Need for increases

The regions 1 and 3 offices are not able to provide adequate assistance in matters concerning forest management to the park areas in those regions with the staffs currently provided for. The expansion of public use facilities under the Mission 66 program, such as new and enlarged campgrounds, road improvements, and new structures has intensified vegetation protection, and structural fire-control functions. Man-caused fire risks increase and vegetation protection and management become more complex with expanding use requiring close attention to investigations, planning, and programing to maintain a cosistently high standard of protection of the basic forest resources, visitor use structures, and of the people themselves. Another factor that has contributed to these deficiencies relates to the development of new methods, techniques, materials, and equipment in the fields of forest fire control and insert and disease control throughout the country. The Service must keep abreast of these new developments and adopt those that are suitable and appropriate for use and will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of protection within the parks. This requires close cooperation with other agencies and the development of technical procedures and standards for application within the areas administered.

An additional forester, GS-12, position is needed in each of the regions 1 and 3 offices if those offices are to provide the assistance to the areas in forest management matters that is needed under the expanded operations explained in the foregoing. Also, in meeting the increased cost of doing business (increases in travel costs; increased costs of supplies, materials, and equipment; one-step promotions; etc.) the level of general expense funds previously provided for has been lowered. While this situation has been developing, the general expense requirements in the Washington and regional offices have increased in view of the intensification of forest management functions described above. The increase of $31,350 will provide $21,350 for two additional foresters, GS-12, plus supporting general expense funds for the regions 1 and 3 offices and $9,750 in general expense funds for existing staffs in the Washington office and all five regional offices. The remaining small increase of $250 is to meet full year salary increase cost requirements in 1962.

Plan of work

Technical staff direction, including investigation and planning and the development of procedures and standards for vegetation protection and structural fire control, is provided under this program by the five regional offices and the Washington office.

(B) FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE

The estimate of $750,217 is an increase of $75,225 over the amount estimated to be available for 1961. The increase consists of $2,525 for leasing commercial communication facilities; $12,800 for operation of new Mission 66 facilities; $48,900 for strengthening existing field organizations and facilities; and $11,000 for salary increase costs authorized by Public Law 85-568 that are not provided for in the anticipated supplemental appropriation amount for 1961.

Need for increases

Heavy and increasing visitor use of the parks has intensified the need to strengthen fire protection and related programs. Some of our largest, most damaging, and costly forest fires are of man-caused origin. Efforts must be continuously directed toward reduction of these fires. In addition, fire control facilities and services are needed as new or enlarged public use facilities are provided under the Mission 66 program. Both increased visitor use and extensions of public use areas result in changing use patterns within the parks and adjoining areas requiring revisions in protection planning, organization, and operation to meet these new protection requirements.

The program for obtaining communication facilities in the parks on a leaserental basis in lieu of developing, operating, and maintaining Government owned facilities has been in progress since fiscal year 1957 and is well along toward completion. A reliable portable and fixed station communication system is essential in fire prevention control because of the very large areas involved, difficult terrain ranging from extensive prairies of the Everglades to rugged mountains of the West, and the isolation and long distances from population centers. The increase of $2,525 is needed to provide for such facilities in four park areas in 1962.

The steadily increasing use of the parks has intensified the responsibility and workload of park staffs, particularly in connection with forest and structural fire control program functions. This public use is not only increasing during the normal periods but use patterns are changing and extending to the degree that in some parks public use is steadily approaching a year-around basis. This requires strengthening services and provision of additional funds for supplies, materials, and similar expenses. New public use areas and improvements of roads tend to spread public use within the parks. Water use and back-country use are steadily increasing, resulting in an additional drain on funds. The increases of $12,800 and $48,900 requested for operation of new facilities and for strengthening existing program resources, respectively, will provide for the employment of an additional 7 man-years of fire control aid services in the parks and for supporting expenses, such as acquisition of small handtools, equip ment, supplies, and materials needed to carry on the protection work.

The remaining increase of $11,000 is to provide for salary-increase costs (authorized by Public Law 85-568) on a full-year basis.

Plan of work

The fire protection services program provides services and facilities within the parks to carry out prevention on the ground, and to train and organize Service employees to combat fires when they do occur with the least possible damage to park features and facilities at least cost.

(C) TREE PRESERVATION

The estimate of $52,114 is an increase of $50 over the amount estimated to be available for 1961. The increase is to provide for salary increase costs authorized by Public Law 86-568 on a full year basis.

Plan of work

The Service has employed a mobile tree crew for several years to serve the parks in the eastern and southwestern parts of the United States. This crew is highly skilled in carrying out specialized tree preservation and maintenance work on shade and valuable specimen trees in public use areas of the scenic parks and in historical parks and monuments and national cemeteries. This operation has been one of the most successful programs under this activity. The work plan proposes to continue the tree preservation program at the same level as that obtaining in 1961.

(D) FOREST FIRE SUPPRESSION

The estimate of $100,000 is the same as for 1961.

Plan of work

These funds are used solely for paying forest fire suppression and emergency presuppression costs when and as they occur. Suppression involves actual onthe-ground firefighting to control fires with dispatch and at least cost. Presuppression activities include stepping up protection forces during periods of critical fire danger as a preparedness measure in the event of fire emergency.

The estimate of $106,600 is an increase of $860 over the amount estimated to be available for 1961. The increase consists of $800 to meet wage rate increases already in effect and $60 to cover salary increases, authorized by Public Law 86-568, on a full year basis.

Need for increase

The Service's current program is necessarily confined to remedial maintenance only to prevent further deterioration of the land. The small increase requested is needed to cover increased salary and wage rate costs which would otherwise have to be absorbed with the result that the program level would necessarily be further lowered,

Plan of work

This program contemplates conservation measures in 20 parks in land use planning, soil stabilization and improvement, water runoff and control, and maintenance and operation of previously installed conservation facilities. The work will be carried on by employees of the Service, the majority of whom are seasonal and temporary. Conservation measures in parks located adjacent to similar projects under the jurisdiction of other Federal, State, or local agencies are coordinated with conservation programs of those agencies.

The estimate of $2,101,160 is an increase of $1,,082,980 over the $1,018,180 available in 1961. Of the total increase, $52,600 is for a park and recreation area study in the new State of Hawaii and $1,340 is for salary increase cost requirements in 1962 over requirements for 1961. The remainder of the increase, $1,029,040, is for acceleration of the programs in line with objectives set forth in the President's national resources message.

Need for increases

The major portion of the increase could accelerate going programs, the objectives of which are to plan for (1) conserving and developing the Nation's recreation resources at the National, State, and local levels to meet the longrange needs of the public for outdoor recreation; (2) rounding out the national park system so that it will eventually contain the most representative samples of nationally significant areas that are important scenically, scientifically, and historically in the Nation's heritage; and (3) providing critically needed asssistance to other Federal agencies and to States and their political subdivisions in planning adequate and well-managed park and recreation area systems.

These are major programs under Mission 66 and ones of the utmost importance to the future vitality of the Nation. Time is of the essence because opportunities at all levels-National, regional, State, county, and city-to reserve open spaces for outdoor recreation are either vanishing before the impact of urbanization, industrial expansion and highway construction, or being priced out of reach. Ample evidence of the need is found today in the Nation's crowded parks, and this situation is rapidly growing more serious with the increases in population, leisure time and income, earlier retirements, and improved means of transportation.

A beginning has been achieved in the execution of these programs during the first 5 years of Mission 66, and the rate of work is scheduled to be accelerated during the second half of Mission 66. However, in view of the President's stated objective in his natural resources message, the critical need for preserv

ing these areas now before they are lost, and because of the impact this planning would have in bolstering economically depressed areas, the programs should be accelerated at the most rapid rate possible.

Plan of work

The major portion of the work is performed by basic staffs located in the Washington office and the five regional offices. These staffs are composed of specialists in park and recreation planning. Certain specialized phases of the program are accomplished through contracts with private and public organizations, such as universities and research foundations.

Summary of increases, 1962

Nationwide recreation planning.-An increase of $339,674 is requested to strengthen this activity and make possible more rapid identification and evaluation, in cooperation with State, metropolitan, and local authorities and the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission, of needed potential park, parkway, and recreation areas. Special emphasis would be given to the Appalachian Mountains region, and other depressed areas in the United States, as an aid in bolstering their sagging economies through planning assistance in the proper conservation, development, and increased public use of their recreation resources. These may well be the region's most valuable remaining resources, but they are largely untapped.

National park system planning.—An increase of $346,578 is requested to facilitate surveys and studies, now in progress on a reduced scale, which have as their aim the orderly addition of nationally significant scenic, historic, and scientific areas until, as nearly as possible, all such areas are protected and preserved for the use and enjoyment of future generations of Americans. These surveys and studies would provide the factual data that are needed by legislative and administrative officials in considering new park proposals and boundary changes. Unless many of the areas are acquired very soon, such as those along the seashores, Great Lakes, and inland lakes and waterways, they will be lost forever. Cooperation with States and other agencies. An increase of $396,728 is requested to enable the Service to provide additional urgently needed assistance to other Federal land and water resource management agencies and to States and their political subdivisions in planning for the acquisition, development, and management of lands for public park and recreation purposes. It has not been possible for the Service to provide such planning assistance heretofore below the State level, except in isolated instances. It is at the county and metropolitan levels that this assistance is most urgently needed because of mushrooming cities, suburbs, and industrial complexes. It is at these levels, too, that an accelerated program would help relieve most the existent depressed conditions.

The new State of Hawaii has requested, and urgently needs, assistance in developing plans for the proper use of its recreation resources. The State has asked for assistance in the development of plans for the preservation of areas of outstanding significance. It is especially interested in preserving important seashore areas, potential national parks and in planning adequately for a State park system. The estimate includes an increase of $52,600 for this purpose. The proposed study would include consideration of Hawaii's future needs for park and recreation lands and would include (1) an inventory and evaluation of potential park and recreation areas having local, State, and national significance and (2) recommendations for treatment of the State as an outstanding recreation area and tourist attraction, providing for the proper preservation and management of its park and recreation area resources, including those of national park caliber.

A portion of the increase would also establish a small office in Alaska to step up the very limited assistance now being rendered to that new State by the Service's region 4 office in San Francisco, Calif. Alaska needs and has requested more of the kinds of planning assistance the Service is qualified to supply. Such assistance is particularly crucial during the formulative years of the new State. Nationwide recreation planning

Purpose of program.—The purpose of the program is to plan an adequate nationwide program for nonurban recreation resources of scenic, scientific, and historic interest, as well as space for healthful outdoor recreation for present and future generations. The program involves evaluation of existing and potential recreation resources, preferences, opportunities, needs, travel habits, population trends, and other social-economic factors bearing on recreation. The pro

gram is carried on under the authority and direction of the Park, Parkway, and Recreational Area Study Act of 1936 (49 Stat. 1894). In addition, it undertakes to provide requested assistance to the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission established by the act of June 28, 1958.

Significant 1960 fiscal year accomplishments.-Good progress was made in nationwide planning for nonurban recreation resources. Inventory and evaluation of areas administered by State and local agencies was about 98 percent completed. Tabulated data on more than 6,000 park and related recreation areas were made available to the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission. In addition, substantial progress was made on the determination of quantitative requirements for parks and recreation areas for the years 1975 and 2000 and the inventory of potential areas having outstanding recreation resources.

Reports of the Pacific coast and Great Lakes recreation area surveys were completed. Recreation planning studies were conducted for the Upper Colorado, Columbia, Delaware, and Missouri River Basins in cooperation with interagency committees; cooperative studies were initiated with the U.S. Study Commissions (Southeast River Basins and Texas) at their request. A comprehensive plan for the recreation use and development of the Missouri River Basin was published and distributed to interested planning and conservation groups, universities, and libraries. A recreation plan for the Delaware River Basin was completed and submitted to the Corps of Engineers for incorporation in its comprehensive plan for development of the basin.

The data from special studies made under contract to (a) obtain information on present and future needs for organized camping facilities to provide camping opportunities for children and young people, and (b) evaluate the economic and sociological effects of recreation use of three reservoirs in the Missouri River Basin were being analyzed. Another survey, sponsored jointly by the Service and the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission was being made under contract to determine the extent of public interest in nonurban outdoor recreation, the relationships between oudoor recreation interests and socialeconomic and demographic factors, and the range of outdoor recreation interests of different segments of the population.

Fiscal year program, 1961.-Full cooperation will continue with the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission. The inventory and evaluation of areas administered by State and local agencies will be completed, as will programed studies of outdoor recreation interests and the determination of quantitative future requirements for parks and recreation areas. The inventory of potential areas having outstanding recreation resources and other potential areas to meet needs will continue.

Definitive studies of certain areas selected by the Pacific Coast and Great Lakes Shoreline Surveys for their nationally significant qualities will be completed, using donated funds. The need for recreation planning studies and reports for river basins and geographic regions is expected to continue at about the same level as in past years.

Future plans for this program.-The growing importance of outdoor recreation in all sections of the Nation and at all levels of government will require increasing efforts on the part of trained recreation planners if the needs of the public are to be met at the National, State, and local levels and if the Service is to keep abreast of the recreation aspects of the comprehensive river basin planning programed by the Bureau of Reclamation, Corps of Engineers, and interagency committees. The Service will continue to provide the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission with all basic planning data it is authorized to obtain.

National park system planning

Purpose of program.-The purpose of this program is to plan an adequate national park system for the United States. This involves determining both the current land needs of existing areas of the system, and future requirements to meet the Nation's foreseeable needs. National parks and monuments have not been established according to a systematic plan. As a result, there are types of nationally significant areas-the best examples of which contain features of outstanding scenic, scientific, or historic interest-which are entirely omitted from or inadequately represented in the national park system. Seashores are an example. Also, the boundaries of some of the existing national parks and monuments were defined without benefit of detailed boundary studies. Changing conditions in and around many of the parks have brought about an evident need for more detailed boundary studies.