AAl_.TiiR M. PIERCE MEMBER 



20 CGNOKKTiSlONAL. DlsTHICT COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURI 



OREGON AND FORESTRY 



HOMk ADUHt.*S: 



LA QRANOC. OREGON 



R. O. No. I 



of tije Umteb 



of &epreientattbeii 



3D. C. 



FOREST CONSERVATION BILLS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINED vn.rrp ON PRIVATELY 



OWNED LANDS 



Statement by Representative Walter M. Pierce of Oregon 

 on his Bills H. R. 3849 - 3850 - Forest Practices Acts. 



On March 6 I introduced these two bills in Congress providing for nation 

 wide regulation of cutting, and certain other practices on privately owned forest 

 lands of the United States. Both of these bills have the same objective: to 

 prevent destructive liquidation of the Nation s forest resources and to insure the 

 permanent productivity of our forest land. 



I consider these bills by far the most important measures in forest conser 

 vation that I have ever introduced during my five terms in Congress. 



I have now pending two other important forest bills, one (H.R. 3408) provid 

 ing for government credit and the other (H.R. 615) for relief of distressed forest 

 areas. Together, they offer a strong conservation program. 



It is essential to the permanent welfare of the United States that its forests 

 be maintained for continuous production. Three-fourths of all forest land in the 

 United States is in private ownership, including the best, most accessible, and 

 most productive areas. Although some progress toward perpetuation of forest growth 

 has been made by certain forest industry leaders, destructive liquidation and the 

 old practice of cut-out-and-get-out , without regard to future use of the land or 

 dependent families or communities, still goes on, unchecked, over most of the pri 

 vately owned forest lands of the Nation. Continuation of such forest depletion is 

 a public menace. 



One of the two bills I am introducing (HiR. 3850) follows what I believe to 

 be the recommendations of the Secretary of Agriculture er\&amp;lt;\ the &quot;&quot;&quot;orest Service made 

 to the Joint Congressional Committee on Forestry. It provides for the establish 

 ment of systems of forest regulation by the several states, with the federal 

 government sharing the cost of enforcement and carrying out direct enforcement 

 measures only when the states fail to set up a satisfactory system of forest 

 perpetuation. 



It is my opinion, however, that the prevention of destructive forest practices 

 is a direct federal responsibility. I have therefore introduced another bill 

 (H.R. 3849) which calls for direct administration of forest regulations by the 

 United States. I shall urge the Congress to enact this measure calling for direct 

 federal action, in preference to the state option plan. 



The public welfare requires that we stop further destruction of forests, pre 

 vent their further deterioration, and keep them productive. Well-managed forests 

 help reduce damage by floods and erosion; they help maintain the navigability of 

 rivers and harbors; they insure a continuing supply of raw materials essential to 

 industry and employment and to national defense. The Federal Government has 

 already made large investments in the form of federal aid in protection from fire, 



