Report of the Chief of the Forest Service: 1971 Page: 13
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in California. Included are environmental, scenic,
and cultural considerations. These characteristics
can be measured by quantity and quality to serve
as benchmarks against which the results of future
planning decisions and user-impacts can be evalu-
ated. The recreation inventory will also produce
for the first time, urgently needed estimates of
the carrying capacities of national forest lands
and waters for recreation purposes. With antici-
pated improvements, this new recreation environ-
ment inventory will be applied throughout the
National Forest System as rapidly as feasible.
When completed it will provide the Forest Serv-
ice an essential link in total multiple-use planning.
Fee system. Fees for recreation use of the na-
tional forests have been charged as a part of the
Federal recreation charge program under the
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. In 1970,
these fee receipts amounted to $1,716,898 for daily
permits and $1,435,084 for annual permits, for a
total of $3,151,982. In 1971, receipts were
$3,323,542 for daily permits and $1,632,310 for
annual permits, or a total of $4,955,852. Local
counties receive 25 percent of the receipts from
the daily permits.
The land and water conservation fund charge
system expired December 31, 1971. Until it is re-
newed by congressional action, all charges on the
national forests will be daily charges.
0 Encourage prevention and abatement
of air, water, and soil pollution from
operations of forestry-related enter-
prises.
Air and water quality
President Nixon's Executive Order 11507, is-
sued February 4, 1970, established a deadline for
pollution abatement and protection of air and
water quality at Federal facilities. An earlier Ex-
ecutive order, No. 11258, issued in 1965, had de-
fined the objectives. In the same year, the Forest
Service began to accelerate its program and esti-
mated that $100 million would be needed to pro-
tect water quality and provide modern water
systems to public users of national forest lands and
to administrative sites.
A multidiscipline task force was charged with
developing a program to meet Executive Order
11507 standards and the deadline of December 31,
1972. Water quality projects previously inven-
toried were updated, in cooperation with the Fed-eral Water Quality Control Agency and Office
of Management and Budget. Setting the size of
the program, developing schedules, determining
manpower needs, and consideration of several or-
ganizational alternatives were considered and
evaluated. Alternatives provided for maximum
use of architectural and engineering consultants.
The task force report in August 1970 confirmed
earlier estimates of the need for a $100 million
program. Program implementation will provide
for a management and economic feasibility evalu-
ation of all Forest Service facilities identified with
this program during the next 3 to 5 years. When
completed, the project should have no health haz-
ard or environmental degradation from any form
of pollution traceable to the operation of Federal
facilities.
Woodsy Owl launches antipollution campaign
On September 15, 1971, Woodsy Owl became
the Forest Service's nationwide symbol dedicated
to combating pollution and improving the envi-
ronment of forests, woodlands, and open lands.
His theme, "Give a Hoot! Don't Pollute," will be
aimed at reducing virtually all forms of pollu-
tion in outdoor areas of the United States. It will
focus attention on environmental enhancement
goals, emphasizing the protection of soil, vegeta-
tion, air, and water through thoughtful use; elim-
ination of unnecessary noise; and personal
responsibility for control of vandalism and de-
struction of the Nation's out of doors.
WILDFIRE CONTROL
Wildfire losses in 1970
Uncontrolled wildfires remain a major threat to
forest resources. In 1970, early summer drought
and high temperatures brought extreme fire danger
to many parts of the West. Numerous man-caused
and scattered lightning-set fires resulted in serious
losses on the National Forest System. In all, 15,000
fires burned 553,000 acres, the highest number in
36 years; 7,174 fires were man-caused. Some 99
percent of all fires were controlled with little re-
source loss. Of the 201 fires escaping initial attack,
20 burned 93 percent of the total acreage. Wildfires
causing the most devastation occurred under rare
conditions of severe drought, high temperature,
low humidity, and strong winds.
Federal, State, county, and municipal fire orga-
nizations cooperated in the closely coordinated13
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United States. Forest Service. Report of the Chief of the Forest Service: 1971, book, April 1972; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc799746/m1/19/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.