174 Fourth Annual Report of the 



there are approximately 580 miles of shore line suitable for camp- 

 ing purposes. There is a distinct demand by the people for 

 permanent rather than temporary use of these lands. At present 

 only tents with board floors are permitted. They are sufficient 

 for the transient but the person who desires to spend a few weeks, 

 especially with a family, requires, in order to secure proper en- 

 joyment, a structure that affords better protection and will allow 

 housing of equipment during the remainder of the year. 



A demand has, therefore, been developing that the State lease 

 small parcels of land for a period of years for that purpose. 



The State is now maintaining this vast area at a large expense 

 and such use would detract little, if any, from the demands made 

 by the State upon this area. The general opinion seems to be 

 that a permanent occupant, contrasted with a transient, would 

 become a better protector of the forests, fish and game, that the 

 investment made as a result of the lease would create in the lessee 

 a personal, permanent interest in protection of the forests from 

 trespass or fire, an assurance that the fishing in the body of water 

 upon which he was camping would not be injured by illegal 

 methods, nor game similarly taken. 



There can be no question that such use would produce a 

 revenue, although there would be required an initial investment 

 for surveys and organization. 



There are questions, such as the size of parcel ; period of lease ; 

 proportion of sites, on a particular body of water, to be used; 

 amount of rental to be charged ; restriction to be imposed ; supply 

 of wood for fuel ; and doubtless others which must be considered. 

 They are largely administrative problems, but some of them are 

 so broad that they affect State policy. 



Indirect Uses. — The fact that many of our important rivers 

 have their headwaters in the Adirondack and Catskill region and 

 that forest cover has a beneficial effect in regulating the flow 

 of streams coupled with numerous other previously enumerated 

 functions makes the preservation of forests within this area of 

 great importance to the State. It is a factor which, as a matter 

 of State policy, deserves first consideration. The really important 

 question is how much the indirect benefits will be reduced if the 

 direct uses (lumbering and leasing of camp sites) are realized. 



