134 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
Uses of National Forests 
Recreational 
A quarter of a century has now passed 
since the establishment of the first Na- 
tional Forest. During that time a re- 
markable change in public sentiment has 
taken place relative to the care and use of 
Address before the American Forestry 
Association by Henry S. Graves. 
all recognize the wisdom of giving to the 
settler land that is suited for a farm home. 
The country has recognized that public 
lands of chief value for forest purposes 
and essential to protect water resources 
New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, 
Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, North 
Carolina, Indiana, the Lake States, Cali- 
fornia, South Dakota, and prospectively 
in several other far western States. 
A CAIMPIXG PARTY ON TPtE COI.ORADO NATIONAL FOREST. TROUT FISHING IN THE PIKE NATIONAL 
FOREST. COLOR.VDO. 
Over a million and a half persons use the National Forests for The streams in the National Forests are stocked each year with 
recreation each year. thousands of young trout in order to offer good sport to the visitor. 
natural resources. The law authorizing 
the creation of National Forests was con- 
tained in an act that was designed to in- 
stitute a number of important reforms in 
our public land system. It marked the 
beginning of a new and more enlightened 
period of public land administration and 
led to a viewpoint regarding the use of 
our publicly owned resources that more 
nearly squares with the present day stand- 
ards of service to the public. 
The nineteenth century land system was 
one wholly of land distribution; very suc- 
cessful as applied to agricultural lands; 
very unsuccessful as applied to lands un- 
suited to homestead settlement but valua- 
ble for timber or other resources. The 
keynote of the present day policy is to se- 
cure such a disposition, use, and develop- 
ment of the public lands as will render 
a maximum service to the public. This 
may in some circumstances be accom- 
plished by transferring title to private in- 
dividuals as in case of farm lands and 
certain classes of mineral lands. In other 
cases it may be essential for the puljlic 
to retain title to the land and secure the 
development by private enterprise under 
public direction. In still other instances 
the public itself may undertake to devel- 
op the resources. What course of action 
is followed in a given case depends on 
the form of ownership and method of de- 
velopment that will return to the com- 
munity the largest permanent benefits. The 
old principle of distributing all lands to 
private ownership has been completely 
abandoned. The homestead principle is 
still adhered to as thoroughly sound, and 
should remain under public control. The 
same principle applies also to lands of spe- 
cial importance from the standpoint of 
their scenic interest and general recreation 
use. The final policy regarding most of 
the other classes of public resources is in 
the making. The struggle is on now as 
to who shall own and control the public 
water power sites, the coal, oil, phosphate, 
and potassium deposits, and the common 
grazing lands that are not suited to de- 
velopment by individuals under any of the 
various homestead laws. 
The principle of continued public own- 
ership has been carried further in the ad- 
ministration of Forests and Parks than 
in any other classes of land. The Na- 
tional Forests have been under administra- 
tion for about fifteen years, and the sup- 
port which they are now receiving both 
locally and nationally is very significant 
of the public attitude toward the under- 
lying principle of public forestry. Very 
significant also is the fact that a few years 
ago ten States passed resolutions inviting 
the Government to come within their bor- 
ders and establish National Forests by pur- 
chase of mountain lands. In direct line 
with this sentiment also is the movement 
for the purchase by the Government and 
States of lands to be devoted to park and 
public recreation purposes. Mark the mean- 
ing of the recent action of New York 
State in approving by popular referendum 
a policy of extending the State forest and 
park system to an extent of ten million 
dollars, the forward looking policy of State 
forests in Pennsylvania, the excellent be- 
ginnings in establishing public forests m 
Underlying this movement is the rec- 
ognized principle that there are public in- 
terests in forest lands that can not or will 
not be safeguarded under private owner- 
ship. The special public interest in a 
given forest area may be the continued 
production of forest supplies, the main- 
tenance of local industries, watershed pro- 
tection, production of wild life, or service 
for public recreation and health ; or there 
may be several or all of these pulilic in- 
terests served together. 
Private ownership of timberlands has 
been for the most part speculative and tem- 
porary in character. Lumbermen have ac- 
quired the lands for the timber upon them, 
and not to hold for growing trees. In- 
stability of ownership has acted to prevent 
forest perpetuation or the maintenance of 
mountain lands in a condition otherwise 
to protect the very vital interests which 
the public has in them. Private owners 
will not make investments in forest per- 
petuation until it can be shown to pay 
from their standpoint, nor will they hold 
and manage lands for general public bene- 
fits. The public in its own protection must 
take a hand and meet the larger needs by 
direct ownership, co-operation, and ulti- 
mately a measure of regulation. 
One of the important public interests in 
forest regions is their service for recrea- 
tion and health. There is a rapidly increas- 
ing appreciation of the exceptional recrea- 
tion- resources which we have in this coun- 
try and which our own people are just be- 
ginning to seek out and enjoy. There is 
also a growing appreciation that, like for- 
estry, these resources will not be safe- 
