National Park Notes 



479 



natural state. The commercial use of these reservations, except as 

 specially authorized by law, or such as may be incidental to the accom- 

 modation and entertainment of visitors, will not be permitted under any 

 circumstances. 



In all the national parks except Yellowstone you may permit the graz- 

 ing of cattle in isolated regions not frequented by visitors, and where no 

 injury to the natural features of the parks may result from such use. 

 The grazing of sheep, however, must not be permitted in any national 

 park. 



In leasing lands for the operation of hotels, camps, transportation 

 facilities, or other public service under strict Government control, con- 

 cessioners should be confined to tracts no larger than absolutely neces- 

 sary for the purposes of their business enterprises. 



You should not permit the leasing of park lands for summer homes. 

 It is conceivable, and even exceedingly probable, that within a few 

 years under a policy of permitting the establishment of summer homes 

 in national parks, these reservations might become so generally settled 

 as to exclude the public from convenient access to their streams, lakes, 

 and other natural features, and thus destroy the very basis upon which 

 this national playground system is being constructed. 



You should not permit the cutting of trees except where timber is 

 needed in the construction of buildings or other improvements within 

 the park and can be removed without injury to the forests or disfigure- 

 ment of the landscape, where the thinning of forests or cutting of vistas 

 will improve the scenic features of the parks, or where their destruction 

 is necessary to eliminate insect infestations or diseases common to for- 

 ests and shrubs. 



In the construction of roads, trails, buildings, and other improve- 

 ments, particular attention must be devoted always to the harmonizing 

 of these improvements with the landscape. This is a most important 

 item in our program of development and requires the employment of 

 trained engineers who either possess a knowledge of landscape architec- 

 ture or have a proper appreciation of the esthetic value of park lands. 

 All improvements will be carried out in accordance with a preconceived 

 plan developed with special reference to the preservation of the land- 

 scape, and comprehensive plans for future development of the national 

 parks on an adequate scale will be prepared as funds are available for 

 this purpose. 



Wherever the Federal Government has exclusive jurisdiction over 

 national parks it is clear that more effective measures for the protection 

 of the parks can be taken. The Federal Government has exclusive jur- 

 isdiction over the national parks in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, 

 Wyoming, Montana, Washington, and Oregon, and also in the terri- 

 tories of Hawaii and Alaska. We should urge the cession of exclusive 

 jurisdiction over the parks in the other states, and particularly in Cali- 

 fornia and Colorado. 



