stations located in Eagle River, Florence, Lakewood, and Laona.” The creation of the Nicolet National Forest was a long process that had begun with the state efforts at conservation previously discussed. Thus, for more information on this process, one must turn to a more in depth view at the early history and founding of the Nicolet Forest. Both national forests were established by presidential decree in 1933. Individually, President Herbert Hoover established the Nicolet National Forest in March while President Franklin Roosevelt formed the Chequamegon National Forest in November. Law established the presidential ability for such an action in 1891. This law, among other things, “abolished sales of government lands…It also…provided, by the insertion of Section 24 at the eleventh hour of the bill’s consideration, for the setting aside of forest reservations by the President at will.” Although this legislation was one of the most important laws enacted in the early national forest program, at first it offered very little as far as change in how these lands were to be protected (against further theft and damage caused by anyone who cared to). However, this shortcoming would eventually be rectified.Formation of the Nicolet National Forest The authority that would eventually culminate in the creation of the Nicolet National Forest (other then what has previously been mentioned) derives primarily from the Act of March 1, 1911—also known as the Weeks Act. It stated, according to J. Terry Moore, “that no land could be purchased ‘until the legislature of the State in which the land lies shall have consented to the acquisition of such land by the United States for the purpose of preserving the navigability of navigable streams.’ This was known as enabling legislation and gave the states latitude to set conditions on the size or approval process for purchase areas.”...
