CAREERS IN FORESTRY \ 5 



private lands. The problem of bringing about this improvement con- 

 stitutes a challenge to the profession. Advancement in these phases of 

 forestry has been the objective of several acts of Congress. 



The Federal Government is cooperating in the protection of State 

 and private lands from fire through financial aid to the States under 

 provisions of the Clarke-McNary law of 1924. Fifty States cooperate 

 in fire protection, and the total area of forest lands covered in 1965 

 was approximately 470 million acres. This was about 93 percent of 

 the area in need of protection. The fire protection projects are ad- 

 ministered by or under direction of the State forestry departments, the 

 Forest Service cooperating in development of plans, establishment of 

 standards of procedure, and inspection of the work. Under the terms 

 of the law, the Federal Government limits its expenditures in a given 

 fiscal year to a sum not greater in each State than the funds expended 

 jointly by the State and qualifying private owners. 



The Forest Service is also cooperating under the Clarke-McNary 

 law with 48 States, in addition to Puerto Rico, in the production and 

 distribution of young trees for planting windbreaks, shelterbelts, and 

 forests. Under this program about 509 million trees were distributed 

 to woodland owners in 1965. 



Additional assistance is offered by the Government under the 

 Clarke-McNary law in the form of information for farm woodland 

 owners on the management and care of their timber. In this project 

 the Department of Agriculture cooperates with the States in the main- 

 tenance of extension foresters to provide demonstrations and advice 

 on the more efficient management of farm woodlands, the reforestation 

 of those farmlands not now suitable for agricultural crops, and the 

 marketing and utilization of farm timber. 



Under the Cooperative Forest Management Act of 1950, the Forest 

 Service cooperates with the States in providing on-the-ground tech- 

 nical advice to owners of private forest lands and to processors of 

 primary forest products. In 1965 nearly 100,000 woodland owners in 

 49 States and Puerto Rico were assisted in cooperation with State 

 foresters. 



International Forestry 



Since 1950, U.S. foresters, particularly those in the Forest Service, 

 have substantially increased their participation in international forestry. 

 Some are sent abroad to help developing countries set up forestry and 

 related programs. More and more American foresters are attending 

 and presenting papers at international forestry meetings. Visiting for- 

 eign students, scientists, and administrators are receiving help to secure 

 a forestry education, knowledge of American forestry practices, and an 

 understanding of how U.S. public and private forests are administered. 



Assignments of U.S. foresters to developing countries may be under 

 one of the aid programs of the United Nations or the bilateral aid 

 program of the United States (U.S. Agency for International Develop- 

 ment). Persons qualifying for these assignments must be experienced 

 in some field of forestry, may be required to possess language capabil- 

 ity other than English, and must have the empathy and tact needed 

 to work effectively with persons of another culture. 



The multi-nation approach to forestry problems and the interna- 

 tional exchange of scientific information are becoming increasingly 

 important. 



