The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-05-15
NATIONAL FOREST
BOUNDARIES
Especial to Silver State News)

OGDEN, May 15.-Through the es-
tablishment of six district Headquarters
in the west, the work Of the forest ser
vice has advanced so far that it is now
possible to undertake a thorough-g go
ing examination of national forest
boundaries and al inquiry into the
character OF any interior areas which
may appear to be not suitable for ma
tional forest purposes. In a letter to
the district forester in this city, For.
ester Pinchot says:
"Plans formulated here last winter
and approved by the secretary of agri-
culture call for a systematic and COM
plete going over of all national forest
boundaries during the present field sea-
son. The work which you have been
constantly doing in this direction is
along the right lines, but the plan
adopted calls for more concentrated eff
fort in this work throughout the SER
vice during the coming summer. With
the field force at your command and
your close knowledge of local condi-
tions and of the national forest officers,
you can so organize this effort in your
district as to insure a thorough going
over of your part of the $4,000 miles of
national forest boundaries by compe-
tent men, whose reports as to the char
acter of the land within and without
the florists and whose recommendations
as to lands which should be excluded
or included, checked by the information
already possessed by the forest SER
vice, can be relied on.
:To do this work in one summer will
make severe demands on you but it
is not beyond the capacity of the SER
vice, as now organized. Please give it
your best efforts until the work is com
pleted, and bear in mind especially that
the quality of the work must be unim-
p~eaehable.
"This work should all be completed
by the close of the present field sea-
sui II OdSh utotlIRt OlN0btl iipo
at that time be able to vouch for the
correctness of she proposed boundaries
of his forest. If, however, there are
changes recommended by examiners
which you feel are questionable, such
cases may go over for checking until
the next field season, in order that no
mistakes may be made. Possible ad-
ditions should be noted as carefully in
the six states where congressional ac-
ton is necessary to create additions to
forests as elsewhere.
"As you know, the policy of the sec
vice has always been to exclude from
the boundaries of a national forest all
agricultural land, except, as congress
clearly intended, areas so small that
they could be handled more acceptably
under tn eact of June IL, 1906. We
want al the land put to its best use,
whatever that use may be. A good
deal of time and money has been spent
by the service in this most important
work. / believe, however, that there is
still land which would serve the pub
lie interest best outside of national for
ests and which could therefore be ex-
eluded to the public advantage. / be-
lieve, too, that adjoining many of the
forests are areas which, because of the
value of the timber they support, their
Importance under a proper forest cover
for watershed protection, or because
the best public use of the existing for
est can be brought about only through
their inclusion, should be added to the
national forests.
SIN considering changes of boundary
the character of the land and its flu
ture usefulness for forest or agricul-
tural purpose, the protection that it
may give to watersheds at the head of
streams from which towns, cities and
irrigation projects draw their supply,
areas which need reforestation, and
areas which should be included from
the standpoint of the public welfare
generally, should all be carefully con
sidered. Whenever a change of boun-
Diary is recommended the reason for it
should be plainly shown. When the
proper boundary of the forest does not
conform to the exterior limits of the
timbered areas the reason should be
given plainly.
Gin accordance with the usual prac
tice, every effort should be made to
learn the wishes of citizens as to what
lands should be excluded or included.
If areas are proposed for addition or
elimination at the request of citizens,
their petitions should form part of the
reasons for the change in boundaries.
Petitions which have contributed to the
establishment of the present boundaries