1544 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



PROGRAM FOR SPECIFIC TYPES OF RECREATIONAL 



AREAS 



It is important to consider, for each of the important types of 

 recreational land discussed in the section on The Forest for Recrea- 

 tion, what action within the next few years seems desirable. 



SUPERLATIVE AREAS 



(Localities with unique scenic values, so surpassing and stupendous in their 

 beauty as to affect almost everyone who sees them) 



(1) A thorough survey of the entire country to find any forest areas 

 of superlative scenic value which may not now be adequately pro- 

 tected as national parks, national forests, and State parks. 



(2) Setting aside as national parks, national forests, or State parks 

 of any such areas thus discovered. 



(3) Educating the public into an appreciation of the proper use of 

 superlative areas. This is a function of both public and private 

 organizations. 



PRIMEVAL AREAS 



(Tracts of old-growth timber in which human activities have never upset the 

 normal processes of nature) 



(4) An immediate organized survey to find adequate areas of 

 old-growth timber in each important forest type which might be 

 devoted to recreational enjoyment. 



(5) Setting aside from all commodity exploitation those desirable 

 primeval areas which the survey indicates are already included in 

 public lands. 



(6) Public purchase or acceptance as gifts of those tracts at present 

 in private ownership which should be reserved as primeval areas. 

 Purchase by the Federal Government may generally be preferable 

 to purchase by the States or counties, because forest types are not 

 confined by State boundaries. In many cases, also, there is greater 

 stability to Federal forest policy. Further, if we are to retain a 

 museum of the finest manifestations of each important forest type, 

 such a museum will certainly be of national and not merely local 

 interest. 



(7) Continuation of studies already begun as to the effect of various 

 degrees of use on the biological well-being of primeval areas. 



(8) Construction of trails which most visitors will automatically 

 follow instead of wandering promiscuously and trampling down soil 

 and vegetation throughout the tract. 



WILDERNESS AREAS 



(Regions which contain no permanent inhabitants, possess no means of mechan- 

 ical conveyance, and are sufficiently spacious that a person may spend at least 

 a week or two of travel in them without crossing his own tracks) 



(9) Consideration of the desirability of establishing as wilderness 

 areas those large tracts on the national forests and the Indian reserva- 

 tions which have not yet been dissected by roads, but which have 

 not thus far been reserved as wilderness areas. 



(10) Consideration of the suitability of the Okefenokee Swamp as 

 a wilderness area and the practicability of its public purchase. 



