Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-05-05
FORESTRY LAWS.
WHAT EUROPE HAS DONE TO
PROTECT ITS TIMBER.
A Summary OF Continental Legislation
by the Chief OF the Forestry
Division OF the Agricul-
tural Department..

ment has turned its attention to the
preservation of the vast belts Of tim
Der that constitute one of its chiefest
natural treasures. and many OF the
States, New York in particular. have
moved in the same direction.
1t is confessed, however, that our
forestry laws are inadequate in them
selves, as web as feebly enforced. Mr..
B. E. Fernow. the forestry expert OF
the Department of Agriculture, has
summed up, in the Century. the for
estry legislation of Europe. Continen-
tai experiences should have their les
sons for the United States A brief
summary of Mr.. Fernow's article fol-
lows:
In Germany the various Govern
ments own and manage, in conser-
vative spirit, about one-thir1 of the
forest area, and they also control the
management Of another sixth, which
belongs to villages, cities, and public
institutions, in SO far as these com.
munities are obliged to employ expert
foresters, and must submit their work
ing-plans to the Government for ap.
proval. thus preventing improvident
and wasteful methods.
The other half of the forest property,
in the hands of private owners. is
managed mostly without interference,
although upon methods similar to
those employed by the Government,
and by trained foresters. who receive
their education in one of the eight
higher and several lower schools of
forestry which the various Govern.
ments have established.
The several States differ in the.r
laws regarding forest property. or
the private forests, seventy per cent.
are without any control whatever.
while thirty per cent. are subject to
|
devastation are concerned.
The tendency ON the part Of the
| Government has been rather toward
| persuasive measures. Tins, in addi-
tion to buying up, or acquiring by ex-
| change, and reforesting waste lands -
some 800, 900 acres have been SO re-
forested during the last twenty five
! years-the Government gives assist
ance to private owners in reforesting
their waste land. During the last ten
years 100000 was granted in this
way
In Austria, by law adopted In
1852, not only are the State forests
| comprising less than thirty per cent.
Of the total forest area). nationally
managed, and the management OF the
communal forests nearly forty per
cent officially supervised, but prI>
vate owners holding about thirty two
per cent are prevented from devas-
tating their forest property te the
detriment of adjoiners, clearing
for agricultural use can be made with
out the consent of the district author
tiles, from which. however, an appeal
to civil Judge is possible. who ad
/ justs the conflict Of interests.
Any cleared or cnt forest must bs
replanted or reseeded within fv.
years; on sandy soils and mountain
sides clearing is forbidden, and only
culling Of the ripe timber IL allowed
In Hungary, also. where liberty oil
private property rights, and strong
objection to Government interference.
had been jealously upheld, a complete
reaction set IN some fifteen years ago,
which led to the law Of 1880. giving
the State control of private fores
property as in Austria.
| Under a ia~ adopted IN Italy j,
1855 the Department, oE Agriculture
IN cooperation with the Department
O. Public Works and ~ ccnsul.a.io.
With the forestAl committee OF u
province and the respective o~cers, i
70 designate the TERRITORY which IL
public reasons nus: be reso-es.@i M
der Government coct,o!
The o~aers nay aaocias. them
selves for the purpose o. re:ores,as,on
rad for the purpos. raav then borrov
money at lox interest sro:n, tie Stat.
Soi.-Crcsiit Institution, the Pores, d.
par;nen. contributing ,hree-fis.ns
The cost Of reforesia,.ou upon eond.
,sou that the work Is done accordin