A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 479 



yield forestry, it is virtually imperative that where there is combined 

 timber and recreational use the area must be in the hands of the 

 public. 



Throughout the East a good part of the forest hiking will have to 

 be done in outing areas. In the West outing areas are often import- 

 ant adjuncts to popular residence areas. An example is the Desola- 

 tion Valley in California, a tract of 41,000 acres near the much- visited 

 Lake Tahoe. This basin has neither remarkable beauty nor remark- 

 able timber, yet the Forest Service has set it aside exclusively for 

 recreational use. It is much too small for any real wilderness journey, 

 but is splendidly adapted for a day's walk or an overnight trip. 



The character of outing areas will depend on what forest is avail- 

 able. In certain devastated sections of the East the most beautiful 

 stands of timber remaining are such as might not even be considered 

 for recreation in most regions. On the plains the only forest will 

 generally be plantations which, although in their particular locality 

 they may seem of surprising beauty, in other parts of the country 

 would appear exceptionally unattractive. 



Outing areas will have special value as buffers for superlative and 

 primeval areas. Superlative areas tend to attract large numbers of 

 people. If these crowds are permitted to camp in the midst of the 

 most stupendous scenery, they seriously distract the onlooker, for a 

 throng of tourists does not seem to blend with surpassing natural 

 beauty. Yet hotels, camp grounds, and various services are needed 

 for the crowds which visit these superlative areas. Hence arises the 

 desirability of attractive buffers adjacent to the unique phenomena 

 which draw the tourists. Here the large number of visitors can 

 reside comfortably and amid pleasant surroundings, and yet not mar 

 by their presence the value of the beauty which they came to enjoy. 



The need of outing areas as adjuncts to many of the primeval areas 

 is quite different. Primeval areas will generally be small, simply 

 because in most forest types no large tracts of virgin timber are 

 available. Any development of trails within these small primeval 

 areas should link with forests outside, so that the pedestrian or horse- 

 back rider may not be confined in his enjoyment to the relatively 

 brief time it takes to travel through the primeval forest. Such 

 outside trails should lead through forest areas characterized by a con- 

 siderable degree of beauty. Often this will necessitate the exclusion 

 of all logging from the buffer forest. 



The size of outing areas will vary from a few acres up to the lower 

 size limits of wilderness areas. In general such areas will be dis- 

 tinguished by their accessibility, and this will tend to curtail the 

 possibility of large dimensions. 



THE PROBLEMS OF FOREST RECREATION 

 USE WITHOUT DESTRUCTION 



Anybody who visits the popular outing centers near the large 

 American cities on public holidays cannot fail to be impressed by the 

 immense number of people in search of forest recreation. Almost 

 every possible open spot along the highways will be filled with pic- 

 nickers and campers cooking their meals, pitching tents, playing 

 games, swinging from trees, and noisily giving vent to pent-up child- 

 like impulses which are rigidly curbed under city regimentation. At 



