OUR FORESTS 29 



of protecting the headwaters of navigable streams and for timber 

 growing. From these lands and from comparatively small areas of 

 public land have been formed the national forests of the East and 

 South. In 1924, the Weeks law was amended by the Clarke-McNary 

 Act, broadening the authorization under which purchases of land for 

 national-forest purposes may be made. 



National-Forest Administration 



National forests are in reality huge timber farms, operated for the 

 benefit of the Nation as a whole. Located as they are in all the forest 

 regions of the country, they contain some representation of most of 

 the important commercial timber species. The production of timber 

 is one of the main reasons for their establishment, and the forests 

 are managed so that they will produce a continuous supply. In them 

 are, therefore, found stands of trees ranging from tiny seedlings to 

 veterans of perhaps several hundred years' growth. Mature or ripe 

 standing timber, which is not growing at a profitable rate and which 

 should be cut to make room for the younger generation of trees, may 

 be advertised and sold on the open market to the highest bidder. All 

 cutting, however, must be done according to forestry principles, trees 

 being left to form the basis of future crops. Care is taken not to cut 

 to such an extent as to destroy scenic beauty or to impair the pro- 

 tective cover that the forest affords on the watersheds of streams, for 

 the national forests are as important to the Nation as conservators 

 of water as they are for the production of timber. They also serve 

 the public in many other ways — as grazing grounds for millions of 

 cattle and sheep, as recreation grounds, and as homes for wildlife. 



The general manager in charge of each of Uncle Sam's timber farms 

 is known as the forest supervisor. The supervisor is directly respon- 

 sible to the regional forester and with the latter plans the work of his 

 forest. Upon the supervisor devolves the successful administration 

 of the forest. He must see that a continuous supply of timber is pro- 

 duced and that the proper use is made of all other forest resources. 

 And, too, he is responsible for the effective operation of the system of 

 fire protection and control worked out for his forest. 



Every national forest is divided into smaller units, or ranger dis- 

 tricts, each under the supervision of a district ranger. The rangers 

 manage their districts in accordance with the general administrative 

 plans made by the supervisor and perform the detailed work required 

 in the supervision of timber sales, grazing, free uses, and special uses 

 of the forest. They also look after the construction of roads, trails, 

 bridges, telephone lines, and other permanent improvements. 

 Kangers have supervision over the recreational features of the forests 

 and see to it that recreationists do not abuse the privileges granted 

 them. The most constant and difficult phase of the rangers' work, 

 however, is that involved in protecting the forest from fire. The for- 

 est ranger is therefore of necessity a hard-working, highly useful 

 citizen and public officer upon whom rests much of the responsibility 

 for the successful management of the national forests (fig. 17). 



In order to prevent delays in the administration of the Forest Serv- 

 ice work and to keep in closer touch with problems as they arise in the 

 field, the country has been divided into 10 national forest regions 



