THE CREATION OF THE EASTERN NATIONAL FORESTS 



By W. W. Ashe 



Secretary, National Forest Reservation Commission 



T? LEVEN years ago the great area between northern 

 -'-' Alabama and Maine, including the most accessible 

 and heaviest stands of hardwoods in the United States, 

 was without a National Forest. Today within this area 

 the purchase of 2,148,000 acres is being consummated 

 under the authorization of the National Forest Reserva- 

 tion Commission. The Act under which purchases are 

 being made was passed after more than ten years of 

 agitation on the subject and after numerous bills had 

 been introduced, only to be turned down by committees. 

 As finally passed on March i, 191 1, the so-called "Weeks 

 Law" restricts purchase to 

 such forest lands as are in- 

 fluential in protecting navi- 

 gable streams. It consists of 

 two parts. One provides for 

 cooperation in forest protec- 

 tion between the Federal 

 government and such states 

 as meet certain conditions ; 

 while the second authorizes 

 the purchase of lands which 

 have an influence upon 

 maintaining the navigability 

 of streams. It is thus seen 

 that the measure is compre- 

 hensive. It was realized that 

 it would not be possible or 

 even practicable for the Fed- 

 eral government to acquire 

 all forest lands which might 

 be influential in the protec- 

 tion of our many navigable 

 streams. For this reason 

 the feature embodying co- 

 operation between the Fed- 

 eral government and the 

 states in the protection of 

 lands against fire was in- 



HILLSIDES ONCE HEAVILY FORESTED 



sisting of the Secretary of War, who is president; the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Interior, 

 two members of the Senate and two members of the 

 House of Representatives, and it is necessary for this 

 commission to authorize the acquisition of any lands 

 before they can be purchased. This commission began 

 functioning in 191 1 and it is fortunate that two members 

 of the original body still serve and are acquainted in 

 detail, through personal inspection, with much of the 

 land which has been acquired. 



It is further necessary that the states within which 



purchases are to be made 

 shall give their assent there- 

 to by appropriate legislation. 

 Although the commission 

 under the general Federal 

 statutes and the Acts of con- 

 sent passed by the several 

 states has ample authority 

 to acquire lands by condem- 

 nation, it has as a rule been 

 its policy to resort to con- 

 demnation only in cases 

 where the title situation was 

 such that it was not possible 

 to acquire a clear title fron 

 the proponent, and seeming- 

 ly the ostensible owner of 

 the property, without resort- 

 ing to the courts. The lands 

 consequently have been ac- 

 quired and prices fixed as a 

 result of direct negotiations 

 with the owners. Lands are 

 acquired only within defi- 

 nitely located areas with a 

 view to assembling a mini- 

 mum area of 100,000 acres, 

 or one which will admit of 

 economic administration. 



Now denuded, gullied and unprofitable. So sterile that they do 



not even afford scant pasturage, for sheep. The soil that each 

 corporated with a view to rain removes from their slopes fills the channels of our 

 extending the beneficial in- streams, and necessitates the constant expenditure for dredging These areas are called "Pur- 



for its removal. The eastern National Forests are designed to , tt -^ >> u ^ 1. c 



fluences of the forest in this Jrrect and prevent such conditions as this. chase Umts," but when suf- 



respect. This has proved a ficient land is purchased the 



wise provision and has undoubtedly led many states President proclaims them National Forests and they are 

 which otherwise would not have acted to make the re- then administered in the same manner as other Na- 



quired appropriations to secure the benefit of Federal Clonal Forests. ^ , ^ , , j j 



. , T,, . . , , ,,,., The total area of the forest lands now acquired and 



a.d. The provisions for purchase were well hedged with ^^.^^ ^^^^.^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ authorization of the commis- 



safeguards. It is required that the Geological Survey ^j^^ j^ 2,148,648 acres. These lands are located in eleven 

 shall first determine that the areas selected for purchase ^^^^^^ j^ jg^ states the forests are being built up en- 

 are of such a character that the navigability of streams (.jrgiy by purchase unless exception be taken to the Ala- 

 will be promoted through the protection or maintenance bama National Forest, within which there was a meager 

 of forests thereon. The law creates a commission con- nucleus of 18,000 acres of public domain around which 



