FOREST RECREATION DEPARTMENT 



Arthur H. Carhart, Editor 



A FEDERATION OF OUTDOOR CLUBS 



TiyfANY outdoor organizations with closely allied in- 

 '' terests have for many years been working for simi- 

 lar objectives. The ai^ouncement that there is to be a 

 convention in St. Louis the last week in April at which 

 it is hoped to form a centralized federation is a giant 

 stride in the right direction. 



According to informal information the convention is to 

 be called by Governor Hyde, of Missouri. It is to have 

 as a presiding officer no less a figure in outdoor activities 

 than Mr. Albert Britt, editor of "Outing." Many friends 

 of the big outdoors have expressed their interest in the 

 convention and under the leadership of these two men 

 much that is good will undoubtedly be accomplished. 



The announcement indicates interesting things and pos- 

 sibilities. The greatest of these is the fact that the mem- 

 bers of the universal outdoor fraternity have come to the 

 conclusion that there is to be a central organization where 

 will be common meeting ground. A review of the past 

 will show how necessary this is. 



Naturalists, geologists, foresters, landscape architects, 

 park boards, outdoor societies, forestry associations and 

 many other groups of people are all interested in some 

 phase of the outdoors. As a result many societies have 

 been formed which have as their aim the advancement 



of a certain field of outdoor work. This list might be 

 indefinitely lengthened to take in hundreds of profes- 

 sional groups and popular societies interested in some 

 phase of nature. Besides these there is a large group of 

 sportsmen in the country who are vitally interested in 

 many fields. 



Each society has limitations in its scope of work. This 

 has been necessary to accomjjlish results. If each had 

 tried to spread over all outdoors there would have been 

 little accomplishment in the past and a great deal of 

 confusion. 



Rut the various organizations in limiting themselves to 

 one particular field of outdoor activities have often lost 

 sight of the fact that certain phases of their work are 

 closely linked up with those of other societies. The inter- 

 relationship between all things outdoors has been lost in 

 these clubs of limited fields because the study of detail is 

 more engrossing to the human mind than is the study of 

 the whole. It is more easily understood and more fully 

 developed knowledge of a limited activity may be grasped 

 by the enthusiast, whether he be a trained scientist work- 

 ing in that field or an amateur. 



A few illustrations will serve to point out this mutual 



JUST YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR ON A PICNIC. 



Even the casual picnicker is interested in all things outdoors. He is therefore interested in the formation of an organization to 



promote its welfare. 



