In the 19th century, the notion of placing some forestlands in public
ownership drew strong
opposition. The prevailing policy was “disposal” - getting land
in private ownership as quickly as
possible. By the 1890s, however, the unrestrained market economy
was causing severe
environmental deterioration as well as the concentration of wealth
that resulted in economic
insecurity for millions.
In response, land use reformers focused their criticism on: 1) the concentration
of land in the
hands of powerful corporations; 2) the depletion of natural resources;
3) the damage caused by
logging mining, grazing and agriculture on soil and water, sometimes
affecting whole regions; 4)
rural instability caused by migratory industries that would exploit
resources and move on; and 5)
waste and inefficiency in natural resource use. After considerable
controversy, Congress finally
endorsed the idea of retaining some public ownership of lands to be
managed in the public interest
as a buffer against the complete privatization of all lands.
But most of the forests set aside were
on marginally productive and inaccessible lands that settlers and industry
had rejected.
Protection of federal forests was established in 1891 when Congress
granted the President
authority to set aside portions of the vast federal land holdings in
the West as “forest reserves” to
protect watersheds, wildlife and recreational opportunities.
Regulations were adopted in 1894
stating that no one could “cut, remove, or use any of the timber, grass
or other natural product”
on National Forest land; nor could anyone “settle upon, occupy, or
use any [National Forest]
lands for agricultural, proprietary, mining or other business purposes.”
Livestock grazing on
National Forests was “strictly prohibited.” The reserves were
to be preserved in their natural
state.