OUR FORESTS 29 



National-Forest Administration 



National forests are in reality huge timber farms, operated for 

 the benefit of the Nation as a whole. Lying as they do in all the 

 forest regions of the country, they contain some representation of 

 most of the important commercial timber species. The production 

 of timber is one of the main reasons for their establishment, and 

 the forests are managed so that they will produce a continuous 

 supply. In them are, therefore, found stands of trees ranging from 

 tiny seedlings to veterans of perhaps several hundred years 5 growth. 

 Mature or ripe standing timber which is not growing at a profitable 

 rate and which should be cut to make room for the younger genera- 

 tions, may be advertised and sold on the open market to the highest 

 bidder. All cutting, however, must be done according to forestry 

 principies; trees being left to form the basis of future crops. Care 

 is taken not to cut to such an extent as to impair the protective 

 cover that the forest affords on the watersheds of streams, for the 

 national forests are as important to the Nation as conservators of 

 water as they are for the production of timber. They also serve 

 the public in many other ways — as grazing grounds for millions of 

 cattle and sheep, as recreation grounds, and as homes for wildlife. 



The general manager in charge of each of Únele Sam's timber 

 farms is known as the forest supervisor. The supervisor is directly 

 responsible to the regional forester and with the latter plans the 

 work of his forest. Upon the supervisor devolves the successful 

 administration of the forest. He must see that a continuous supply 

 of timber is produced and that the proper use is made of all other 

 forest resources. And, too, he is responsible for the eífective op- 

 eration of the system of fire protection and control worked out for 

 his forest. 



Every national forest is divided into smaller units, or ranger dis- 

 triets, each, under the supervisión of a district ranger. The rangers 

 manage their distriets in accordance with the general administrative 

 plans made by the supervisor and perform the routine work required 

 in the supervisión of timber sales, grazing, free uses, and special uses 

 of the forest. They also look after the construction of roads, trails, 

 bridges, telephone lines, and other permanent improvements. Rang- 

 ers have supervisión over the recreational f eatures of the forests and 

 see to it that reereationists do not abuse the privileges granted them. 

 The most constant and difficult phase of the rangers' work, however, 

 is that involved in protecting the forest from fire. The forest 

 ranger is therefore of necessity a hard-working, highly useful citizen 

 and public officer upon whom rests much of the responsibility for 

 the successful management of the national forests (fig. 17). 



RESEARCH 



The Government's forest work does not end with the administra- 

 tion of the national forests. Among other things, the Forest Service 

 is doing extensive work in forest research, and conduets many inves- 

 tigations designed to promote the best use of the forests of the 

 United States, whether in public or prívate ownership. Some of 

 these investigations concern the growth, management, and protec- 



