A USDA committee was set 
up to coordinate programs 
and efforts among the 
agencies. 
The State forestry 
organizations, which had 
been in the forefront of 
working with landowners, 
were not given the lead role 
they expected. The success 
of developing good 
cooperative relationships 
between the three agencies 
at the State level varied and 
depended primarily on the 
level of activity in the State. 
Where funds were available 
and cooperation was good, 
the State forestry agency 
employed a project forester 
with the Federal cost-share 
not to exceed 50 percent. 
This forester’s principal task 
was the preparation of 
woodlot management plans 
in cooperation with the Soil 
Conservation Service’s farm 
management planning 
personnel. 
In 1945, the Secretary of 
Agriculture transferred the 
direct assistance aspect 
from the Soil Conservation 
Service to the State forestry 
organizations. The 
disagreement between the 
Extension Service and the 
State Foresters continued 
until 1948, when a joint policy 
declaration was issued by 
the Association of State 
Foresters and the Association 
of Land Grant Colleges. All 
educational activities that did 
not involve direct service to 
landowners on the ground 
would be carried out by the 
Extension Service. Service 
provided in management, 
harvesting, and marketing 
would be the province of 
State forestry agencies 
(Wilcox 1940, Zimmerman 
1976, Bruner 1943). 
Continued Federal 
Acquisition 
Throughout the Depression 
years, the Federal 
Government continued to 
buy land. Purchases for 
protection of watersheds 
and timber production on 
navigable streams continued 
under the Weeks law. Though 
appropriations were not 
large, the Government 
bought substantial tracts for 
national forests because of 
the low price and the desire 
of owners to rid themselves 
of the tax burden. 
Inthe early days of the Civilian 
Conservation Corps, there 
was difficulty getting camps 
47 
