Weeks Act
Encyclopedia
The Weeks Act is a federal law (36 Stat. 961) passed by the US Congress on 1 March 1911 in the United States
. The law, introduced by Congressman John W. Weeks
of Massachusetts
, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture
to "Examine, locate and recommend for purchase ... such lands within the watershed
s of navigable streams as ... may be necessary to the regulation of flow of navigable streams...." The Act further allowed for lands so acquired to be preserved and maintained as national forests. Six years earlier, on 1 February 1905, control over the forest reserves had been transferred from the General Land Office
of the Department of the Interior
to the Department of Agriculture
and their Forest Service
. Responsibility for these lands was given to Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot
. With these lands he gained the power to issue permits for water power development on National Forests. The Weeks Act appropriated $9 million to purchase 6 million acres (24,281.2 km²) of land in the eastern United States.
The Act also provided for cooperation in fire control between federal and state authorities. The fire season of 1910 greatly influenced this legislation because it raised havoc across the western United States, especially in the state of Idaho
where fires killed 85 people (72 of them firefighters), burned more than 3 million acres (12,140.6 km²) and destroyed an estimated 8000000000 board feet (18,877,896 m³) of timber and put the US Forest Service 1.1 million dollars in debt.
The Weeks Act was originally intended for purchase of eastern lands, but later western lands were acquired under the Weeks Act. It was substantially expanded and modified by the Clarke-McNary Act
in 1924.
Major national forests that were formed under the Weeks Act are the Allegheny National Forest
, White Mountain National Forest
, Green Mountain National Forest
, Pisgah National Forest
, George Washington National Forest
, and Ottawa National Forest
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The law, introduced by Congressman John W. Weeks
John W. Weeks
John Wingate Weeks was an American politician in the Republican Party. He served as a United States Representative for Massachusetts from 1905 to 1913, as a United States Senator from 1913 to 1919, and as Secretary of War from 1921 to 1925.-Life and career:Weeks was born and raised in Lancaster,...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture
United States Secretary of Agriculture
The United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The current secretary is Tom Vilsack, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on 20 January 2009. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other...
to "Examine, locate and recommend for purchase ... such lands within the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s of navigable streams as ... may be necessary to the regulation of flow of navigable streams...." The Act further allowed for lands so acquired to be preserved and maintained as national forests. Six years earlier, on 1 February 1905, control over the forest reserves had been transferred from the General Land Office
General Land Office
The General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...
of the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
to the Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
and their Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
. Responsibility for these lands was given to Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot
Gifford Pinchot
Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...
. With these lands he gained the power to issue permits for water power development on National Forests. The Weeks Act appropriated $9 million to purchase 6 million acres (24,281.2 km²) of land in the eastern United States.
The Act also provided for cooperation in fire control between federal and state authorities. The fire season of 1910 greatly influenced this legislation because it raised havoc across the western United States, especially in the state of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
where fires killed 85 people (72 of them firefighters), burned more than 3 million acres (12,140.6 km²) and destroyed an estimated 8000000000 board feet (18,877,896 m³) of timber and put the US Forest Service 1.1 million dollars in debt.
The Weeks Act was originally intended for purchase of eastern lands, but later western lands were acquired under the Weeks Act. It was substantially expanded and modified by the Clarke-McNary Act
Clarke-McNary Act
The Clarke–McNary Act of 1924 was one of several pieces of United States federal legislation which expanded the Weeks Act of 1911. It was named for Representative John D. Clarke and Senator Charles McNary....
in 1924.
Major national forests that were formed under the Weeks Act are the Allegheny National Forest
Allegheny National Forest
The Allegheny National Forest is a National Forest located in northwestern Pennsylvania. The forest covers of land. Within the forest is Kinzua Dam, which impounds the Allegheny River to form Allegheny Reservoir. The administrative headquarters for the Allegheny National Forest is located in Warren...
, White Mountain National Forest
White Mountain National Forest
The White Mountain National Forest is a federally-managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of...
, Green Mountain National Forest
Green Mountain National Forest
Green Mountain National Forest is a national forest located in Vermontwhich supports a variety of wildlife, including beaver, moose, black bear, and white tailed deer. It also supports an abundant variety of bird species. The forest has been referred to as the 'granite backbone' of the state...
, Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is completely contained within the state of North Carolina...
, George Washington National Forest
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are U.S. National Forests that combine to form one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. They cover of land in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky...
, and Ottawa National Forest
Ottawa National Forest
The Ottawa National Forest is a 1.0 million acre national forest in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes much of Gogebic and Ontonagon counties, as well as slices of Iron, Houghton, Baraga, and Marquette counties. The forest is under the jurisdiction of the U.S...
.
External links
- The Weeks Act, a history of the bill from the Forest History SocietyForest History SocietyThe Forest History Society is an American non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of forest and conservation history. The society was established in 1946 and incorporated in 1955....
website. - Library of Congress - American Memory-Evolution of the Conservation Movement 1850-1920, a description and text of Weeks Act