Kay 25, 1940. 



OUTLIWb; OP 



AH ACT TO CONSERVE ANT BlPROVfc THE FOREST RESOURCES OF THB UNiTi ,D 

 STATES FOR THEIR TOLL ECONOKIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL VALU AKD AS 

 All ESSENTIAL ELE10 NT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE j TO ABOLISH DESTRUCTIVE 

 TIMBER CUTTING PRACTICES AND ROV1DE FOR KEEPING FOREST LANDS 

 PRODUCTIVE; TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC INVESTMENTS IN FLOOD AND KROSIGN 

 CONTROL, RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS, AGRICULTURAL AND OTHER 

 CS3DITS AND COOPERATIVE PROTECTION OF FORESTS.* 



Sec, 1, Legislative Finding 



It is hereby declared as a matter of legialatire finding that 



of our remaining timber and of our forest land, and the most 



productive portion, are privately owied; that i of these lands have 

 been cut over and mostly with scant regard for the future of the land and 

 dependent populations) that failure to keep such lands productive has 

 resulted in &quot;aty abandoned communities, much unemployment, widespread tax 

 delinquency and other economic and social ills; that mistreatment of such 

 lands has in many places contributed heavily to soil erosion, floods, 

 impaired navigability of streams and reduction of the productive capacity 

 of the soil itself i that there is still no assurance of tho establishment 

 and maintenance on these lands of cutting practices and other measures to 

 keep them productive; that these conditions place additional financial 

 burdens on the public for relief of unemployment | jeopardise Federal and 

 other public investments in flood and erosion control, river and harbor 



* See bills HR 3849 and HR 3850, 77th Congress, 1st session ed, 



