A Report of the Secretary of Agriculture in Relation to the Forests, Rivers & Mountains of the Southern Appalachian Region

“Its [the report’s] conclusions point unmistakably, in the judgement of the Secretary and in my own, to the creation of a national forest reserve in certain parts of the Southern States. The facts ascertained and here presented deserve the careful consideration of the Congress; they have already received the full attention of the scientist and the lumberman.” – Letter of transmittal. This uncommon report was compiled under the authority of the United States Secretary of Agriculture and published by the Government Printing Office in 1902. The contents present a detailed overview of the landscape of the southern Appalachians in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Persuasive text, photographic plates (including two panoramic views), and expert testimony offer a compelling and well-rounded argument for establishing a protected area. Among several reasons cited are “the advancement of science and for the instruction and pleasure of the people of our own and of future generations.” Two striking fold-out maps are included with the government report. The first is a relief map of the Southern Appalachian Region that highlights the dramatic topography of the mountain range. The second sheet, showing the same area, has been overprinted in green to highlight the forest area under consideration and red to pinpoint the USGS gauging stations. According to the Western Regional Archives; “Proposals for a park and forest reserves in the Southern Appalachian Mountains date to the 1880s and early 1890s. The movement was backed by both the tourism industry and conservationists with the latter especially concerned about flooding in deforested areas and decreasing lumber supplies… In 1900 a joint survey by the [U.S.] Bureau of Forestry and the Geological Survey evaluated 9.6000.000 acres of forest land to determine its suitability as a national forest reserve. The survey report received favorable response in southern newspapers. During the same period, the impetus grew to establish a national park in the region, particularly in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.” Source.