Summer Homes In National Forests

WHERE to build is often the biggest problem that the prospective cabin owner has to solve. The answer is easily found if there is a national forest within reach.

A national forest is a government-owned region of natural scenic beauty, set aside so that its wonders may be enjoyed by everyone. The government harvests forage and timber from these forests. Wild-life refuges abound in them. In fact, they are the last sanctuaries of much of the game and other wild life of the United States. In some of the forests are fish hatcheries.

Anyone can get permission to erect a summer home on government land within national forests. These sum­mer homes generally are of the log-cabin type. They must be rustic in nature, so as to blend with the sur­roundings.

Suppose, for example, that you are traveling through one of the national forests, and have come upon an area set aside by the United States Forest Service for the erection of summer homes. You like the looks of the place, and decide that you want to build a summer cabin there. Inquiry reveals that you must get a sum­mer-home permit.

This is written permission for you to build a cabin on government property set aside for the purpose. You cannot buy the land, but you can lease it for cabin‑building purposes. These special-use permits are granted for an indefinite period, or for a definite term. Usually the indefinite permit is satisfactory. Summer-home permits run for 5 to 15 years with privilege of renewal. Rentals for summer-home sites run from $5 to $25 per year, with the average about $15. Payments are due the first of each year.

Having selected a place where you would like to build a cabin, you can make application for the neces­sary permit, to a forest ranger or any forest officer. The best plan is to apply to the proper forest super­visor, addressing your request to the supervisor's headquarters; or you can obtain general information about forest-home sites from the Regional Forester, at the address given later in this chapter. Application blanks are not necessary for making summer-home site applications.

The regulations you will have to obey in connection with your cabin project are not stringent. They are imposed merely for the purpose of assuring safety and enjoyment to all who use the forest as a recreation place. There is some control over the type of cabin you may build. This is for the purpose of preventing shanties and gaudy structures that would be entirely out of keeping with the spirit of the forest.

For this reason, your building plans must be approved by the Forest Service before you may go ahead with the construction. Such things as appear­ance, fire menace, and sanitation are considered. The buildings themselves must be substantial, with well-designed doors, windows, floors, roofs, masonry, or brick chimneys. Fly-proof toilets and sanitary garbage containers must be provided. Strict rules are enforced in connection with location of toilets and water sources. No toilet is allowed closer than 100 ft, to a well or spring.

Gaudy colors are not permitted on cabins when they are in a position where they can be seen by forest visitors. This is in keeping with the general idea of presenting a true woodland scene to the visitor. Like­wise, there are regulations concerning the erection of signs, house numerals, and the like. Rustic numerals and name plates are preferable. Commercial signs can­not be put up without special authorization. Keeping farm stock, such as chickens and cattle, is authorized only by special permit.

Forestry officials, in carrying out their plans for preserving the rustic scene, favor cabins of real logs, when such material is available; board-and-batten cabins when soundly constructed; shingle-covered frame cabins, and those using log-cabin siding. In short, any cabin that is well-built and reasonably con­servative in design and color scheme will be acceptable.

When log-cabin material is available in sufficient abundance, permit owners may get authorization from the Forest Service to cut trees. Nominal charge is made for such standing timber. However, it has been the ex­perience of forest officials that the genuine log cabin usually is more costly than frame types except in regions where sawn lumber is not available. The tree may be available for a very low price, but the cost of cutting it and transporting it to the cabin site will be considerable in most cases.

Permission is granted to cut trees on the cabin site only when the trees are distinct menaces to life and property, obstruct vistas, or interfere with desirable breezes. Small trees are not to be stripped of their limbs near the ground, but only should be cleared of dead branches. The general landscaping of the cabin lot should be carried out with the idea of producing a natural appearance. Forestry officials encourage the growing of shrubs or bushes that serve as screens to separate the cabin from others and from roads and streams. Frequently these screen-forming plants can be transplanted from other parts of the lot. Regulation is exercised over appearance of fences, particularly when the cabin is near a well-traveled trail or road. Barbed-wire fences are not permitted.

In order to see that the regulations are obeyed, that the cabin and site are kept in an attractive and sanitary condition, forestry officials pay inspection visits at least once every year. Continued failure to live up to the regulations will result in cancellation of the sum­mer-home permit.

Although the land remains the property of Uncle Sam, the cabin belongs to the permit holder who built it. In some states, taxes are levied upon cabins, but not upon the land. The holder of a special-use permit merely pays the required fee each year, in order to renew his permit. Term permits are renewable as long as regulations are not violated. The permit holder may obtain government sanction to transfer his permit to another person to whom he has sold the cabin and other improvements. The permit holder must present a letter or bill of sale to the forest supervisor before such transfer can be completed.

In addition to the national forests, there are various state forests in which cabin sites are available. Inquiry should be made at the state department of agriculture or similar governing body.
In some of the Eastern national forests, summer-home sites are not as plentiful as in those farther west as the forests are smaller in area and the number of visitors from large centers of population is greater. The trend in these districts is rather towards the establishing of recreational facilities that will serve a large number of people equally. Therefore, lodges, public camp grounds, and hotels, provided for the benefit of visitors and vacationists, are much in evi­dence. However, numerous choice summer-home sites are made available in Eastern forests, when they will not interfere with the privileges of the majority. The large number of relatively small forest preserves ex­tending for practically the entire length of the Appala­chian Mountains offer wonderful opportunities to the inhabitants of crowded cities of the South and East. Only in the White Mountain Forest in Maine and New Hampshire and the Wichita Forest in Oklahoma are summer-home sites entirely lacking. For every other national forest, permits are issued.

National Forests of the United States are divided into regions. The Regional Forester in charge of each division is prepared to furnish detailed information concerning summer-home permits, and the authoriza­tion to establish hotels, resorts, or other commercial enterprises on government land. National Forest Regions, the states in which forest preserves in the respective regions are located, and the addresses of regional foresters are as follows:

Region 1—Northern Region, including forests in Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, and Washington. Regional Forester, Federal Bldg., Missoula, Montana.

Region 2—Rocky Mountain Region, including for­ests in Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming and South Dakota. Regional Forester, Federal Bldg., Den­ver, Colorado.

Region 3—Southwestern Region, including forests in New Mexico and Arizona. Regional Forester, Gas and Electric Bldg., Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Region 4—Intermountain Region, including forests in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Nevada. Regional Forester, Forest Service Bldg., Ogden, Utah.

Region 5—California Region, including forests in California and Nevada. Regional Forester, Ferry Bldg., San Francisco, California.

Region 6—North Pacific Region, including forests in Washington and Oregon. Regional Forester, Post Office Bldg., Portland, Oregon.

Region 7—Eastern Region, including forests in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Maine, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Porto Rico. Regional Forester, Atlantic Bldg., Washington, D. C.

Region 8—Alaska Region. Forests in Alaska. Re­gional Forester, Goldstein Bldg., Juneau, Alaska.

Region 9—Lake States Region, including forests in Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. Regional Forester, Customs Service Bldg., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Whether or not you go into a National Forest with the intention of building a cabin, there are certain things that you should do in order to save trouble for yourself and others, and prevent forest fires.
The Forest Service, in making suggestions for the camper, sportsman, or tourist entering a forest, points out that his equipment should include a shovel, bucket, and an ax; that a camp-fire permit should be obtained; that all fires must be put out with water before being left unwatched; that be should assist forest rangers in reporting and suppressing fires; that camp grounds must be left in a clean and sanitary condition; that state hunting and fishing laws shall be observed, and that the smoker's code should be followed. There is a regulation against picking wild flowers or disturbing other growing things near highways or recreation spots. Efforts are made to preserve wild flowers and growing plants within 100 yards of roads, so that travelers may be able to enjoy them.

These suggestions and regulations will, if followed, make life easier for any vacationist, no matter where his cabin is located, or whether he has one at all.

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How To Build A Log Cabin