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AMERICAN FORESTRY 



one can make camp among the tall trunks of spruce 

 or fir or stand on the top of a massive mountain peak 

 without being the better for it. The magnificent moun- 

 tain land, the lakes of the North, the great sweep of the 

 ocean coast whether bordered by rugged cliffs or sandy 

 beach- all have some touch of the Infinite in them that, if 

 he be kindred of Nature whatever, calls to man with an 

 irresistible voice and makes him a better citizen, mentally, 

 physically and spiritually for having lived in their pres- 

 ence even if only for a few hours. 



Grant that recreation of this type is a thing good for 

 the Nation; that every year will see a greater mass of 

 people leaving their city environs to play in the woods, 



especially adapted to outdoor play and right now is 

 not too soon to start taking stock so we may have the 

 greatest return from these areas without loss of effort, 

 funds and scenic values. 



Decided steps in advancing the organization of the 

 recreation resources of the country have been made in 

 the last four or five years. And these are the more en- 

 couraging because the thing that is most needed today in 

 the field of national recreation is organization of plan- 

 ning, administration and development. 



First among these is the organization of the National 

 Park Service which has charge of the administration and 

 development of the great areas within the borders of 



A VACATION LAND WHERE YOU CAN UTTERLY LOSE YOURSELF AND FORGET THE WORLD OF MEN IS FOUND IN THE 

 NATIONAL FORESTS. WITH PACK TRAIN AND GUIDE YOU CAN LOAF ALONG THROUGH FORESTS AND MEADOWS AND 

 VISIT SCORES OF PLACES THAT WILL SATISFY YOUR LONGING FOR THE GREAT, UNSPOILED WILDERNESS. THIS IS 

 A SPOT NEAR OBSERVATION POINT ON WHEELER TRAIL, ON THE RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST IN CCLORADO 



mountains, lake-lands and beach-places. Again comes the 

 question : Where is this leading us to ? Are we ever 

 going to face a recreation famine? 



The idea seems absurd. Some would believe it enters 

 the sphere of the ridiculous. Today the putting of such 

 a question would seem unwarranted. But scoffers not 

 long ago said that our timber supply was inexhaustible. 

 It was said also that our farm land was unlimited. Our 

 coal supply was reckoned adequate for every need for 

 scores of years to come. Today recreation stands in the 

 same position that these other great National resources 

 did some few years ago. It seems unlimited. But there 

 is a limit to the recreational use of our great areas, 



these national scenic centers. Under this head have 

 been gathered together the many units which at present 

 make up the system of National Parks and which before 

 were without any centralized direction. This new Service 

 is still comparatively young but its creation alone is a 

 step forward. 



Of no less importance is the advancement of the recre- 

 ational use of the forests and it's recognition by the 

 United States Forest Service as a major use. Within 

 the National Forests in such isolated tracts of small 

 size as to not merit a separate administration are many 

 spots of beauty equal to any found in other parts of the 

 country. Besides these spots of exceptional beauty there 



