32 MISC. PUBLICATION 162, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
The Civilian Conservation Corps was created for the major pur- 
poses of building up young American manhood, of assisting in the 
great amount of work necessary to the best development and perpetua- 
tion of our forests, and of helping to prevent soil erosion and the 
devastating floods which frequently follow the destruction of forest 
cover. The work is organized under the Director of the Civilian 
Conservation Corps and is part of the recently created Federal 
Security Agency. Assisting the Director, however, is an advisory 
council composed of members from the Federal Departments co- 
operating in the work, namely, Labor, War, Agriculture, and Interior. 
The various duties delegated to these Departments are selecting, 
enrolling, and transporting the men, building their camps, and plan- 
ning and supervising their work. 
CCC camps are located on national parks, Indian reservations, and 
on State and private lands, as well as on national forests. A large 
percent of the camps is directly or indirectly under the supervision 
of the Forest Service, which selects all camp locations and work 
projects on national forests, and plans and supervises the execution 
of the work on these forests, besides furnishing the necessary equip- 
ment and transportation. In addition, the Forest Service must pass 
on all projects on State and private lands (excepting State parks) and 
is charged with the responsibility of supervising, assisting, and advis- 
ing State authorities in the conduct of the work done on such 
projects. 
COOPERATION WITH THE STATES 
The Federal Government is cooperating with the States in the 
prevention and suppression of forest fires. This cooperation was 
first authorized by the Weeks law, which provided for Federal aid 
in protecting forested watersheds from fire to any State that would 
spend in the same year an amount at least equal to the Federal ex- 
penditure. Since 1924, however, cooperation with the States has 
been carried on under the provisions of the Clarke-McNary Act, 
considered the most forward step in forestry taken since the passage 
of the Weeks law. This act provides for cooperation with such 
States as have State or other forestry organizations in the protec- 
tion of forests from fire, in assisting farmers in the handling of their 
woods, and in the growing and distribution of young trees Poe plant- 
ing. Funds necessary to carry on the work under the Clark-McNary 
Act are furnished by the Federal Government, and proportionate 
amounts are provided by the States. 
STATE FORESTRY 
State interest in forestry antedated Federal forestry by many 
years. As early as 1777, North Carolina, and in 1787, South 
Carolina, enacted laws against willful and careless woods burning. 
In 1867, Michigan and Wisconsin both made inquiries into conditions 
and needs of their forests. In 1869, the Maine Board of Agriculture 
appointed a committee to report on a forest policy for the State, and 
in 1872 the Maine Legislature enacted a law “for the encouragement 
of the growth of trees.” By this law, lands planted with trees were 
exempt from taxation for 20 years. Laws offering tree planters 
