The Use of the National Forests

HOW TO USE THEM.

MANAGEMENT BY THE PEOPLE.

National Forests are made for and owned by the people. They should also be managed by the people. They are made, not to give the officers in charge of them a chance to work out theories, but to give the people who use them, and those who are affected by their use, a chance to work out their own best profit. This means that if National Forests are going to accomplish anything worth while the people must know all about them and must take a very active part in their management. The officers are paid by the people to act as their agents and to see that all the resources of the Forests are used in the best interest of everyone concerned. What the people as a whole want will be done. To do it it is necessary that the people carefully consider and plainly state just what they want and then take a very active part in seeing that they get it.

There are many great interests on the National Forests which sometimes conflict a little. They must all be made to fit into one another so that the machine runs smoothly as a whole. It is often necessary for one man to give way a little here, another a little there. But by giving way a little at present they both profit by it a great deal in the end. There must be hearty cooperation from everyone. National Forests are new in the United States, and the management of their vast resources is a very difficult task. Mistakes are bound to be made at first, and have been made. It is the users themselves who can be of chief assistance in doing away with bad methods.

National Forests exist to-day because the people want them. To make them accomplish the most good the people themselves must make clear how they want them run.

WHERE THE BUSINESS IS DONE.

The business of the National Forests is done on the ground. The local officers, the Supervisors and Rangers, attend to most of it. Some few of the more important matters go to Washington for final action, but everything must pass through the Supervisor's hands. He and the Rangers actually conduct the business, and users of the Forests should always deal with them directly, and should correspond with the Washington office only in cases of appeal or complaint.

The Supervisor has direct charge of all the business. His office is located at some town convenient to the users. The Rangers are his field force. They live at central points throughout the Forests and carry out the business on the ground.

PAYMENTS.

Make payments to no one but the Fiscal Agent, Forest Service, Washington, D. C., who is bonded for that purpose. Do not remit to the local officers. They can not receive payments in any form. All payments to the Fiscal Agent must be by postal money order, express money order, or national-bank draft on New York. Cash, stamps, or other forms of payment can not be accepted.

COMPLAINT AND APPEAL.

Make complaints to the local officers first. If they can not settle the matter satisfactorily, write to The Forester, Forest Service, Washington, D. C. Address to him also all other correspondence which must go to Washington.

LAND FOR A HOME.

First, select land that is really agricultural in character, then write to the Forester and ask to have the land examined and listed under the act of June 11, 1906. Be careful to describe it accurately by section, township, and range, if it is surveyed; if it is not surveyed, describe it by natural objects, such as streams, etc. It is very important to locate it just as definitely as possible. After this consult the Supervisor or nearest Ranger about how to proceed. If the applicant appears to have the best right to the land, he can get a permit from the Supervisor to occupy and cultivate it until it is opened to entry.

Do not squat or settle upon the land before it is examined and listed for entry. The law does not allow it.

Do not apply to have valuable timber lands listed. The law refers only to lands chiefly valuable for cultivation. Lands of chief value for the timber upon them will not be listed.

(See the agricultural settlement act of June 11, 1906, on page 35 of the Appendix.)

PROSPECTING AND MINING.

Proceed just as on the open public domain. National Forests do not interfere with these matters at all. Timber and wood on a patented claim may of course be cut and disposed of in any way desired. On a valid unpatented claim, timber and wood may be cut and used for purposes connected with the actual development of the claim, free of charge and without permit. Care should be taken, however, about the following points:

Do not cut timber or wood from an unpatented claim for purposes of sale or for purposes not connected with its actual development consistent with its character.

Do not use the land of an unpatented claim for improvement or construction work which does not tend to the actual development of the claim consistent with its character until you have secured a permit from the Supervisor.

THE USE OF LAND.

To get the use of land as sites for stores, hotels, residences, and other similar purposes, or for the construction of wagon roads, trails, tramroads, canals, reservoirs, telephone and power lines, etc., consult the Supervisor or the nearest Ranger. The Supervisor grants permits for most of these special uses. You need not fear delay.

Do not use any National Forest land for the above or other purposes without first getting a permit (except on a valid claim for its actual development).

TIMBER AND WOOD.

Free use.—To get the free use of timber and wood ask the nearest Ranger for a permit. It is given away free to settlers, farmers, prospectors, and others for domestic use, and to school and road districts. It is not given away free for any kind of commercial use.

Do not cut or remove the timber or wood until a permit is obtained. In great emergencies, when you can not reach a Forest officer and when serious loss would result by waiting for one, take what is actually needed with as little damage as possible, and report to the Ranger afterwards.

Purchase.—If not over $50 worth of material is wanted, consult the nearest Ranger, who will draw up the agreement, arrange the terms of payment, designate the timber to be cut, and allow its removal as soon as payment has been made.

If over $50 worth of material is wanted, arrange the sale with the Supervisor. Consult the nearest Ranger about it and do the business through him whenever it is most convenient to do so; but Rangers can not make sales of over $50 in value; the Supervisor makes them. Most Supervisors can sell up to $500 worth of material without asking advice from Washington. Some of them can make larger sales. Under any circumstances the papers must always pass through the Supervisor's hands. He is the man to deal with. The purchaser should first locate the timber he wants to buy. After it has been cruised the Supervisor will agree with the purchaser upon the terms of sale. Cutting may begin as soon as the timber is marked for removal and payment has been made as called for.

Do not begin to cut or remove timber on any sale until permission to do so has been granted by a Forest officer.

Plate V. Sheep in a Nationl Forest. All the Range is Put to its Best Use.

THE USE OF THE RANGE.

To secure a permit to graze live stock on a National Forest, apply to the Supervisor. The nearest Ranger will furnish an application blank. The Supervisor grants the permit. Every year, before the grazing season opens, notice is given of the date on which all applications must be in. Be sure to send your application in on time. The Supervisor or Rangers will furnish all necessary information about the fees and other details of the business.

No stock can be grazed without a permit, except the few head in actual use by campers, prospectors, and travelers; ten head of milch cows or work animals owned by settlers living in or near a Forest, and a reasonable number of saddle, pack, and work animals used for caring for stock grazed under permit.

The Government limits the total number of stock to be grazed on each National Forest. The Supervisor allots the range among the various applicants, giving a preference to the small near-by owner and the men who have always used the range.

To drive stock across a Forest it is necessary to get a permit from the nearest Ranger or the Supervisor, except along a public road. A permit is also necessary to drive stock across a Forest to reach private lands within it, if the stock grazes along on the way.

Get a permit from the Supervisor before constructing drift and pasture fences and corrals.

Remember that most of the range in the West has been overgrazed and that in National Forests it is being brought back into good condition. This means that the Supervisor is often unable to grant applicants the privilege of grazing the full number of stock applied for. It should be borne in mind, too, that all the applicants are cut down proportionately, the big men the most. If an applicant has a grievance which he can not settle with the Supervisor, he may appeal directly to the Forester.

On new National Forests existing conditions will not be changed suddenly. Owners of stock will be given ample notice if it is necessary to make a cut, so that they may adjust themselves to the new conditions without financial loss.

Do not graze any stock on a National Forest without a permit (except as noted above) or drive stock across National Forest lands without a permit or construct fences without a permit. The law forbids it. And to guard the best interests of all the people the law will be vigorously enforced.