CHAPTER IX 

 OUR NATIONAL FORESTS 



Our National Forests include 147 distinct and 

 separate bodies of timber in twenty-seven differ- 

 ent states and in Alaska and Porto Rico. They 

 cover more than 156,000,000 acres. If they could 

 be massed together in one huge area like the state 

 of Texas, it would make easier the task of hand- 

 ling the forests and fighting fires. The United 

 States Forest Service, which has charge of their 

 management and protection, is one of the largest 

 and most efficient organizations of its kind in the 

 world. It employs expert foresters, scientists, 

 rangers and clerks. 



The business of running the forest is centred 

 in eight district offices located in different parts 

 of the country with a general headquarters at 

 Washington, D. C. These districts are in charge 

 of district foresters and their assistants. 



The district headquarters and the States that 

 they look after are : 



No. 1. Northern District, Missoula, Montana. 

 (Montana, northeastern Washington, 



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