Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-09-19
FOREST RESERVATIONS.
Two important Reasons for Their
Maintenance.

| Maintenance.
| Until quite recently few people have
given much thought to the rapid
destruction of our magnificent North
American forests. The necessity for
! limiting this destruction from the
purely economic standpoint has been
recognized only within the past ten
years, and since the act of March 8,
1891, the president has been given
power to segregate forest reservations
from the public lands. Professor j.
w. Toumen popular Science Monthly,
June, 1900 in discussing the subject OF
our forest reservations states that no
less than thirty-nine national forests
will be established containing
in the aggregate more than
| $500, 600 acres, an area more than
fifteen times as large as the state OF
Connecticut, and about one-fortieth Of
the total area of the country exclusive
of Alaska. As the legislative act pro
vides that the reservations are to be
taken from public lands, they are for
the most part in the Rocky Mountain
region and in the Pacific Coast states,
where large areas of public forests and
land are available. Much controversy
! has arisen as to the wisdom of with
drawing such large areas from the sale
or other disposition under the laws Of
the land office. This opposition has
come less during the past few years
and public sentiment in favor of forest
reservations is rapidly increasing. In
fact this change in sentiment has
been so rapid that a movement is now
on foot, with prospect of success, to
establish a national forest reservation
in the Southern Appalachian noun
tains, whore 1t will be necessary for
the government TO purchase the land
at an expense of several millions OF
dollars. A few state reservations have
been established the most splendid
, example being the State forests in
Pennsylvania and 1t is likely that
( others will be set aside in Michigan
. during the present year, Unfortun.
, ately, the lumber interests in Northern
Minnesota are likely to prevent the
establishment of n national reserva
ton AT the head of the Mississippi
river.
Professor Tourney considers the i'm
A portance of forests more from the
n standpoint of their value in producing
t lumber than in maintaining the water
q supply of the country. However, there
T. Is another side to the question which
is quite as important and which SHOULD
l. not be overlooked The value of for
Va est reservations as greatnational park,
r for recreation and sport Is very great
In such reservations those so inclined
g can get in touch with nature Mt he
@ best where the streams abound il
n trout, Where wild animals are not con
fined behind iron bars and whore Their
<, arc no signs Keep off the grass
x There a man can reinforce his phys
Ie cal strength with wholesome mountain
It air, pure water. vigorous exercise AM
plain food 1t is a pity that the pres
Is ent state Of development OF our cour
Il try makes such reservations impossible
n in the vicinity of most of our larg
3 cities. The park systems are Of grea
Importance as breathing places TO
3 poorer people. but most of the gal fol
~ csts of considerable size are within
n short distance of some Of the larges
n cities and these are constantly FIRE
a Qucntod by picnicking parties from tn
poorer classes during the summe
d season Even now the reservations 0
" such areas Of land would not be impos
d sible In the neighbUyhood of some c
ie our large American cities, and the
ID would prove good investment II tn
health, comfort and pleasure of tn
II masses were Observation-Disclosures
II. Medicine.