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. 169 States Geological Survey. A preliminary report from the Secretary of Agriculture, transmitted to Congress with a brief commendatory message by the President, is herewith included. It is preceded by a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture, which declares his full approval of this bill. The plan to purchase a forest reserve or park in the Southern Appalachian Mountains has been favorably considered and is advocated by the National Board of Trade, by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, by the American Forestry Association, and by- numerous similar organizations throughout the United States. Resolutions from the bodies named are presented in the appendix as showing that the movement for the establishment of this forest reserve is based not upon local or selfish interests, but upon the widespread, intelligent national appreciation of the importance of prompt and favorable action by Congress. That such a forest reserve should be established in the hard-wood regions of the East is the general conviction of men of science, experts in forestry, intelligent lumbermen, and of men connected with the great business interests of the country; and this view finds frequent and emphatic expression in the technical and general press. Reckless cutting and the forest fires which follow are now destroying these hard-wood forests at a rate and to an extent which is already having serious results over wide areas. In addition to its probable effect on climate, it is causing irregularities in the flow of the streams, which are destroying their value for water power and navigation during the dry seasons, and during the rainy seasons are washing away the soils on the steeper hillsides and mountain slopes, filling up the stream beds with sediment, and destroying the agricultural value of the lowlands along the streams. Roth the diminishing flow of water during the dry- season and the deposit of sediment in the stream beds and harbors during periods of flood are becoming yearly more dangerous to navigation and are leading directly to increased annual appropriations for rivers and harbors. The establishment of the proposed national forest reserve will tend to remedy these serious and growing evils, will protect the sources of many important streams, and, under the management of trained forest experts, will serve as a demonstration of the method of perpetuating forests and yet making them pay. Such an example will lead both States and individuals to encourage and practice forest management and restoration on all lands which are better suited to forest growth than for agricultural purposes. The proposed national reserve for the protection and use of hardwood forests should be located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains for several reasons. That region contains the greatest variety of hard woods to be found anywhere on this continent, because the northern and southern forest
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).