Forest areas in those reservations are kept in their natural condition so far as possible. The removal of underbrush, dead trees, windfalls, and other natural debris from old forests is undertaken only to such an extent as is necessary to remove serious fire hazards. Ground cover is essential in the complete protection of bird life and small mammals, and also is part of the natural forest scene. While landscape men supervise all plans for work by the Civilian Conservation Corps, other technical details also are given careful attention. Treatment of forest stands is under the supervision of expert foresters and work in historic areas in the military parks and monuments under the watchful eye of historians.
Civil engineers see that all construction work is done on approved methods.
What they are doing will make the great park system of the country a more valuable national asset. Certainly future visitors to the parks and monuments will get an added degree of enjoyment of the scenes they behold as a result of these conservation activities. The young men who today constitute the Civilian Conservation Corps may well feel in the future special interest and ownership in the beauty spots of the country, which they have helped to preserve and make accessible to their fellow men. And it is the hope of the National Park Service that many men who first became acquainted with the parks through their participation in the Civilian Conservation Corps may find the activities so to their liking that they will continue to devote their energies to conservation. Certainly the interest taken in forestry and other conservation courses offered the Civilian Conservation Corps indicates a trend in this direction.