FOR AN APPALACHIAN NATIONAL PARK 



BY DONALD GIIXIS 



TO promote the establishment by may be necessary to carry out these 



the United States of a great na- purposes and to make the most suitable 



tional park system in the South- parts of such purchases available to the 



ern Appalachian mountains The people for recreation, pleasure, and 



Appalachian Park Association was health." 



formed at Asheville, N. C., a short It is the intention of the association 

 time ago, with Governor Locke Craig to be an auxiliary to the Reservation 

 of North Carolina as president and Commission and the Forest Service, at- 

 George S. Powell as sercetary. The taining. its aim by supporting these gov- 

 conduct of its affairs is entrusted to a ernmental agencies in securing the ex- 

 board of directors, headquarters being tensive purchase areas they desire. It 

 in Asheville. will therefore seek to have purchases 

 The scope of the association is not under the Weeks law concentrated and 

 sectional, its list of vice-presidents, not consolidated and not made in fragmen- 

 yet completed, including the governors tary units incapable of harmonious de- 

 of Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, South velopment. The organization merely 

 Carolina, and Tennessee, and citizens seeks results to attain them it is en- 

 representative of other parts of the tirely willing to efface itself, 

 country such as Charles Lathrop Pack, The organization believes its purpose 

 of Lakewood, N. J. ; E. W. Grove, of and methods of procedure to achieve 

 St. Louis ; Mrs. William Cummings it are practicable. Certainly the men 

 Story, president of the D. A. R. ; nor is back of it are practical ; they are for the 

 any suggestion made as to location of a most part men of affairs, familiar with 

 park, although it is assumed that a great difficulties and the means of overcom- 

 mountain park would naturally be ing them, but sentimental enough to dis- 

 where the Appalachians culminate in interestedly work for the preservation 

 their highest peaks and where climate of this mountain wonderland for pos- 

 and natural beauty would make for the terity. If they day-dream it is that a 

 most attractiveness. comprehensive system of national roads 

 The association plans look to con- through national parks, connecting with 

 verting the most suitable parts of pur- radiating State roads, may become a 

 chases under the W'eeks law into parks, reality in the near and not distant 

 thus making them available to the peo- future. 



pie for recreation, pleasure and health, The association seeks to popularize 

 as well as serving the primary purpose itself and make itself an agency through 

 of conserving the water supplies of nav- whom the people will act. To this end 

 igable streams. It is therefore declared its membership dues are placed at ten 

 in the constitution that "Its principal cents. Most of those who have sub- 

 purposes are to urge the National For- scribed to its organization fund have 

 est Reservation Commission to acquire furnished lists of names to the payment 

 as rapidly as possible under the Weeks of whose dues the subscriptions were 

 law the larger areas proposed or recom- applied. The organization has alread\ 

 mended by the Commission and the effectively interested influential agen- 

 Forest Service for purchase in the Ap- cies favorably to its aims and is work 

 palachian mountains, and to ask Con- ing persistently and methodicall 

 gress for such additional legislation as not swiftly. 



The gathering and selling of acorns is a new industry. ' 



nursery firms with material for forest planting. 



37 



