and training to do the jobs 
(Fechner 1934, Merrill 
undated). 
A National Plan for Forestry 
was released on March 30, 
1933. Better known as the 
Copeland Report, it was a 
comprehensive document 
prepared by the Forest 
Service in response to Senate 
Resolution 175. The report 
was the most complete review 
to date of the Nation’s forest 
situation, including past 
policies and programs as 
well as current status and 
plans for the future. It 
Criticized State and private 
commitments to forest 
management. It noted that 
the inability of States to match 
Federal funds had diminished 
the effectiveness of the 
programs, especially in the 
South, where they were 
most needed. The report 
included a program for State 
aid in forestry. It called for 
Federal participation to help 
the States, suggested 
needed legislation, and 
estimated required State 
expenditures with a 20-year 
projection (U.S. Department 
of Agriculture 1933). 
When the planning was under 
way to launch the Civilian 
Conservation Corps, Forest 
40 
Service Chief Robert Y. Stuart 
had the Copeland Report 
available and argued 
successfully that corps efforts 
should be extended to private 
lands. The report not only 
provided the information to 
back that need but also 
served as a guide in planning 
the allocation of camps and 
men (Salmond 1967). 
There were some expressed 
concerns about the 
relationship of the Civilian 
Conservation Corps to 
Clarke-McNary. There was 
concern in the West that a 
fire-protection organization 
would be weakened if 
inexperienced Corps labor 
was used to replace 
permanent, well-trained 
firefighters. A reduction, or at 
least level funding under 
section 2 of the act, was 
expected — and the Copeland 
Report was cited to establish 
the need for full funding 
under section 2. The thrust 
of the argument was that 
Clarke-McNary funds buy a 
permanent, trained force at 
relatively low cost. A high 
value was placed on 
experience and continuity 
(Cowan 1936). Virginia 
experienced the problems of 
local fire crews “falling apart" 
after corpsmen became 
