The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-15
SIERRA CLUB |
TO THE RESCUE |
Of THE FORESTS
Miners Association to
Cooperate.
SAVING TIMBER FROM FIRE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASKED
TO LEND ITS AID.
Urgent Need for Berkeley and Palo
-, Alto Universities to Establish
p. a Course of Instruction
g.: on Forestry.

An important conference of representa-
: tive from the Miners Association and
the Sierra Club will be held next Satur-
day at the Chamber of Commerce. Its
purport will be the devising of ways and
means for the preservation of the for
ests of California.
A committee consisting of J. N lie
Conte and Elliott McAllister of the
Sierra Club has been making an ex-
haustive inquiry into the subject, and in
a report which they have submitted de-
clare that something should be done to
protect CALIFORNIA; forests from the de-
structive fires that run through them
during the summer months.
The report in substance is as follows:
"A necessity seems to exist for the two
universities of Stanford and Berkeley
10 establish a course of systematic in
structiOn on the subject of forestry. a
necessity as real as that which has de-
.manded instruction IN many of the divi-
sions of the mining or agricultural de-
partments of these institutions.
Action has been taken by the Miners
Association in regard to the best
method of preserving the watersheds of
our rivers, and by the Board of Trade for
forest protection. There is a desire to
take up the subject common TO the agri-
cultural, mining and in fact all the pro-
ductive interests OF the State, and the two
great resources, the water sources and
the forests, should be properly cared for.
mitS OF our mountains in California have
been withdrawn from location. and ii is
only right that we should ask the Federal
Government to take the necessary steps
for their further protection from fire and
for their preservation for the future.
And, again, the necessity of proper re-
FoTesuzatlon makes itself manifest as
the years go by, and as vast tracts are
used by the lumber men to supply the
market and by the railroads for their To-
gbmotives. When the first and best tim
Der is taken from the mountain sides the
natural refOrestiZation which follows is of
a poorer grade of timber and in the high
est attitudes of the Sierras and Southern
California no reforesuzatton takes place
at all.
The time. therefore, is fast approach
ing when the United States Government
and private corporations will be asking
technical advice on the subject OF for
ests, their protection and the reproduction
of a first quality of timber. A properly
educated forester should be able to find
a ready demand for his services at the
hands Of the Government or of individ-
uais The time is not far distant when
the lumber men themselves will ask for
the practical man who is also q technical
forester. At present in this State there
are no persons to whom any public or
Eanization may turn for information and
guidance on this subject. We believe 1t
is the duty of our universities to offer
lectures would be eagerly sought, not
only by the few who might desire to
train themselves as foresters, but also
. by many who desire the knowledge as
q matter OF general culture.
Until recently. if any person wanted an