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THE national forests with their lakes, streams, mountain ranges, and mountain 

 peaks, including an area more than five times as large as all New England, contain a 

 large part of the natural outdoor recreational areas in the United States. 



The Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, charged with the 

 custodianship of the national forests, considers these recreational possibilities as public 

 resources, to be wisely used and carefuUy safeguarded. Because of the public demand 

 for use of these recreational areas, the Forest Service, within the limits of the funds avail- 

 able and consistent with the primary purposes for which the national forests have been 

 created, is doing everything possible to properly and adequately develop these recrea- 

 tional resources for public use. 



The Civilian Conservation Corps, during the last 3 years, has made it possible to 

 carry on an extensive program of work in the development of these recreational areas 

 which otherwise would have been impossible or long delayed. 



In order to protect the forests from fire, to provide sanitary safeguards, and to furnish 

 suitable public conveniences, it has been necessary to designate thousands of camp- 

 grounds and picnic areas and to provide these areas with simple and adequate 

 improvements. 



On the great majority of campgrounds and picnic areas fires are essential for cooking, 

 for campfires, and for warming fires. To fully protect the forest growth, on and surrounding 

 these recreational areas, it is necessary that these fires be confined within camp stoves, 

 fireplaces and campfire circles. The importance of appropriate design for these features 

 has prompted the Forest Service to make a careful and extensive study of this subject in 

 order to determine the types of camp stoves and fireplaces best adapted to use under 

 varying conditions. 



This subject is of growing significance because of the increasing importance of 

 recreational activities not only in the national forests; but on all recreational areas 

 throughout the United States in connection with which these facilities are essential. 



Mr. A. D. Taylor, consulting landscape architect for the Forest Service, made a 

 careful study of this problem during the summer and fall of 1935. He has condensed his 

 findings into the following pages. As the author states, it is fully appreciated that this 

 presentation of the subject cannot be considered as complete. The text and drawings 

 represent an effort at this time to make available in clear and definite form, the most 

 authoritative information compiled to date on the subject of camp stoves and fireplaces. 



It is my hope that this publication will be of real value to forest officers and to 

 the thousands of others responsible for the planning and construction of recreational 

 improvements throughout the United States. 



June 5, 1936. 



Chief, Forest Service. 



