Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-25
FOREST DESTRUCTION.

The State Board OF Forestry has issued
an address to the people in which they ask
for any information possessed by any citi-
zen relating to the matter they have in
hand. The purpose of the Commission is
to obtain all possible expressions and testi-
mony regarding forest destruction in Cali
fornia, and its effect upon the climate,
production, water supply, etc. This is a
worthy object, and should be met by the
people with hearty response. If anybody
has ideas" or practical knowledge, on
the subject, let them communicate with
the Board at San Francisco. 1t was ap-
pointed under legislative enactment to
ascertain the facts regarding our forests,
and the people ought therefore to aid it.
Our forests are confined chiefly to the
mountains, and are used chiefly for the
production OF fuel and lumber-that is,
they have not an immediate relation to
agriculture; but their indirect relation to
it is in the highest degree important. The
forests of the mountain sides are powerful
Influences in regulating the eyenness of
rainfall, the retention of the waters in the
ground, and their gradual feeding to ma
tural drains, thus tending to prevent
violent foods, engagement of the rivers
and overaows upon low lands. They con-
tribute also to the life of springs and use
full streams; they interpose to check
violent winds, and to break the force of
tornadoes and hurricanes; they prevent
the too rapid melting of snow upon the
mountains, and foster the growth of young
trees, shrubs and useful heritage. Waste
full destruction, therefore, Of forest growth
tends to augment all the evils of floods, ex,
cessively dry seasons, tornadoes and storms
to raise the temperature in the summer and
lower it in the winter. Neither the State
nor the Government forests have any
proper watch maintained over them. They
are open to the destruction of whomsoever
chooses to apply the AK and the torch
Probably more than either of these the
sheep driven into the mountains injure for
est growth. They destroy the bark of new
and tender trees; they sadly injure the
older growth; they trample the earth
about the trunks so that it is less absorbent
Of moisture and thus the trees are not
properly fed. nor the water properly re-
tanned in the earth. Some feeble efforts
are made now and then by the Federal
Government to protect its timber lands
from denudation, but these attempts sell
dom amount 70 much, while for the State
forests there is no protection whatever.
We have long believed and urged that
it would be true economy on the part of
the State to have fores:ers to look after her
interests in this direction, and prevent
stripping of the hills. We are told that
there Is really no danger of forest degrade
ton in this State, because such an abund-
ant growth Of young trees is to be found
beneath the shelter Of the elders, and
throughout all the mountain region. But
1t is to be said in reply, that there
Is no guarantee whatever that this
reinforcement is to be spared by the
hand of the yandal. Moreover, it will be
many wears before this new growth can
afford the protection that the elder trees
give. If the new growth is to save us
from the ills OF forest destruction, it must
be jealousy guarded. Wherever the peo-
pie know of forest destruction, it is to be
hoped that they will convey the informa-
ton to the Board of Forestry, that all the
facts may be looked into and reported to
the next Legislature.