Perry E. Skarra, a specialist in resources management for Indian trust land, has been appointed chief of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' branch of forestry, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Philleo Nash announced today.
He succeeds George S. Kephart, who retired from Federal service on December 28 after 31 years of service. Skarra will supervise forest use and improvement operations on nearly 13 million acres of Indian-owned forest lands held in trust by the Federal Government. He comes to the Washington post from a 10-year assignm0nt as assistant director of the Bureau's area office in Portland, Oregon. Prior to 1954 he served for four years 88 superintendent of the Yakima Indian reservation in Washington. He also has held various forestry posts wi.th the Bureau I s field establishments and with the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture.
Born in Hancock, Michigan, Skarra was graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1938 with a B. S. in forestry. He is a member of the American Forestry Association and the Society of American Foresters.
