The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-21
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION
OF FORESTS.

6cHCo IL. tLiS country Is Inc 6io"iHs AZ
terest in the protection and preservation
of forests. Their wholesale and reckless
destruction has been subject Of frequent
comment, and Is characteristic Of Ameri-
can methods. It is akin to the reckless
destruction of game and fish. the ex-
haustion of lands. and the wanton waste
of natural gas and other gifts of nature.
Having spent nearly century in destroy
ing the magnificent primeval forests of
the country we are now beginning to
recognize the necessity of preserving and
restoring them. The American Foresty
Association. formed in 1882, is doing good
work in this regard, and is creating pub
lie sentiment that is sure to prove bene-
fetal. Branches of the National Forestry
Association have been formed in eighteen
States, including Indiana. The association
publishes a monthly organ called The
Forester, devoted to the spread Of right
ideas about forestry and to securing desir-
able legislation on the subject. The States
of New York. Pennsylvania, Kansas,
Michigan. Minnesota. Maine. New Hamp-
shire and Wisconsin have forest commits
sions under State laws which have special
duties and powers relative to forests. New
York has a State College of Forestry In
connection with Cornell University, and
forestry is taught in several other colleges.
For nearly twenty years past the national
government has pursued the policy OF
making forest reservations in public lands,
thus insuring their preservation and con-
tributing the weight of government in
fluence to the dissemination of right views
on the subject The total area of these
reservations is more than 46sS3,ss acres.
located as follows:
Yellowstone Park Timber Land Reserve.
Wyoming. 1.239,040 acres; White River
Plateau Timber Land Reserve. Colorado.
New Mexico, AL, 040 acres: Pixies Peak
Timber Land Reserve. Colorado. lS4S2O
acres; Bull Run Timber Land Reserve,
Oregon. 142,OS0 acres; Plum Creek Timber
Land Reserve, Colorado, 179,2OO acres;
South Platte Forest Reserve, Colorado,
6S352O acres; San Gabriel Timber Land
Reserve, California, 5S552O acres; Battle
24O acres; Afognak Forest and Ffsh-cul-
ture Reserve, Alaska, 403,6 $40 acres; Sierra
Forest Reserve, California, 4O96,0oO acres;
Grand Canyon Forest Reserve, Arizona,
1851, $50 acres; San Bernardino Forest Re
serve. California, 7S7. $50 hacres; Trabuco
Canyon Forest Reserve, California. 1o9920
acres; Cascade Range Forest Reserve,
Oregon. 4.492. 500 acres; Ashland Forest Re-
serve, Oregon. 1850 acres; Stanislaus For
est Reserve, California, 69l, 200 acres; San
Jacinto Forest Reserve, California. 737. $50
acres; Bitter Root Forest Reserve, Idaho
and Montana. 4.147 200 acres; Priest River
Forest Reserve. Idaho and Washing
ton, 645,12 acres: Black Hills Forest
Reserve. South Dakota, 1,2ll,6S0 acres;
Uintah Forest Reserve, Utah. Sl552O acres;
Washington Forest Reserve, Washington,
S,5s4,24O acres; Olympic Forest Reserve.
Washington, 2.1SS, 500 acres; Mount Rainier
Forest Reserve. Washington, 2oz1,52o
acres; Big Horn Forest Reserve, Wyom-
ing 1127.6S0 acres; Teton Forest Reserve.
Wyoming, S29,440 acres; Flathead Forest
Reserve, Montana, 1,3S2.4 400 acres; Lewis
and Clarke Forest Reserve, Montana, q
1850 acres; Pine Mountain and Zaca Lake
Forest Reserve, California, 1,644.594 acres;
Prescott Forest Reserve, Arizona, 423,6S0
acres; San Francisco Mountain Forest Re-
serves, Arizona, 1.65S,SS0 acres; Fish Lake
Forest Reserve, Utah, 6l.si0 acres; Gallatin
Forest Reserve, Montana, 40,320 acres; ella
River Forest Reserve, New Mexico, 232I,-
040 acres: Lake Tahoe Forest Reserve,
California, ,335 acres; Santa Ynez Forest
Reserve, California, $4,000 acres.
All of these reserves are carefully sur
veyed and mapped, and their administra-
ton and protection under the general di-
rection of the Land Once and the Depart
ment of Agriculture is in competent
hands. Under this system the most prac-
teal and approved ways Of handling for
est lands have been introduced and are be-
ing applied and extended to promote the
objects of the law. From this it will be
hot ho G
made great progress in recent years on
the lines indicated. Nor have the States
been idle. Many of them have laws either
for the protection of forests or to en-
courage their preservation and the plant
ing Of trees. and forty-four States have
established Arbor day, six States making
1t a legal holiday and five holiday for
schools. All this indicates a wide
spread and rapid growth of interest in
the preservation Of forests and their
restoration as far as practicable when
they have been destroyed. Few persons
realize the incalculable wealth that has
been drawn from our forests. the enor-
nous drafts upon them or the great losses
that will follow their destruction. Accord
ing to the census of 1890 the total annual
consumption of forest products in the
United States is more than 10000 600
cubic feet, divided approximately fol-
lows: lumber market and manufactures.
$3.50 100000 feet. fuel. 15.ooo.ooo.ooo cubic
feet; railroad ties, 2.OOOOOO cubic feet:
fencing 100000 cubic feet; other items,
| loo 100000 cubic feet These figures do not
include waste nor the destruction by for
est fires. Mr.. John p. Brown. secretary of
the Indiana Forestry Association. recently
made trip through Kansas. Nebraska.
South Dakota. Colorado, Utah. Nevada
and California for the purpose of obtaining
and disseminating information regarding
forestry conditions. He says:
Ny trip through the West in what used
TO be the timbered regions has made me
realize the Importance of caring for for
ests more wildly than ever before
passed through deserts that used 10 be
rich virgin forests. l saw the remains of
charcoal pits. where valuable timber was
burned for the charcoal IL made. What
was productive land a quarter OF CEN
fury ago had been turned into unpro-
tn hahn oil. .w,<J