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The Southern Illinois region had been farmed for 100 years, and much of the soil was worn out and beyond reclamation as farm soil. Many farms had been abandoned because of poor soil and erosion, and a large percentage of the soil was only suitable for forest. The entire area had been logged from one to 10 times, and nearly all of the original timber had been removed and replaced by second growth. Many abandoned farms would simply reforest naturally.

Wild game also had been severely depleted, but that suitable areas existed for quail, pheasants, prairie chickens, wild turkeys, ducks and geese on the river, and deer and bear in the hills.

About 1930, the people in the southern part of the state, known as Little Egypt or the Illinois Ozarks, realized their lands were suited to reforestation purposes, and they began writing the Forest Service asking it to consider the establishment of a forest in this territory.

Newspapers commented that a national forest would bring these benefits to the region:

• all-weather roads
• telephone lines
• a fire protection system, consisting of fire breaks, fire lookout towers, and fire fighting equipment
• an influx of recreational visitors resulting in revenue for local citizens

The subject of a national forest for Southern Illinois finally crystallized with the submission of "A Preliminary Report on Illini National Forest Purchase Unite in Jackson, Union, and Alexander Counties, Illinois, including about 304,840 acres, and Shawnee National Forest Purchase Unit in Gallatin, Hardin, Pope and Saline Counties, Illinois, including about 291,392 acres."

1. Prevention of erosion: the washed-away soil went into the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and contributed largely to filling and consequent flooding
2. Timber production: the soil had a high capacity for producing wood crops, and that this was the only crop that could be produced continuously at a profit
3. Demonstrational areas: for experts of correct forestry practice to teach methods of timber culture, prevention of erosion, management of wood lots, and proper correlation of timber and agricultural crop management for the benefit of the state, private corporations and individuals.

On June 18, 1931, the Illinois Department of Conservation and Department of Natural History Surveys put through the State Legislature , the Enabling Act which, in effect, invited the United States Government to acquire land within the state for forestry purposes.

The official establishment of the Shawnee Purchase Units began on October 1, 1933, when John O. Wernham arrived to acquire land.

By 1934, the forest project included establishment of six camps, surfacing of 68 miles of road by CWA, and 60 miles by CCC, construction of 7.6 miles of telephone line, experimental planting of 62 acres of pine, and construction of three bridges.

Coincident with the establishment of the Shawnee Purchase Units, a mine labor union "war" broke out in Saline and surrounding counties. The town of Harrisburg figured largely in the events since it was an important mining town. The personnel first arriving to the forest thus found themselves in a town tense with labor troubles, and occupied by the National Guard However, local residents, especially rural, found employment as keymen, forest guards, fire-fighters, and road laborers, in addition enrollment in CCC Camps.