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 landowners rather 

 than supervising work on lands under his own direct charge. Nearly 

 one-third of the State and private forest land needing fire protection 

 was still not covered by organized protection in 1944, and the protec- 

 tive work on many of the areas covered was inadequate. Extension and 

 intensification of cooperative fire protection to a degree commensurate 

 with the needs would call for employment of many additional trained 

 men in State forestry work. 



In some States, political domination has interfered with the prog- 

 ress of State forestry work. Positions have been filled on the basis of 

 political considerations rather than technical qualifications, and a 

 change in State government administration has meant a general turn- 

 over of forestry personnel. The Federal Forest Service and the forestry 

 profession generally are giving every possible encouragement to the 

 development of State forestry work on a nonpolitical basis, with ap- 

 pointments made strictly on the basis of professional qualification and 

 merit. 



State Forests 



In the aggregate, some 19 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 national- 

 forest management. Some State forests and parks are devoted primar- 

 ily or entirely to public recreational use. In some States, substantial 

 areas of State forest land— particularly scattered tracts which have come 

 into State ownership through tax delinquency— have as yet received 

 little attention. Administration of State forests is another field for 

 trained foresters in State work. 



Extension Foresters and Farm Foresters 



Forestry extension work is another field in which professional for- 

 esters find employment in the States in the capacity of extension forest- 

 ers. These men are associated with the Federal-State cooperative ex- 

 tension program of educational aid to agriculture. Under the general 

 supervision of the State director of extension, their work includes tech- 

 nical advice and assistance to private owners of woodlands in the field 

 and through correspondence and demonstration. The extension for- 

 ester works in close cooperation with the county agricultural agents. 



Somewhat similar activities are carried on by farm foresters employed 

 under the Cooperative Farm Forestry Act of 1937. The farm forester, 

 however, works directly with the individual woodland owners in the 

 territory to which he is assigned— usually a county or group of counties 

 containing extensive farm woodlands. In most States, the farm forest- 

 ers are employed by the State forester, with the Federal Forest Service 

 cooperating in supervising and financing the program. In a few States 

 the Federal Forest Service conducts this work directly. 



COMMUNITY FORESTS 



A new field of employment for trained foresters is opening up 

 through the development of community public forests by counties, 

 municipalities, school districts, and other local government units or 



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