This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Weeks Act. It was the piece of legislation that created the Jefferson and Washington National Forests. It wasn’t an easy start, though.
The areas that were to become the Washington and Jefferson National Forests were rugged and wild as America was being born. The many Native American Tribes of Virginia hunted and farmed in the mountains and valleys. Early Scotch-Irish and German settlers cleared small patches of land for homesteads. Water was pure and game was plentiful. In 1750 a Dr. Thomas Walker was leading a survey party through the area. He noted in his journal, “We killed in the journey 13 buffaloes, 8 elks, 53 bears, 20 deers, 4 wild geese, about 150 turkeys, besides small game.” Sounds like quite a haul!
As more and more people moved into the area it became known more for farming, mining, and timber than for the abundance of wild animals. In addition to the available farmland in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains there was the valuable virgin timber and an abundance of iron. In 1876, Congress saw the need to control the destruction of these lands and by 1881 had created the Division of Forestry in the Department of Agriculture. Concerned citizens founded groups like the Appalachian National Park Association to try and force Congress to take further action to restore and protect these lands,
In a fitting precursor to today’s political climate, the next few decades saw heated public debate but little movement. Western representatives wanted to protect the access to virtually free resources, conservatives argued against giving the Federal Government the authority to purchase public lands, and Illinois Congressman Joseph Cannon publicly declared that he cared “not one cent for scenery.”
In 1901 President William McKinley established the first National Forest east of the Rockies in Oklahoma using publicly held lands. By 1907, civic groups and members of Congress had persuaded states to consent to land purchases by the Federal Government. A flood in that same year caused $8 million in damage to Pittsburgh, with deforestation and barren watersheds bearing the brunt of the blame.
Congressman John Weeks was a successful businessman from Massachusetts and an unlikely advocate for conservation. Joseph Cannon had by now become the powerful Speaker of the House and had changed his mind about a National Forests Plan. He tasked Weeks with drafting legislation. Cannon thought that Weeks’ ties to business would lead to a law which would preserve a resource and still be amenable to businessmen.
After years of wrangling, amending, and 10 presidents from Ulysses Grant through William Taft, on March 1, 1911, Taft signed the Weeks Act establishing a National Forest system. The bill signed by Taft states, “…it appears that the public good will be promoted by reserving and setting apart said lands as public forest reservation…”. In addition to the preservation of forests it sought to protect our watersheds and navigable streams, allow for conservation of wildlife, and make these lands useful for recreation and continuing, sustainable lumber. His signed bill created the Virginia and Natural Bridge National Forests, which were combined and named after our first president by 1933.
By 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt had grown Virginia’s National Forests with the addition of the Jefferson National Forest. He enlisted the Civilian Conservation Corps, which built access roads, camps, and shelters, and planted over 3 billion trees from 1933 to 1942.
In 1995 the Washington and Jefferson Forests were combined, and they offer over a million and a half acres of woodlands in Virginia. The borders spill into West Virginia and Kentucky and the total acreage is almost 2 million. While it has been a few centuries since we’ve seen a native Virginia Buffalo the Washington and Jefferson Forests do provide habitat for over 60 species of mammals, over 200 types of bird, almost 80 different amphibian and reptile species, and over 100 freshwater fishes and mussels in almost 2500 miles of streams and rivers.
The forests range from almost 6,000 feet at Mount Rogers to just above sea level along the Shenandoah River. You can hike the Appalachian National Scenic Trail or any of the National Recreation Trails, or relax with a day of fishing by a pristine waterway. Opportunities abound for camping, horseback riding, and biking, and there’s always a chance to see one of their 50 federally-listed Threatened or Endangered animals or plants. While you can see the remnants of old homesteads or the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps scattered throughout the forests, over 230,000 acres is considered “remote” and is among Virginia’s best preserved “old growth forests.”
Like our State Parks and State Forests, they need your help when you visit. Take what you need, bring what you take, and leave no trace behind! It took an act of Congress to establish these Virginia treasures but it certainly doesn’t take an act of Congress to visit them! Get out and enjoy!
With Mother’s Day on the calendar, there are some things we might think about saying to our mom, like “Thank you,” or “You were right” or “I love you.” We know we may have taken her for granted sometimes, that we may have contributed to her wrinkles and tiredness. It’s also a good time to show Mother Earth how much we care and appreciate her beauty and all the wonderous life she sustains.
