16 MISC. PUBLICATION 249, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



Forestry in the States 



Forestry work in the States has made notable progress in recent 

 years, and most States now employ foresters in various capacities. 

 The State forester usually carries heavy responsibilities as directing 

 head of a large organization and has under his control the annual 

 disbursement of large appropriations. 



The character of a State forester's work varies among the States. 

 Where forestry is just beginning to receive attention, his first efforts 

 must be largely of an educational and organizational nature. His 

 chief task is to develop a forest policy for the State and to educate 

 the people to protect and improve the handling of the forests within 

 its borders. He must study the needs of the State and then go before 

 the people and show them what must be done to put into effect the 

 policy which he has formulated. He usually has to make a great 

 many public addresses, issue bulletins, write articles for magazines and 

 newspapers, and in every other possible way bring this message to the 

 people. He must also obtain basic legislation and appropriations in 

 addition to engaging in technical forestry work. 



On the other hand, in those States where there is already a settled 

 forestry policy the State forester's work is of a different character. 

 His major activities are usually fire prevention and control, forest 

 planting, educational w r ork, and management of State-owned forests. 



Scope of State Forestry Work 



In the aggregate, some 27 million acres of land are in State forests. 

 The type of administration given these State-owned lands varies. 

 Many State forests are managed intensively, along lines similar to Na- 

 tional Forest management. Some State forests and parks are devoted 

 primarily or entirely to public recreational use. In some States, sub- 

 stantial areas of State forest land — particularly scattered tracts which 

 have come into State ownership through tax delinquency — has as yet 

 received little attention. 



State activity in protecting forests from fire, with the cooperation 

 and financial aid of the Federal Government, has opened a field for 

 the employment of many foresters. Trained men are also used in the 

 propagation and distribution of planting stock. In those States where 

 an active State forestry program has been developed, a number of 

 trained foresters are employed. The State forester's staff may include 

 technical assistants in immediate charge of the various lines of activity 

 carried on by the State organization. District foresters or State forest 

 rangers may be assigned responsibility for the development and main- 

 tenance of the fire control organization and other State forestry work 

 in a designated part of the State. The work of the State District 

 Forester corresponds generally to that of a national District Ranger 

 except that usually he deals cooperatively with private forest-land 

 owners rather than supervising work on lands under his own direct 

 charge. About 5 percent of the State and private forest land needing 

 fire protection was still not covered by organized protection in 1962, 

 and the protective work on some of the areas covered was inadequate 

 to meet critical fire conditions. Extension and intensification of co- 

 operative fire protection to a degree commensurate with the needs 

 would call for employment of many additional trained men in State 

 forestry work. 



