Gallinger, who had sponsored the Senate's version of the bill, was named a member of the initial committee. The commission would exist from 1911 to 1966. The drafting of Weeks Act was originally motivated by the intent to purchase lands in eastern United States, where the federal government owned no large tracts of land devoted to conservation. Later western lands were acquired under the Weeks Act. The Weeks Act was substantially expanded and modified by the Clarke–McNary Act in 1924. Major national forests that were formed under the Weeks Act are the Allegheny National Forest, White Mountain National Forest, Green Mountain National Forest, Pisgah National Forest, George Washington National Forest, and Ottawa National Forest. To date, the Weeks Act has protected more than 20 million acres of forestland, which has had a tremendous benefit for ecosystems and society by providing habitat for plants and animals, creating lucrative recreation spots for tourists, and creating economic opportunities for local communities, stimulating the economy. The Weeks Act effectively outlawed some Native American fire management practices. The Weeks Act was involved in the United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Assn. decision. References External links The Weeks Act, a history of the bill from the Forest History Society website. Library of Congress - American Memory-Evolution of the Conservation Movement 1850-1920, a description and text of Weeks Act Nature conservation in the United States United States federal environmental legislation United States federal legislation articles without infoboxes United States federal public land legislation 1911 in the environment 1911 in American law March 1911 events