The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-04
Preservation of Forests.

Wise forest protection does not mean
the withdrawal of forest resources,
whether of wood water, or grass, from
contributing their full share to the well
fare of the people, but, on the contrary,
gives the assurance of larger and more
certain supplies. The fundamental idea
of forestry is the perpetuation of for
ests by use. Forest protectioni not an
end of itself: it is a means to increase
and sustain the resources of our country
and the Industries which depend upon
them. The preservation of our forests
is an imperative business necessity. We
have come to see clearly that whatever
destroys the forests, except to make way
for agriculture, threatens our Well-be-
ing.
The practical usefulness of the nation
al forest reserves to the mining grazing
irrigation, and other interests OF the
regions in which the reserves lie has led
TO a widespread demand by the people
of the West for their protection and eX-
tension. The forest reserves will inevi-
tably be of still greater use in the tfu-
ture than in the past. Additions should
be made to them whenever practicable,
and their usefulness should be increased
by thoroughly business-like manage
ment.
At present the protection of the forest
reserves rests with the General Land
Land Office, the mapping and descrip-
ton of their timber with the United
States Geological Survey, and the prepa-
ration of plans for their conservative use
with the Bureau of Forestry, which is
also charged with the general advance
ment of practical forestry in the United
States. These various functions should
be united in the Bureau of Forestry, to
which they properly belong. The pres
ent diffusion of responsibility is bad
from every standpoint. 1t prevents that
efficient cooperation between the Gov
eminent ard the men who utilize the re-
sources of the reserves, without which
the interests of both must suffer The
Scientific bureaus generally should be
put under the Department of Agricul-
ture. The President should have by
law the power of transferring lands for
use as forest reserves to the Depart
ment of Agriculture. He already has
such power in the case of lands needed
by the Departments of War and the
Navy.
The wise administration of the forest
reserves will be not less helpful to the
interests which depend ON water than to
those which depend on wood and grass.
The water supply itself depends upon
the forest In the arid region it is water
not land, which measures production.
The western half of the United States
would sustain a population greater than
that of our whole country today if the
waters that now run to waste were saw
ed and used for irrigation. The forest
and water problems are perhaps the
most vital internal questions of the
United States.
Certain of the forest reserves should
also be made preserves for the wild for
est creatures. All of the reserves should
be better protected from fires Many
of them need special protection because
of the great injury done by live stock,
above all by sheep. The increase in deer
elk, and other animals in the Yellow
stone Park shows what may be expected
when other mountain forests are proper
by protected by law and properly guard
ed. Some of these areas have been so
denuded of surface vegetation by over
grazing that the ground breeding birds,
including grouse and quail, and many
mammals. including deer, have been ex-
terminated or driven away. At the
same time the water-storing capacity of
the surface has been decreased or de-
stroyed, thus promoting floods in times
of rain and diminishing the flow of
streams between rains.
In cases where natural conditions
have been restored for few years, veg
citation has again carpeted the ground.
birds and deer are coming back. and
hundreds of persons from the immediate
neighborhood. come each summer to en-
joy the privilege of camping. Some at
least of the forest reserves should afford
perpetual protection to the native fauna
and flora, safe. Ravens Of refuge to our