Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1920-02-06
National Forest Consolidated

Under a recent presidential proc
lamation the Shenandoah; Nassau
utten, and Patomac forests or puf-
chase areas, hove been combined and
the group will hereafter de known as
the Shenandoah National Forest
which will be sub-divided for the
purposes of administration into the
shenandoah, Massanutten and Pot
omac divisions, along the lines of the
former forest divisions.
This in effect was accomplished in
1917, when the headquarters of the
three forests were combined under 1
Office at Harrisonburg. The recent
proclamation, however, authorizes
the consolidation of all the activities
of the foests effected and will great
ly facilitate their administration
The. Shenandoah National Forest, as
it now stands, comprises over one
third at million acres. 1t covers
parts of nine counties in the State of
Virginia and West Virginia, and rep
resents an outlay on the part of the
Government Of over million dollars.
The activities of the National For
ests are numerous and diversified.
Many local wood using industries Sc
cure their raw material wholly or in
part from this Forest. Among these
are sawmills, stavC mills, and tanner
les. In addition, thousands of cords of
fire wood are furnished annually to
farmers living within and near the
Forest and to the residents of numer-
Gus small towns situated in close prox
unity to 1t.
The Forest during the summer
season forages $4,000 head of cattle.
Farmers and stockmen generally have
taken advantage Of this, and the
range Is generally stocked to capac-
ity during the grazing season.
Many people use the Forest for
recreationl purposes and the demand
for sites for summer homts and temp
orary camping places increases an
nually. Such use of the Forest Ser
vice is encouraged.
1t is the purpose of the Forest Ser
vice to so administer the National
Forests that it will be possible to fur
nish certain industries with per-
petual supply of material by cutting
each year, or within a specific num-
Der Of years an amount of timber
equivalent to the growth during the
ptrlod. The Forest Service aims to
encourage permanent local industries
and is making every plan with this
in view. The day Of the big mill in
this section of Virginia and West Vir,
ginia are numbered, since the supply
of timber now remaining will not
much longer justify its operation. 1t
is not a matter of choice, therefore,
whether we prefer large optration
continuing over q comparatively
short time or small operation over
a long period Of years. OF necessity
the day of the small operation is at
hand and it is the bushes of the For
est Service to make the supply of tim
Der on the Government forests per-
petual and-to supply with it's products
as many such local industries as
possible.
The purchase of additional lands is
still in progress. Some large tracts
which have been offered for sale
will be examined and probebly pur-
chased in the near futufc and in
corperated in this National Forest.
| With their present area, the Nat
Iienal Forest in the Eastern part Of
the United States will be able to sup
ply only very inconsiderable am
oIrt Of the. timber whoch will be
deeded. Furthur appropriations arc
being sought, therefore, to acquire
more forest lands so that when the
time comes, ag # will at 10 distant
day, when private holdings have
been cut over, the National Forests
will have a reserve supply Of timber
which can be thrown into the gap.
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