OUR NATIONAL FORESTS 115 



ply these in order that forestry and particularly fire control can 

 be made possible. 



All this has required an organization and in the practical 

 working out of the system of National Forests, the country 

 has been divided into nine districts, eight in the United States, 

 and one in Alaska. In charge of all the National Forests in 

 each district is a District Forester, with headquarters usually in 

 the most important city in his territory. Aiding him are ex- 

 perts in charge of lumbering, grazing, fire protection, and other 

 activities. Directly responsible for the administration of each 

 forest and living either within it, or close to it, is the Supervisor. 

 He is the official in immediate charge of his particular forest 

 and beneath him is a corps of rangers, an office force, and 

 sometimes a number of timber sale experts. The forest itself is 

 divided into ranger districts, each administered by a District 

 Ranger. 



So the whole Forest Service fabric is based on a system of 

 direct responsibility to superior officers all the way up the 

 line. The District Ranger is responsible to the Forest Supervisor 

 for his Ranger District. The Supervisor is responsible to the 

 District Forester for his Forest, and the District Forester re- 

 ports directly to the Chief Forester in Washington concerning 

 the activities within his particular district. 



Here in America, and especially in so far as our National 

 Forests are concerned we are still in the pioneer stage of devel- 

 oping transportation and fire protection on these forests. Fed- 

 eral foresters have not yet reached the point where they can put 

 as much attention as they should like to their main job of 

 growing timber. There is as yet hardly a beginning of forest 

 culture on the National Forests. There is scarcely any planting. 



