A Long Fight Ended. 



Forest Reserves in Appalachian and White Mountains now assured. 



For years past the advocates of 

 forestry in the United States have 

 been endeavoring to secure legisla- 

 tion through which fon'st reserves 

 could he created in the Eastern 

 United States, chiefly in the White 

 Mountains and in the Appalachians. 

 The effort has all along met with 

 vigorous and persistent opposition, 

 but in February last a bill, known as 

 the 'Weeks' l)ill, was finally passed 

 through C^ongress, and received the 

 assent of President Taft on March 

 Ist. 



The members of the Canadian For- 

 estry Association present their hearty 

 congratulations to their U. S. con- 

 freres on this successful ending of 

 one of the l)iggcst tights ever waged 

 in forestry annals on this continent, 

 and trust that their highest antici- 

 pations may be realized in regard to 

 the reserve. 



The Act does not directly create 

 forest reservations in the Appala- 

 chian region. In fact it is so general 

 in character that under its provisions 

 action might be taken in any part 

 of the United States. A good gen- 

 eral idea of the nature and scope of 

 the Act may be gained from its title : 

 'An Act to enable any State to co- 

 operate with any other State or 

 States, or with the United States, 

 for the protection of the watersheds 

 of navigable streams, and to ap- 

 point a commission for the acquisi- 

 tion of lands for the purpose of con- 

 serving the navigability of navigable 

 rivers. ' 



The first section of the Act en- 

 ables any State of the Union to en- 

 ter into agreement with any other 

 State or States 'for the purpose of 

 conserving the forests and the water 

 supply of such States.' 



The next section puts in the hands 



of the Secretary of Agriculture the 

 sum of $200,000 for the purpose of 

 co-operating 'with any State or 

 group of States, when requested to 

 do so, in the protection from fire of 

 the forested watersheds of navigable 

 streams.' This authorization limits 

 the amount of federal money ex- 

 pended in any State in any given 

 year to the amount appropriated by 

 that State for the same purpose dur- 

 ing the same year. 



The most significant sections of 

 the Act are those which provide for 

 the establishment of forest reserves. 

 The first element in this provision 

 is an appropriation of $2,000,000 a 

 year for five years ending with June 

 30, 1915, 'for use in the examination, 

 survey and acquirement of lands lo- 

 cated in the headwaters of navigable 

 streams or those which are being, or 

 which may be, developed for navi- 

 gable purposes.' The expenditure 

 of money under this provision of the 

 Act is conditioned (1) upon investi- 

 gation by the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture, (2) examination and approval 

 by the Geolocrieal Survey, (3) recom- 

 mendation for the purchase of lands 

 and fixing of price by the National 

 Forest Reservation Commission, and 

 finally (4) actual purchase by the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, with ap- 

 proval as to payments and land title 

 by the Attorney General of the 

 United States. 



The National Forest Resen'ation 

 Commission created by this Act is 

 to consist of seven members, includ- 

 ing the Secretaries of "War, of the 

 Interior and of Agriculture, two 

 members of the Senate (chosen by 

 the President of the Senate), and 

 two members of the House of Re- 

 presentatives (chosen by the 

 Speaker). This commission is to rc- 



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