Proclamation 3491—National Forest Products Week, 1962

Whereas this Nation, from its beginning endowed by Nature with vast areas of forests highly productive of wood, water, wildlife, and opportunities for physical recreation and spiritual uplift, has built and maintained from the timber produced from these forests a major industry that over the years has yielded a continuous, varied and bountiful flow of goods of great beauty and utility; and

Whereas this forest-based industry is among the Nation's largest and currently employs one out of every 20 persons employed, and the forest itself continues to be a much sought-after base for expanded industry development that in the future will employ even more people, provide new timber products, and generally aid in the continuation of this country's economic progress; and

Whereas under modern technology and enlightened management policies the forest products industry opportunities can be realized with enhancement of other recognized and inherent material and spiritual benefits derived from abundant, well managed and developed forests; and

Whereas the Congress, wishing to emphasize and assure full understanding of our great forest heritage and its possibilities, has by joint resolution approved on September 13, 1960 (11 Stat. 898) designated the seven-day period beginning on the third Sunday of October in each year as National Forest Products Peek, and has requested the President to issue an annual proclamation calling for the observance of that week:

Now, Therefore, I, John F. Kennedy, President of the United States of America, do hereby call upon the people of the United States to observe the week beginning October 21, 1962, as National Forest Products Week, with activities and ceremonies designed to direct public attention to the necessity for recognizing that productive forests and a thriving forest products industry are elements in our economy, essential to its continued growth.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 13th day of September in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and eighty-seventh.

JOHN F. KENNEDY

By the President:

DEAN RUSK,

Secretary of State