32 MISC. PUBLICATION 16 2, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



The Civilian Conservation Corps was created for the major pur- 

 poses of building up youiig American manhood, of assisting in the 

 great amount of work necessary to the best development and perpetua- 

 ron of our forests, and of helping to prevent soil erosión and the 

 devastating floods which frequently follow the destruction of forest 

 cover. The work is organized under the Director of the Civilian 

 Conservation Corps and is part of the recently created Federal 

 Security Agency. Assisting the Director, however, is an advisory 

 council composed of members from the Federal Departments co- 

 operating in the work, namely, Labor, War, Agriculture, and Interior. 

 The various duties delegated to these Departments are selecting, 

 enrolling, and transporting the men, building their camps, and plan- 

 ning and supervising their work. 



CCC camps are located on national parks, Indian reservations, and 

 on State and private lands, as well as on national forests. A large 

 percent of the camps is directly or indirectly under the supervisión 

 of the Forest Service, which seleets all camp locations and work 

 projeets on national forests, and plans and supervises the execution 

 of the work on these forests, besides furnishing the necessary equip- 

 ment and transportation. In addition, the Forest Service must pass 

 on all projeets on State and private lands (excepting State parks) and 

 is charged with the responsibility of supervising, assisting, and advis- 

 ing State authorities in the conduct of the work done on such 

 projeets. 



COOPERATION WITH THE STATES 



The Federal Government is cooperating with the States in the 

 prevention and suppression of forest fires. This cooperation was 

 first authorized by the Weeks law, which provided for Federal aid 

 in protecting forested watersheds from fire to any State that would 

 spend in the same year an amount at least equal to the Federal ex- 

 penditure. Since 1924, however, cooperation with the States has 

 been carried on under the provisions of the Clarke-McNary Act, 

 considered the most forward step in forestry taken since the passage 

 of the Weeks law. This act provides for cooperation with such 

 States as have State or other forestry organizations in the protec- 

 tion of forests from fire, in assisting farmers in the handling of their 

 woods, and in the growing and distribution of young trees for plant- 

 ing. Funds necessary to carry on the work under the Clark-McNary 

 Act are furnished by the Federal Government, and proportionate 

 amounts are provided by the States. 



State Forestry 



State interest in forestry antedated Federal forestry by many 

 years. As early as 1777, North Carolina, and in 1787, South 

 Carolina, enacted laws against willful and careless woods burning. 

 In 1867, Michigan and Wisconsin both made inquiries hito conditions 

 and needs of their forests. In 1869, the Maine Board of Agriculture 

 appointed a committee to report on a forest policy for the State, and 

 in 1872 the Maine Legislature enacted a law "for the encouragement 

 of the growth of trees." By this law, lands planted with trees were 

 exempt from taxation for 20 years. Laws oífering tree planters 



