American Land Policy

Featured Reference Cubbage, Frederick W., Jay O’Laughlin, and Charles S. Bullock III Forest Resource Policy. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Private vs. Public Land Private Land: owned by individuals or corporations Public Land: owned by federal, state, or local government

The American Tradition of Private Property Land drew settlers from Europe Wealth & opportunity Property rights & the American Revolution An essential freedom (Article I, Section 8 & 5 th Amendment)

“ As early as 1776, Americans “enjoyed a higher standard of living than any people in the world.” David McCullough, 1776

Ownership of Forest Land in the U.S. in 2007

Public vs. Private Land Ownership At one time or another, the federal government held title to 82.5 percent of the land area of the United States –29 percent remains in public ownership –The remaining 53.5 percent has been transferred to the private sector or the states

Federal Forests: % of U.S. forest land is federally owned –National Forests, National Parks, BLM, Indian Reservations, Military, etc. –147,181,000 acres (19.6%) in National Forests –101,232,000 acres in other federal ownership –86% of federally-owned forests are in the western U.S.

State and Local Forests: 2007 State and local governments own 44,938,000 acres of forest (9.7% of America’s forest land) Total public ownership of forest land (Federal, state, and local) is 319,161,000 acres

Political vs. Biological Definitions of Forest Prescott National Forest, Arizona

Publicly Owned Forest Land by Region: 2007

Privately Owned Forest Land by Region: 2007

Percent of Forested Land in Public Ownership by Region: 2007

Territorial Expansion National security –War of 1812 –Grand strategy of John Quincy Adams Manifest Destiny Fill the continent with people

Public Land Acquisition (million acres) Public Land Private Land Original States Louisiana Purchase (1803)560 Florida Cession (1819)46 Texas Annexed (1845)79170 Oregon Compromise (1846)183 Mexican Cession (1848 )339 Gadsden Purchase (1853)19 Alaska Purchase (1867)375 Hawaii Annexed (1898)4 TOTAL2,316475

Land Grants to the States Morrill Act of 1862 –Established colleges dedicated to teaching agriculture and the “mechanical arts” –Made higher education available to most Americans, not just the elites –West Virginia Agricultural College – 1869

Land Grants to the States Public school trust lands –Proceeds from timber sales to support the public schools –Compensated state and local governments for lost tax revenues as the federal government set aside land in perpetual Federal ownership as forest preserves or other Federal set asides

“Although the U.S. Government was eager to acquire all lands within its present borders, it was just as eager to sell or give those lands to private landowners or firms in order to spur development and generate revenues for the fledgling government.” Cubbage et al. Forest Resource Policy [p. 287]

Land Ordnance of 1785 Established mechanism for selling national lands Public Land Survey established “sections” of 640 acres General Land Office (Treasury Dept.) established in 1812

Homestead Act of 1862 Granted 270 million acres of Federal land to private citizens (10% of nation) Grants were for 160 acres Not repealed until 1976 Homesteader had to: –Build a 12 by 14 cabin –“Bring water” to the land –Farm the land for 5 years –Pay a fee

Land Grants to Private Citizens Timber Culture Act of 1873 –Offered 160 acres to anyone who would plant 40 acres with trees Timber and Stone Act of 1878

Disposing of public lands acres Homesteaders287,500,000 Railroads94,400,000 Land grants to individuals by foreign governments before U.S. acquisition 34,000, Timber Culture Act10,900, Desert Land Sales Act10,700, Timber & Stone Act13,900,000 Land Grants to States328,400,000 Land Sales, mineral claims, other methods303,500,000

Railroad Land Grants Pacific Railroad Acts of 1862 and – 20 acres for every mile of track “Checkerboard ” grants

Railroad Lands Provided a right-of-way but also could be sold to raise funds For example, railroad magnate James J. Hill sold 900,000 acres (1,406 square miles) of Washington state timberlands to Frederick Weyerhaeuser in 1900 for $5,400,000. This is “one of the largest single land transfers in American annals.”

Land Fraud 12” x 14” cabins Driving a 12’ x 14’ cabin from claim to claim Placing a shingle over a tent Throwing cupfuls of water “to bring water to the claim” Having employees claim land, then letting the claim lapse after cutting timber Transferring claims after 6 months Denying access to inholdings

Federal Land Set Asides National Parks National Forests

National Parks Preservation of areas of scenic, natural, or historic significance Influence of John Muir Yellowstone became the world's first national park in 1872 “The gems” – Chad Pierskalla

National Parks Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite (lands not in the state park) in 1890; Mt. Rainier in 1899; Crater Lake in Grand Canyon became a forest reserve in 1893; a national park in 1919.

National Parks 1890s: Congress set aside a number of Civil War battlefields to be managed by the War Department (Portions of the Gettysburg battlefield were purchased for preservation by private citizens two weeks after the battle ended)

“… The 1872 act creating the reservation had for its object the preservation of a natural ‘museum’ of ‘wonders’ – geysers, hot springs, and canyons. The park was not preserved to be either a wilderness or a game refuge. The only concern of those few interested in the area was that the ‘curiosities’ be made available to tourists as soon as possible.” John F. Reiger, In American Forests: Nature, Culture, and Politics Yellowstone

Railroads and the National Parks

Recommended Reading Chase, Alston Playing God in Yellowstone: The Destruction of America’s First National Park.

Management of Yellowstone Dept. of the Interior From 1886 until 1916, the Army was placed in charge In 1916, the National Park Service was created Yellowstone’s first 16 rangers were former cavalrymen

Wildlife Programs in Yellowstone Proliferation of elk and bison: Proliferation of elk and bison: Disappearance of the white-tail deer & dramatic population decline of antelope and bighorn sheep from Disappearance of the white-tail deer & dramatic population decline of antelope and bighorn sheep from Eradication of wolves and other carnivores: 1918 through the 1930sEradication of wolves and other carnivores: 1918 through the 1930s

Wildlife Programs in Yellowstone Decline of the beaver: (loss of wood) Introduction of exotic fish & decline of native trout populations: Rise and fall of the bear population: Where were the wildlifers?

The Forest Reserves 1891 – Congress passes the Forest Reserve Act –Empowers the President to create “forest reserves” from the public domain –Formed the basis of the National Forest system

Differences between National Forests & National Parks Dept. of Agriculture Originally created to protect forests and watersheds, and to conserve the timber supply The mission expanded through the 20 th century Dept. of the Interior Preservation of areas of scenic, natural, or historic significance