Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Report of the Secretary of Agriculture in relation to the forests, rivers, and mountains of the southern Appalachian region

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  • SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION. 167 The hydrographic survey of the region, conducted by the United States Geological Survey, includes a general study of its topographic features; of the relation of the soils, forest cover, and rainfall; of the quantity of water flowing out of it through the various streams during different seasons, and of the influence exerted on the regularity of this flow by forest clearings. More than 750 stream measurements have already been made and much additional data of special value has been secured. In addition to these investigations I have given thorough attention to the arguments advanced by the movers for the proposed park and to those of their opponents, and as a result 1 am strongly of the opinion that this matter is worthy of careful consideration. I have the honor to transmit herewith a mounted original copy of a large map. which shows in detail the mapping of forests accomplished during the past summer over an area of nearly 8,000 square miles. A full report of the work and its results is now in preparation and will be submitted for your consideration at an early date. The following preliminary statement is made to bring before you without delay a summary of the facts sufficient to set forth (dearly the principal features of the region and the plan. The movement for the purchase and control of a large area of forest land in the East by the Government has chiefly contemplated a national park. The idea of a national park is conservation, not use; that of a forest reserve, conservation by use. I have, therefore, to recommend a forest reserve instead of a park. It is fully shown by the investigation that such a reserve would be self-supporting from the sale of timber under wisely directed conservative forestry. Extensive areas of hard-wood forests within the region colored on the accompanying map arc still in their primitive condition, and these are among the very best and richest hard-wood forests of the United States. The region in general is better adapted for forestry than for agricultural purposes. It is located about the headwaters of numerous streams, such as the Ohio, Tennessee. Savannah, Yadkin, and Roanoke, which are important both for water power and for navigation. The general conditions within the region are exceptionally favorable for the carrying on of large operations in practical forestry, and the weather is suitable for lumbering operations at all seasons of the year. It contains a greater variety of hard-wood trees than any- other region of the United States, since the Northern and Southern species here meet. It is a region of exceptional beauty and pictur- esqneness, and, although it would not be easily accessible to visitors in all parts at all seasons of the year, by far the greater portion of its area would be easily reached and climatically pleasant throughout the year.
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).