CHAPTER IV 



[•HE FOREST RESERVES SINCE 1897: THE PERIOD OF 

 CONSERVATION ACTIVITY 



THE "GOLDEN ERA" OF FOREST CONSERVATION ACTIVITY 



i'HE decade following the passage of the act of 1897 may be regarded 

 the "golden era" of the conservation movement, for more was 

 lomplished during this decade than during any similar period in 



le history of that movement. 

 In 1897, there were less than ten professional foresters in the 



juntry, no field equipment, no real understanding of forestry any- 

 rhere, except with a few men like Fernow and Pinchot. The Division 

 »f Forestry was still merely a bureau of information, employing a 



)tal of thirteen persons, including five clerks and one messenger. In 

 1898, however, Gifford Pinchot was appointed Chief of the Division 

 )f Forestry, and under his administration the development of for- 



stry work was almost phenomenal. Pinchot was young, ambitious, 



rained in the best forest schools of Europe, with a large fortune, and 



driving zeal for public service, coupled with a winning personality, 

 ^great power of leadership and organization — a "millionaire with a 

 mission." Fortunately he was working under a man who was able to 

 appreciate those qualities ; and President Roosevelt probably sought 

 the counsel of Pinchot more than that of any other man in Washing- 

 ton. These two men represented a force which was able to accomplish 

 great things for conservation.^ 



PUBLIC OPINION AND CONSERVATION 



Public interest in forest conservation developed very rapidly during 



this period, largely because of the influence of Pinchot and Roosevelt. 



1 Fernow, "History of Forestry," 420: Report, Sec. of Agr., 1912, 229-243; Pro- 

 ceedings, Society of Am. Foresters, May, 1905: American Magazine, Jan., 1908: 

 Current Literature, 47, 388: Independent, 64, 415, 1374: No. Am. Rev., 188, 740: 

 Outlook, 87, 291, 292; 92, 718; 93, 770; 94, 282: World's Work, 16, 10235, 10427; 19, 

 12662; 20, 12871. 



I 



