"By virtue of the authority vested in me as president of the United States...the Massanutten Unit of George Washington National Forest is hereby designated as the Robert Fechner Memorial Forest in honor of Robert Fechner, the first director of the Civilian Conservation Corps."
In March 1933, newly elected, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced national unemployment of 25%. Working quickly, Congress passed the Emergency Conservation Work legislation on March 31, 1933. One of the programs created from his legislation would later be called the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This organization would work "to preserve our precious natural resources and, even more important, as a moral and spiritual boon to needy young Americans..." (FDR, 1933)
President Roosevelt chose Robert Fechner, an experienced and respected labor leader to organize and run this first new Deal Agency. Though Mr. Fechner knew little about conservation, his work in labor and industrial management provided him the administrative skills needed for his new position. His reputation for fairness, tact and patience greatly impressed President Roosevelt.
Under Robert Fechner's guidance, almost 2.4 million youths worked in the CCC to rehabilitate our nation's natural resources and learn much needed job skills. Fechner remained as director until his untimely death in 1939.
In 1940, the Forest Service proposed that the Massanuttan Unit including Camp Roosevelt, be established as a monument to honor the work of Robert Fechner.
The Secretary of Agriculture agreed and recommended that the Massanutten Unit be designated as the Robert Fechner Memorial Forest.
On February 5, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed this by Executive order No. 86731.
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