THE RELATION OF FORESTS AND FORESTRY TO HUMAN WELFARE 



"Forests are more than trees. They are rather land areas on ^vhich are 

 associated various forms of plant and animal life. The forester must deal 

 with all. Wild life is as essentially and legitimately a part of his care as 

 are water, wood and forage. Forest administration should be planned with 

 a view to realizing all possible benefits from the land areas handled. It 

 should take account of their indirect value for recreation and health as 

 well as their value for the production of salable material ; and of their 

 value for the production of meat, hides and furs of all kinds as well as for 

 the production of wood and the protection of water supplies. 



" Unquestionably the working out of a program of wild life protection 

 which will give due weight to all the interests affected is a delicate task. 

 It is impossible to harmonize the differences between the economic, the 

 esthetic, the sporting and the commercial viewpoints. Nevertheless, the 

 practical difficulties are not so great as the}- appear on the surface.'' 



Hexry S. Graves, 

 Former Chief Forester, U. S. Forest Service. ■ 

 Recreation, Vol. 52, p. 236; 1915. 



" Outdoor recreation is a necessity of civilized life, and as civilization 

 becomes more intensive the demand grows keener. The vast extent of our 

 present National Forests, their enticing wildness, and the notable beauty 

 of the native landscape lure men and women thither by hundreds of thou- 

 sands. The really enormous extent and value of this kind of forest product 

 has been generally overlooked in America. This oversight, however, is only 

 local and temporary. In older countries, where public forests have existed 

 for centuries, the recreation use of such areas has always been recognized. 

 It would be perfectly easy to show that recreation was, in fact, the original 

 and primary purpose in the creation of public forests. 



" The moment that recreation (using this word in a very liberal mean- 

 ing) is recognized as a legitimate Forest utility the way is opened for a 

 more intelligent administration - of the National Forests. Recreation then 

 takes its proper place along with all other utilities. In each particular 

 case these utilities are weighed against one another and a plan of admin- 

 istration devised to adjust and harmonize, to the utmost po-nt practicable, 

 the various forms of use so that the largest net total of public good may 

 be secured. Where one must be subordinated to another, preference is 

 given to that of highest value to the public." 



Fraxk a. \A\\UGH, 

 Collaborator, U. S. Forest Service. 

 Recreation Uses on the National Forests, pp. 3-4. 5; 1918. 



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