CHAPTER XIV 



THE FOREST SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL FORESTS 



1. HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT 



Prior to 1891 when Congress authorized the President to set aside 

 forest reserves which later became known as National Forests, the 

 public domain or national property belonging to the government 

 throughout the West was given practically no protection, care, or 



FIG. 99. Map showing location of the National Forests. There are approximately 

 170 million acres of National Forests equivalent to over five times the total 



area of Pennsylvania. 



management. It was being recklessly burned, and much timber and 

 other resources were being illegally taken from it. As there was no 

 organization to protect it, the people generally regarded government 

 property as belonging to no one in particular and therefore available 

 for private use and exploitation. 



It was not until 1897, in fact, that provision was made in the 

 Division of Forestry for the administration of forest reserves that 



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