Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-04-01
s, FAIRGROUNDS
..I.. a.. .FGl, ~ NSyYf (. I
National Forests to Be Open to
Pleasure Seekers.
Hundreds Of Permits Already 0tantesi
for Camps and COTTAGES u the
Woods Belonging to the
People.

Washington.-To make the nationa
forests with their aggregate, area O
1S7,000.0O0 acres q vast camping ant
recreation ground for the people il
n of the ambitions Of Henry 8
Graves, chief forester. Already hun
dreds of canyons and lake shores are
dotted with camps and cottages bull
on sites obtained through permits Of
the forest service.
The combined area of the national
forests equals that of Chile and is
nearly half as big as Germany. While
most Of the forests are in the Pacific
coast and Rocky Mountain states.
with several million acres in Alaska,
there are acres In various other states
All types Of American scenery are
included in these forests Of the peo
pie.
The forests embody the Cascades
and Sierras Of the Pacific coast, snow
capped peaks in Alaska, rugged wild
sections Of the central and northern
Rockies, desert lands in the south.
west, the fiat lake regions Of Minneso.
ia, semitropical swamps Of Florida,
Ozark highlands, southern Appalacht'
ans and North woods Of New England.
Special provision is made by the
forest officials and rangers for ena,
bling pleasure seekers to get the fun
worth Of their holiday. Four:ffths 81
the people in the rational forests dur:
ing the last fiscal year were pleasure
seekers, numbering over 100000. But
they were not a drop in the bucket
compared with the number that could
be taken al of.
Those who do not care to camp and
settle down In one spot may travel.
from place to place without let or him
drance SO long as they observe reason
able caution to prevent fires. Those
who want a particular spot for a camp
are required TO pay nominal sum fo-
a permit. This enables the forest Off.
Ger in charge to keep track OF them.
rangers are under special in
to assist the tourists and
campers in every reasonable way.
They can always be depended upon to
the traveller hoA best to reach
his destination or to direct him to
or trips Of special attractive
ness, to aid him in an emergency. to
procure a physician for him il needed
Or to give him a neighborly lift
Straight sight seeing" in the na-
tional forests may be had for the TAX
!ng. At certain of the ranger stations
collections of plant and
tree specimens are on exhibition. Spe-
cial attention is paid to poisonous
plants, whfel are 8 menace to
he stockman's grazing cattle or sheep
and to the campers pack animals.
Many lines of activity are constant
carried on in the national forests,
but they do not in any way interfere
their g as a national recrea-
ion ground. numbering does not
leave such scars on the mountains as
occur where private timber
lands are being logged. The slash and
debris of the logging operation is
cleaned up as the work proceeds, and
later is burned or otherwise disposed
Of. This reduces the fire hazard, pre-
pares the ground for the reproduction
CT a new forest crop and at the same
time makes the area more accessible
and less unsightly.
One Of the great recreation attrac.
of the national forests is hunt.
and fishing, apd numerous camps
are maintained for this purpose. The
fish and game laws of the particular
state in which a forest is located gov.
ern the use Of the forest for these
purposes. Many of the streams, which
are very numerous, are kept stocked
by the bureau of fisheries.
The spare time of the rangers is
spent in building, with other workers,
the trails and other permanent i'm.
provement in the national forests,
and the tyro wi. find the forest Off.
GERS ever ready to instruct him in the
necessary camp and wood lore.
49,,