Sugar-Pines Saved

When visitors to Yosemite National Park follow the winding Big Oak Flat Road through ten or twelve miles of glorious sugar-pine forest to the Park entrance, they will be passing through what was just yesterday on the verge of becoming a desolate, tree stripped waste. Now these trees will be preserved for posterity through Act of Congress vesting in the Secretary of the Interior authority to acquire 7200 acres of sugar-pines known as the Carl Inn Tract. The area borders the western boundary of the Park, and, when acquired by purchase or condemnation, will be added to Yosemite.

As we go to press we discover that funds originally ear-marked for this purchase must be reappropriated. Mr. Roosevelt has asked that this be done. We trust that Congress does not fail us.

"There is no opportunity anywhere else in the world to preserve as magnificent an example of virgin sugar-pine as exists at this one place," declared Arno B. Cammerer, Director of the National Park Service, upon announcement of President Roosevelt's signature of the bills authorizing acquisition. Of the total area involved, 6700 acres are in private ownership and were marked for early cutting.

Legislation in behalf of the sugar-pines was introduced by Senator McAdoo and Representative McGroarty, both of whom actively fostered the legislation. However, major credit for saving this timber stand must go to the Emergency Conservation Committee which, under the leadership of Mrs. C. N. Edge, mobilized support behind the legislation and led the fight for it. The American Nature Association is proud to have had its part in giving publicity to the situation and in actively supporting the solution achieved.

Upon the passage of the bills by the Congress, Mrs. Edge sent to us a typical picture of this area taken by Willard G. Van Name, who also has steadfastly fought for these trees. With the picture was a poem. We print both herewith to round out this record of victory for a conservation ideal.