OUR FORESTS 



23 



is estimated this number has exceeded 

 visitors include residents who have estab- 



naturalist. The beauty and splendor of the forest, its atmosphere 

 of peace and quiet, and the glimpses of its wildlife have an irresisti- 

 ble appeal for all of us. Just how great this appeal may be is shown 

 by the numbers of recreationists who visit the forests. On the na- 

 tional forests alone it 

 35,000,000 a year. The 

 lished summer homes 

 in the forests, hotel and j 

 resort guests, campers, ! 

 picknickers, and mo- 

 torists. For the con- 

 venience of visitors the 

 Forest Service has 

 established more than 

 4,200 public camp- 

 grounds and picnic 

 areas, and 254 winter 

 sports areas in the na- 

 tional forests. Some 

 large cities, notably 

 Los Angeles, Oakland, 

 Berkeley, and San 

 Francisco, have built 

 permanent municipal 

 camps for their citi- 

 zens on nearby national 

 forests and the Forest 

 Service maintains some 

 50 organization camps 

 where various groups, 

 for a nominal sum, 

 may find rest and rec- 

 reation. 



All that is asked of 

 visitors is that they 

 bring to the forest the 

 care and thoughtful- 

 ness they give to their 

 own homes; that in 

 seeking recreation in 

 the forests, whether 

 national, State, or pri- 

 vate, they be careful not to abuse the hospitality of the woods. 



Figure 14. — The "red enemy" at its worst. A crown 

 fire destroys everything in its path. 



ENEMIES OF THE FOREST 

 Fire — The Arch-Destroyer 



Although the forest is prey to many foes, its greatest single enemy 

 is fire. 



A yearly average of more than 200,000 fires, burning over more 

 than 30,000,000 acres, has occurred in the United States during the 

 last few years. About nine-tenths of these fires were caused by human 

 carelessness, or indifference, through such agencies as campers, 



