CAMP STOVES AND FIREPLACES

THE national forests with their lakes, streams, mountain ranges, and mountain peaks, including an area more than five times as large as all New England, contain a large part of the natural outdoor recreational areas in the United States.

The Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, charged with the custodianship of the national forests, considers these recreational possibilities as public resources, to be wisely used and carefully safeguarded. Because of the public demand for use of these recreational areas, the Forest Service, within the limits of the funds available and consistent with the primary purposes for which the national forests have been created, is doing everything possible to properly and adequately develop these recreational resources for public use.

The Civilian Conservation Corps, during the last 3 years, has made it possible to carry on an extensive program of work in the development of these recreational areas which otherwise would have been impossible or long delayed.

In order to protect the forests from fire, to provide sanitary safeguards, and to furnish suitable public conveniences, it has been necessary to designate thousands of campgrounds and picnic areas and to provide these areas with simple and adequate improvements.

On the great majority of campgrounds and picnic areas fires are essential for cooking, for campfires, and for warming fires. To fully protect the forest growth, on and surrounding these recreational areas, it is necessary that these fires be confined within camp stoves, fireplaces and campfire circles. The importance of appropriate design for these features has prompted the Forest Service to make a careful and extensive study of this subject in order to determine the types of camp stoves and fireplaces best adapted to use under varying conditions.

This subject is of growing significance because of the increasing importance of recreational activities not only in the national forests; but on all recreational areas throughout the United States in connection with which these facilities are essential.

Mr. A. D. Taylor, consulting landscape architect for the Forest Service, made a careful study of this problem during the summer and fall of 1935. He has condensed his findings into the following pages. As the author states, it is fully appreciated that this presentation of the subject cannot be considered as complete. The text and drawings represent an effort at this time to make available in clear and definite form, the most authoritative information compiled to date on the subject of camp stoves and fireplaces.

It is my hope that this publication will be of real value to forest officers and to the thousands of others responsible for the planning and construction of recreational improvements throughout the United States.

June 5, 1936.

Chief, Forest Service.