and Stahl 1964, Robbins 
1985). 
In the early months of the 
corps program, many State 
organizations were 
understaffed to take on the 
planning and supervisory 
work. Initially this caused 
some hardship, but as 
organizations were adjusted 
and personnel shifted, 
cooperation strengthened, 
and the States reaped 
enormous benefits. In 
addition to fire-control 
construction, among the 
physical facilities put in place 
were headquarters buildings, 
warehouses, and residences. 
Most States had at least one 
nursery built and equipped 
Or modernized with new 
buildings or watering 
systems. In several States, 
corps crews were used to 
map forest areas (6.5 million 
acres in Texas, for example). 
Demonstration areas of 
timber stand improvement 
practices and reforestation 
were put in place on a limited 
scale; the law restricted 
activity other than fire 
protection on private lands. 
The work of the corps is still 
widely evident in the South 
today, and the State forestry 
organizations have built 
upon that work (Merrill 
undated, Chapman 1981). 
It should also be noted that 
in some States, Works 
Progress Administration 
funds were available to 
employ persons in the 
construction of facilities such 
as fire towers, buildings, and 
telephones lines (Works 
Progress Administration 
1942). 
Tennessee Valley Authority 
The valley of the Tennessee 
River lies mostly in Tennessee 
but includes lands in six 
other States. The river had 
the potential for extending 
inland navigation hundreds 
of miles if water levels could 
be controlled. Its watershed 
contained more than 20 
million acres of forests, most 
of which had been cut over 
and abused, and 13 million 
acres of cultivated land, 2 
million of which had eroded 
beyond hope of recovery. 
That was the situation on 
May 17, 1933, when the 
Tennessee Valley Authority 
was created. Its areas of 
interest included navigation, 
flood control, and power, 
with all efforts focused on 
conserving and developing 
43 
