Question & AnswerQ&A (Act No. 2608.)
Act No. 2608 amends Section 9 of the Forest Act (Act No. 1148) to authorize the Director of Forestry, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, to issue permits or leases for the use of forest lands as sites for sawmills, hotels, sanatoria, residences, camps, fishponds, pastures, or other lawful uses.
Forest land may be leased for a period not to exceed twenty years.
The maximum area for leases under general lawful uses is not more than ten (10) hectares.
Yes, exceptions include fishponds and pastures. The maximum area for fishponds can be up to two hundred (200) hectares, and for pastures, up to one thousand (1,000) hectares.
Permits or leases may be granted to any person or to any association of persons holding timber licenses, for occupancy as sites for sawmills, timber depots, or for establishing an industry or a charitable institution.
Yes, the Secretary of the Interior may grant free rights of way through public lands to enable lessees or license holders to access the lands covered by their leases or licenses.
Yes, forest lands can only be used for lawful purposes such as sawmills, timber depots, hotels, sanatoria, residences, camps, fishponds, pastures, or other lawful uses as permitted by the Director of Forestry and Secretary of the Interior.
The Act took effect upon its passage, which was on February 4, 1916.
The amendment expanded the authority of the Director of Forestry to lease forest lands for broader lawful uses beyond sawmills and timber depots, thereby supporting various industries and charitable institutions while regulating forest land usage through proper terms and approval.