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National Parks Bulletin, 1925

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Item’s are ‘child’ level descriptions to ‘parent’ objects, (e.g. one page of a whole book).

  • National Parks Bulletin 11 RECREATIONAL SURVEY PROGRESSING NORMALLY Fact-gathering throughout the Federal Lands, with the Cooperation of Government Agencies, Now Half Done and Beginning to Show Perspectives NEARLY a year has elapsed since the Joint Committee on Recreational Survey of Federal Lands began ac- - tively to catalogue areas of recreational usefulness in the nationally owned lands of the United States. More than half the facts have been collected, and work of analyzing, organizing and indexing material and mapping locations has kept pace. The undertaking was large and complicated. Federal lands aggregate more than 700,000 square miles. Their combined areas more than equal that of the States from Maine inclusive west to the Mississippi and south to Georgia. They are administered by eight or nine government organizations, some of which have no collected records of all their holdings, and none of which know much about the lands and the land problems of the others. Type of organization and administration differ in each, and, except for the National Park Service and the Forest Service, none had previously even considered recreation in administration of their lands. Yet it was chiefly from government sources that the Joint Committee could ascertain its facts. Organization and Personnel The work was undertaken by the National Forestry Association and the National Parks Association, jointly, at the request of the National Conference on Outdoor Recreation, which required the facts as the basis for a national policy; other associations were asked for similar surveys of state parks and playgrounds. The Joint Committee consists of William P. Wharton, chairman, Robert Sterling Yard, secretary, Ovid M. Butler, treasurer, Shirley W. Allen, Dr. H. H. Chapman, Ernest N. Smith, Dr. Frederick H. Newell, George Shiras, 3d, Dr. Frank A. Waugh and William A. Welch. Its executive is Philip R. Hough, and its office in the Lenox Building, Washington. Associated with it as Government Advisory Committee are: War Department: Major James A. O'Connor, Major Thomas J. Johnson, Major George R. Young, Major Merrill D. Wheeler, Major Ellis E. Hering. Navy Department: Captain Arthur P. Fairfield. Interior Department: General Land Office, Captain George E. Hair; Office of Indian Affairs, Assistant Commissioner Edgar B. Meritt; Geological Survey, J. B. Sears, Chief Engineer Glenn S. Smith; Bureau of Reclamation, Charles N. McCulloch, Dr. Hugh A. Brown; National Park Service, Assistant Director Arno B. Cammerer. Agricultural Department: Forest Service, Chief Forester W. B. Greeley; Biological Survey, Director E. W. Nelson; Bureau of Public Roads, H. S. Fairbank. Department of Commerce: Bureau of Fisheries, Commissioner Henry O'Malley; Coast and Geodetic Survey, Director E. Lester Jones. In cooperation with this committee were established the methods by which the facts, in each land classification, could best be collected. Methods of Collection and Handling Facts These facts are reported by recreational units, chosen throughout the field by government rangers, inspectors, or other officials familiar with each region through constant official contact. Records reach the Joint Committee as replies to questionnaires whose queries, while covering the widely differing conditions of lands and administration, bring out the points essential to the general survey, thus effecting an original rough classification which greatly facilitates after handling. It is the hearty spirit and practice of cooperation on the part of the government organizations and their officials in Washington and throughout the national field, that is speeding this survey and will make its report efficient and highly useful. Broadening Horizons For months after starting work, the returns were so slender that, laid out on large state maps, the chances of securing larger generalizations appeared remote. But, with more than half in hand, already lines of development and larger perspectives are beginning to emerge. The report when completed will show both general fields and individual spots of recreational possibility. There will be maps of several kinds illustrating opportunity from various points of view. And there will be many suggestive statistical groupings. Present recreational areas will be pointed out, the relations of recreational opportunity to State area and to population indicated, natural lines of development suggested by typography and existing railroads and highways, and other generalizations made upon which rational planning may be based. The workers, who found fact-gathering drudgery during the first year, hereafter will take ever keener pleasure in its development as larger perspectives emerge. The survey, which will also avail of other than government information, will probably require another year to complete. TO JOIN THE NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION and do your part in the important work of this Association (see page 12), mail your name and address to the Treasurer, 1512 H Street, N. W., Washington, D. C, enclosing your check for first year's dues. You will receive regularly the National Parks Bulletin and other publications of the Association, and will soon find your own working place in the ranks of service. Annual membership $3.00 Sustaining membership $25.00
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).