The herald., 1897-11-03
FORESTERS WANTED
VALUABLE SUGGESTION FOR THE
STATE UNIvERSITY
Abbot Kinney Proposes the Founda-
ton Of School Of Forestry-The
University's Opportunity

| Inc Hon. Abbot Kinney, vtce-preSl
dent Of the Yosemite commission, ha
addressed the following letter to Gov
Budd and the board Of regents of tn
State university:
To His Excellency James H. Budd. Gov
ernor of California, and to the Board Of
Regents of the University of California
Some years ago the legislature of the
state turned over the property and fores,
stations in the hands of the state board OF
forestry to the University of California
BY implication. the duties and sphere OF
action of the board of forestry went with
its property to the university.
The university has done nothing in for
estry. Five of the forest stations have
been abandoned and two have been main
tained. but without any initiative or out
side work in forestry. Lack of funds is the
explanation. This lack of funds is surely
cured or on the eve of cure through the
munifiicence of Mrs. Phoebe Hearst and
the large addition to the tax rate available
for the university.
1 beg to call the attention of your hon
orable board to the following points: The
question of forestry is of exceptional i'm
portance in California. The topography
of the state, with its fertile valleys and
high ranges of mountains forces upon our
attention the need of so managing the
mountain water sheds as to diminish the
danger from torrents and floods and to
maintain or increase the permanance of the
summer supply of water for domestic or
farming purposes and to provide for the
increasing use OF water power. Our cli-
mate. with its long dry season, practically
exempt from rain. adds force to the need
of an intelligent treatment of these ques-
tions.
The national government has adopted
the forest reserve system and applied 1t
in large way in this state. The last ad-
ministration appointed commission OF
distinguished men to formulate forest
policy for the management of the national
forests, This commission reported an out
line for such management. The present
national administration has taken action
in this line. Already forest officers have
been assigned to California. The govern
ment of the United States has thus de-
clared itself for national forest manage
ment. and none too soon.
The immediate difficulty now is to find
men acquainted with the principles of for
estry. with the methods of management
and especially with the peculiar conditions
requiring special treatment in California.
We have no such men fitted for forest work
in this state. Mining must be provided for;
the utilization of the grand timber in the
question of what. if any. pasturage can be
permitted; the matter of roads and acces-
sibility must be considered. and above all.
the determination of a practical system
of fire control must be had. All these
and other questions require answers
by the people. 1t is not alone
the interest of the state and of the nation
in the Sierra forests that invite action.
but also justice and fair dealing to those
who at present have property or occupa-
tion in the mountains.
The opening for the state university is
this: There are here no skilled foresters,
such as are educated in the forest schools
of France. Germany and England for In
dia). Here there is a career for our young
men. Let our state university furnish this
by establishing a forest school. A proper
location for the summer field work essen
tial for such school would be the Yosemite
valley in the heart OF the Sierras, and
now under state management. To inaugu-
rate such an educational movement in har-
mony with the national and state needs
it would be well to hold conference of
the university officers with the secretary of
the interior, commissioner of the general
land office. secretary OF agriculture. chief
of the division of forestry. and the forest
officers already located in California.
These might all be invited to a meeting
to be held in the Yosemite valley next Ju-
ly when the high Sierra is open to travel.
The action of the state Legislature has
designated the University of California
for this work by assigning to 1t the prop
erty and duties of the old board of forestry.
Your officers and professors have already
in many instances shown deep interest
in the Sierra geology. botany. etc. 1t is
not a long step to advance to the study
of scientific forestry.
The Yosemite commission will heartily
welcome you and your invited guests to the
valley next summer. and l sincerely hope
that you will take up this matter and in
augurate the first forest school in America.
Very respectfully,
ABBOT KINNEY,
Vice-President Yosemite Commission.