EEPOKT OF THE FORESTER. 



U. S. Department or Agriculture, 



Forest Service, 

 Washington, D. C, November 15, 1906. 

 Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the v^ork of 

 the Forest Service for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1906, together 

 with an outline of the plans for the work of the Service for the 

 eurreiit fiscal 3'ear. 



Respectfully, Giitord Pinchot, 



Forester. 

 Hon. Ja:\ies Wilsox, Secretary. 



SUMMARY. 



The most important facts concerning the Forest Service during the 

 past year were: 



A marked improvement in the efficiency of the force on the forest 

 reserves, due to the progressive education of the men in their duties 

 and the removal of incompetent or otherwise undesirable members. 



A marked increase in cooperation between office and field men and 

 the disappearance of any divergence in their points of vieAv and atti- 

 tude toward the common work. In this all the offices of the Service 

 have cooperated, but special mention should be made of the Office of 

 Record. 



The collection for the first time of a fee for grazing on the forest 

 reserves. After the first protests, unavoidable but remarkably few in 

 number, the fees were paid without friction or ill will, thanks in large 

 part to the appointment of advisory boards by local associations of 

 stockmen at the invitation of the Forest Service. 



A remarkable increase in the amount of timber sold from the forest 

 reserves and given away in free use, and a still more remarkable 

 decrease in forest fires. But three-tenths of 1 per cent of the forest 

 reserves suffered from fire during the summer of 1905. 



A very striking increase in the use of the reserves by the people of 

 the West and in their good will and support to the forest policy. 

 Opposition to the forest reserves is substantially at an end. It has 

 been replaced by a rapidly growing cooperation and approval. 



It is due to members of the Forest Service to say that, in spite of 

 the greatly increased responsibilities and pressure of other work 

 which followed the transfer of the forest reserves to the care of the 

 Forest Service, they contributed notably to the Avork of the assistant 

 comiriittees of the Committee on Department Methods. 



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