the south slopes. The north 

 slopes supported a greater 

 proportion of hardwoods, 

 principally white oak. 

 According to the report: "the 

 timber [was] of fair to good 

 quality, though none of the 

 trees [were] extremely 

 large." 



Finally, there was the river 

 bottom type, most of which 

 had been homesteaded. 

 Principal species were 

 sycamore, black and red 

 gums, willow oak, black 

 walnut, holly, dogwood, red 

 and sugar maple, cherry, 

 elm, and hickory. The stands 

 were usually quite dense 

 with considerable 

 undergrowth. 



Extensive lumbering in the 

 area provided an important 

 source of employment for 

 local residents. However, 

 "no care [was] taken of 

 cutover lands," the report 

 stated. "It is highly desirable 

 that this area be set apart; 

 otherwise there will be no 

 timber remaining within a 

 few years" (Record and 

 Reynolds 1907). 



The Record and Reynolds 

 report also cited woods 

 burning as a constant threat 

 to the forest: 



the timber consisted of 

 large trees set well 

 apart. . . . There was a 

 heavy growth of good 

 grasses for ground 

 cover. Now much of 

 the available space is 

 being crowded by 

 sprouting hardwoods. 



The early settlers put 

 out fire "to improve the 

 range." The light-seeded 

 hardwoods seeded in 

 on the bared surfaces 

 and those hardwoods 

 which were burned off 

 began to sprout. The 

 fires continued and the 

 sprouting increased. 

 Some settlers say they 

 burn now "because the 

 brush is so thick." Others 

 continue the practice 

 simply because their 

 fathers did it. Some are 

 amenable to reason, 

 but the majority are 

 not, in this respect. 



This indepth description of 

 the South's first national 

 forest is intended to convey 

 that while the land taken 

 from the public domain was 

 an important watershed 

 and had great potential for 

 timber growing, it certainly 

 was not untouched, virgin 

 forest. 



The fires are rapidly 

 changing the density 

 and character of the 

 stand. Sixty years ago 



The Arkansas' sister forest 

 was the Ozark in northwest 

 Arkansas, situated on the 

 headwaters of the White 



