[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10234]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              COMMEMORATING GREEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, 75 years ago today, President Herbert 
Hoover signed a proclamation officially establishing the Green Mountain 
National Forest in Vermont.
  This was the result of significant effort on the part of the State of 
Vermont and several of the State's leading conservationists and 
legislators of the time. While a number of Vermonters had proposed a 
national forest in the State just after the turn of the 20th century, 
it took a sustained effort over the next three decades for this vision 
to become a reality.
  In 1925, the Vermont General Assembly passed the enabling act to 
allow the Forest Service to purchase land in Vermont. Many would argue 
just 2 years later that the devastating impact of the 1927 flood showed 
the need for sound forest management practices in the Green Mountains. 
It was fitting that the initial land purchases for the southern half of 
Vermont's national forest were from the estate of Marshall J. Hapgood, 
who, years earlier, had advocated for a National Forest in the Green 
Mountains. Hapgood was a practitioner of scientific forestry on his own 
lands and saw the value of a sustainable timber resource and watershed 
protection.
  From that initial Hapgood acquisition of just over 1,000 acres, the 
Green Mountain National Forest has grown to more than 400,000 acres 
today, and it includes in the northern half of the forest many of the 
lands conserved by another conservation pioneer, Joseph Battell.
  The Green Mountain National Forest today is fulfilling the vision of 
those early forestland stewards by protecting watersheds, providing 
forest products, forest management demonstration and recreational 
opportunities. The Green Mountain forest hosts segments of the Long and 
Appalachian Trails, alpine ski areas, several wilderness areas and two 
national recreation areas, one of which is now named in honor of our 
late colleague, Robert T. Stafford.
  As one of Vermont's Senators, I am proud to have been able to play a 
role in the growth of the national forest in my State, in both land 
area and with its facilities. I am also grateful to the dedicated, 
professional staff of the Green Mountain National Forest who recently 
completed the new land and resource management plan for the forest and 
who were particularly helpful to the congressional delegation during 
our recent wilderness deliberations.
  As we celebrate its 75th anniversary, we are also proud that the 
Green Mountain National Forest will be providing the 2007 Capitol 
christmas tree for the National Mall, and the companion trees for many 
of our public buildings in Washington a tangible example of how the 
Green Mountain National Forest is being shared by all Americans.

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