THE INDIAN FORESTS 



By HENRY B. STEER, Senior Forest Economist, United States Forest Service 



(Formerly Supervisor of Forests, United States Indian Service, Department of 



the Interior) 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Historical 607 



Extent and importance of the Indian forest resources 610 



Timber 613 



Annual cut and potential production of timber 613 



Management of Indian forests 614 



Land and allotment policy 614 



Peculiar aspects of Indian problem 618 



General forest policy 620 



Silvicultural practice 621 



Grazing resources and administration 621 



Watershed protection and water conservation 623 



Wildlife 623 



Recreational possibilities 624 



Other uses of Indian forests by Indians 624 



Forest fire prevention and suppression 626 



Control of insects and disease 627 



Development of personnel 628 



Cost of forestry work 629 



Conclusion 629 



Literature cited 632 



HISTORICAL 



Among the duties assigned to the War Department, when it was 

 created by Congress under the act of August 7, 1789, were those 

 " relative to Indian affairs." 



The Office of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs was created in the 

 War Department by the act of July 9, 1832. Subject to the Secretary 

 of War and the President, the Commissioner was to have "the direc- 

 tion and management of all Indian affairs and all matters arising out 

 of Indian relations." Two years later, on June 30, 1834, an act was 

 passed "to provide for the organization of the Department of Indian 

 Affairs." Certain agencies were established, others abolished. This 

 act, considered the organic law of the Indian Department, provided 

 for subagents, interpreters, and other employees, the payment of 

 annuities, the purchase and distribution of supplies, etc. 



The Bureau of Indian Affairs passed from military to civil control 

 when the Department of the Interior was created by the act of March 

 3, 1849. Under section 441 of the Revised Statutes 



The Secretary of the Interior is charged with the supervision of public business 

 relating to * * * the Indians; 



and section 463 provides that 



The Commissioner of Indian Affairs shall, under the direction of the Secretary of 

 the Interior and agreeable to such regulations as the President may prescribe, 

 have the management of all Indian affairs and of all matters arising out of Indian 

 relations (1, p. I). 1 



Italic figures in parentheses refer to literature cited, p. 632. 



607 



