Department of Agriculture 

 Washington D.C., March &£, 1959. 



The President of the Senate, 



U.S. Senate. 



Dear Mr. President: 



A report entitled "Program for the National Forests" is transmitted 

 herewith for information of the Congress and appropriate reference. 



President Eisenhower in his State of the Union message in February 

 1953 called attention to the vast importance to this Nation, now and 

 in the future, of our soil and water, our forests and minerals, and our 

 wildlife resources. He indicated the need for a strong Federal 

 program in the field of resource development. 



On July 31, 1953, the President supplemented that message by send- 

 ing to the Congress a special message relative to a program designed 

 to conserve and improve the Nation's natural resources. 



In referring to the national forests administered by this Depart- 

 ment and to other public lands, the President stated in that special 

 message that the Federal Government has a responsibility to manage 

 wisely those public lands and forests under its jurisdiction necessary 

 in the interest of the public as a whole. Important values exist in 

 these lands for forest and mineral products, grazing, fish, and wild- 

 life, and for recreation. Moreover, it is imperative to the welfare of 

 thousands of communities and millions of acres of irrigated land 

 that such lands be managed to protect the water supply and water 

 quality which comes from them. In their utilization of these lands, 

 the people are entitled to expect that their timber, minerals, streams 

 and water supply, wildlife and recreational values should be safe- 

 guarded, improved and made available not only for this but for future 

 generations. At the same time public lands should be made available 

 for their best use under conditions that promote stability for com- 

 munities and individuals and encourage full development of the 

 resources involved. 



Accordingly, provisions for a marked increase in management ac- 

 tivities on the national forests have been made in recent years. These 

 Federal properties have been substantially improved. The flow of 

 values stemming from them has markedly increased. Our manage- 

 ment experience clearly dictated the need for still more intensive 

 development and management. 



in 



