THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF GIFFORD PINCHOT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONTEMPORARY PHILOSOPHY OF OUTDOOR RECREATION ON PUBLIC LAND

This study traces the magnitude of Gifford Pinchot's influence upon the development of the contemporary public land use policy and how this philosophy enabled outdoor recreation to emerge. Pinchot's forethought helped provide the flexibility necessary in land mangement to meet the new and increased demands placed on the nation's public lands. Specifically, the study examines how Pinchot's concept of "use" of forest resources and public lands was influenced while serving as Head of the Division of Forestry (1898-1901); Head of the Bureau of Forestry (1901-1905); Chief of the United States Forest Service (1905-1910); Pennsylvania State Forester (1920-1922); and Governor of Pennsylvania (1923-1927) and (1931-1935).;Outdoor Recreation has emerged as a major component in the formulation of contemporary public land use policy. Although outdoor recreation was a valuable forest resource during Pinchot's tenure as Chief Forester it was not formally recognized by the Congress until 50 years later with the passage of the Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act in 1960. This Act recognized outdoor recreation as a forest resource as well as timber, water, rangeland and wildlife. Had it not been for Gifford Pinchot and his philosophy of "use", the nation's forests and public lands might have been managed under a more restrictive land management policy. Consequently this would have severely limited the public outdoor recreation resources as they exist today.