The Oregon and California Railroad and Coos 
Bay revested lands, about 2 million acres admin- 
istered by the same bureau, are of special import- 
ance because of their unusually high timber values. 
These lands are in 18 counties in western Oregon 
in alternate sections, checker-boarded with national- 
forest and private tracts. Congress in 1937 estab- 
lished for the O&C lands a policy of sustained- 
yield timber management.3® A substantial sale 
business with conservative cutting is being carried 
on. They are generally given good fire protection 
through cooperative associations or the Forest 
Service. Active effort is being made to organize co- 
operative sustained-yield units with owners of in- 
termingled lands. 
More than 16 million acres—about 40 percent 
commercial—is administered in trust for the Indians 
by the Office of Indian Affairs. ‘Timber-sale 
policies aim at maximum financial returns con- 
sistent with good silviculture and watershed protec- 
tion. Forest ranges are also under management. 
In general, protection and management are be- 
lieved to approximate national-forest practices, 
especially in the West. 
The national parks and monuments, admin- 
istered by the National Park Service of the Depart- 
ment of the Interior, include about 7 million acres 
of forest land possessing outstanding scenic, historic, 
or scientific values. Commercial use of timber and 
most other products is excluded. ‘The forests are 
kept in natural condition and hence afford good 
watershed protection and serve as important wild- 
life refuges. 
Other Federal forest lands, totaling about 2 mil- 
lion acres, are administered by the Reclamation 
Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the 
Interior Department, the Soil Conservation Service 
of the Department of Agriculture, the military de- 
partments, and other agencies. Some, like the lands 
in military reservations and those acquired in farm 
resettlement purchases, are subject to transfer or 
other disposal. Others such as wildlife areas are 
under permanent management for purposes other 
than timber growing. Most, however, are in vary- 
ing degree protected and under conservative man- 
agement. 
State and local governments own or manage 
under lease nearly 38 million acres of forest land, 
about two-thirds in the North and most of the re- 
mainder in the West: 
* Act approved August 28, 1937 (50 Stat. 874). 
State and local government owner- 
ship of forest land, 19451 (million 
acres) 
State Local Total 
Section: 
INOTth) oe eer ae, ee gna 16.3 8.3 24.6 
SOU CH oie RTO NES eee eee ee eee 2.4 AZ 2.6 
West 8.7 1.9 10.6 
CAGE Vek ale 974 104 378 
1Includes lands under long-term lease from the Federal 
Government. 
United States 
They are increasing their holdings. Lands under 
State administration have grown from 19 million 
acres in 1938 to nearly 28 million in 1945 through 
purchase, lease, and taking over tax-reverted prop- 
erties. 
Some 38 States have a policy of establishing and 
managing State forests. A good proportion of the 
State lands has been blocked up as State forests, 
parks, or game refuges. Much, however, remains 
in scattered unorganized tracts, a great deal of it 
tax-reverted and in an uncertain ownership and 
management status. Lack of clear-cut policies 
handicaps a number of States in putting these lands 
in productive condition. 
Administration and use both vary greatly. 
Nearly all State forest lands are protected against 
fire and trespass. Management, particularly of 
recreational resources, is in some cases good al- 
though many essential facilities are lacking. ‘Tim- 
ber management is excellent in some States, and 
on the average distinctly better than on private 
lands. 
The expansion of State forests in recent years 
has found many State forestry agencies badly un- 
derequipped to do the work required of them. 
Some are hard-pressed to provide even the minimum 
of fire protection and to keep up roads, fire towers, 
and other facilities built and formerly maintained 
with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps. 
To put State forest lands under satisfactory manage- © 
ment, and particularly to get the 18 million acres 
of commercial forest into planned timber produc- 
tion, is dificult with present facilities. Fortunately 
forest administration is being strengthened in some 
States. 
Local-government forest lands are a growing class 
and, in some respects, closest to the people. De- 
spite the rather small acreage, they are contributing 
to the forestry movement, especially in New Eng- 
land and the Lake States. Of some 10 million 
acres, chiefly commercial, which is owned by coun- 
ties, municipalities, schools, and other local public 
90 Miscellaneous Publication 668, U. S. Department of Agriculture 
