Which act gave the U.S. president the power to reserve public lands containing forests?

The Forest Reserve Act was significant because it provided the President of the United States with the authority to set aside public lands for the protection of forests. Enacted in 1891, this legislation aimed to preserve the ecological integrity of forested areas while promoting sustainable use of natural resources. By allowing the president to designate these lands as forest reserves, the act played a crucial role in the early conservation movement, ensuring that vital forest ecosystems could be maintained and protected from exploitation and degradation.

The act's importance is underscored by its later impact on the establishment of national forests and paved the way for more comprehensive environmental protection policies. It marks a key point in the evolution of U.S. land management practices as it recognized the need for federal intervention in land conservation.