is needed so that they can be given as much protection as possible 

 by programs in which the Federal Government participates. Where 

 the owner of such areas desires to protect them, some plan of Federal 

 assistance that does not involve outright ownership should be avail- 

 able. Lease and easement arrangements can be worked out by 

 which the Federal Government would be given an interest in land 

 under the primary jurisdiction of others so as to permit Federal 

 intervention in cases involving eminent domain. Thus, a Federal 

 agency would have authority to protect some important lands, when 

 it felt this was justified, without having first to assume the adminis- 

 trative burden and costs of those lands. 



MINOTT SILLIMAN, Jr. President Johnson has asked for sugges- 

 tions on specific activities that might be furthered in the field of 

 natural beauty. The Soil Conservation Society of America is a 

 technical and educational organization dedicated to advancing the 

 science and art of good land use. The 1 2,000 members are actively 

 engaged in the conservation movement of this world. 



As these members work with landowners and operators of private 

 lands and with the care of public lands they are conscious that the 

 conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources are all about 

 us in the lands of America. 



The Soil Conservation Society of America has developed a booklet, 

 "Help Keep Our Land Beautiful" by taking a typical American 

 family through their countryside where they see good productive soil 

 which produces their food, the trees that produce their lumber, and 

 the land that produces the wildlife. 



It is important that all people recognize the value of looking at the 

 farms for beauty. Good productive farms, with top soil in place, 

 are a thing of beauty and produce clean runoff water for our streams. 



Civic clubs have provided many of these educational-type booklets 



