Transfer Act of 1905

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Transfer Act of 1905
Great Seal of the United States
Long titleAn Act providing for the transfer of forest reserves from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture.
NicknamesForest Transfer Act of 1905
Enacted bythe 58th United States Congress
EffectiveFebruary 1, 1905
Citations
Public lawPub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 58–34
Statutes at Large33 Stat. 628
Codification
Titles amended16 U.S.C.: Conservation
U.S.C. sections amended
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the House as H.R. 8460
  • Signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt on February 1, 1905

The Transfer Act of 1905 (33 Stat. 628) transferred the forest reserves of the United States from the Department of the Interior, United States General Land Office to the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Forestry.

General information

On February 1, 1905, under the leadership of Gifford Pinchot, the National Forest Reserves were transferred from the Department of Interior to the Department of Agriculture. Gifford Pinchot was the head of the Division of Forestry which was part of the Department of Agriculture. This transfer included over 63 million acres (250,000 km2) of forest reserves and over 500 employees. This legislation was the first forestry law to be passed. This act was significant because it caused the National Forest Reserves to shift roles from a recreational role to a more economic role using science-based management. In March 1905, the Division of Forestry was renamed the United States Forest Service.

References