The Greeley tribune., 1905-07-20
The New Name of the Bureau OF
Forestry.

From July l the Bureau Of For
estry is to be officially known as the
Forest Service. The change was
made by congress last winter, when
1t provided for the government work
in forestry during the coming year,
and signalized an important advance
in the scope of that work The
actual control and administration of
the national forest reserves, formerly
under the charge of the LAND OIlice
of the Department OF the Interior,
is now IN the hands of the Forest
Service, the only branch Of tie pub
lie service possessed Of the scientific
and technical knowledge necessary
for the enlightened care and use OF
the forests. This means that the
reserves are to be made to yield to
the people of the country the largest
benefits which intelligent manage
ment can get out of them. Use not
reservation from use, is the essential
purpose for which they exist-but
use under such conditions as shall
make their benefits permanent.
Control of the reserves was turned
over to the Bureau of forestry last
February, and the necessary reorga-
nization is now well advanced. In
taking up its new work, however,
the Forest Service will not abandon
any part of the old field OF the
bureau. Its broad purpose will con-
tinue to be the furtherance by every
possible means of the movement to
introduce practical forestry every
where. 1t will do its utmost to as
sist this movement among private
owners and in the several states, not
only by scientific Investigations but
by advice and cooperation in the
actual work of applying forestry.
This is imperatiyely demanded if
the general welfare is not to suffer
profoundly in the future from a
shortage Of timber supply. The
Forest Service will continue the
studies of forest products, of methods
of making timber more durable, of
tree planting, and Of all subjects
which can promote wiser and more
profitable use of our second greatest
resource-for in value of their total
contribution to our needs there can
be no doubt that forest products
stand next to those of agriculture.
The field of the Bureau of For
estry has expanded remarkably in
the past few years. The first gov
ernment recognition Of forestry was
in 1876, when congress made an ap-
preparation for skilled man to
prosecute study of forest condi-
tions, needs and uses, and make a
report to congress. This office was
continued until the Division of For
estry was created, July l, 1886.
Then from a mere office of informa-
tion the division stepped suddenly
into the field of actual operations,
demonstrating by example how for.
estry could be made to pay, and thus
furnishing the one argument needed
to convert private owners from
scepticism as to the practicableness
of theory to the acceptance of a
proved fact. When this was accom-
plished a new epoch in the history
of American forestry opened. Since
that time no single step forward has
been so important as that which the
use Of the new name, Forest Service,
now marks. This the people of the
country, and particularly the people
of the west. where the reserves are,
will come to realize as they grasp
the fact that, scientifically and
efficiently administered, the reserves
will soon reach their highest effici.
ency as contributors to the wealth
and permanent development of the
regions in which they lie.