Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-08-14
WATER SHEDS ON
FOREST RESERVES
To Be Examined by
Professor Baker
of Bureau.
TREES MUST Be PLANTED
Where Possible in Order to
Assure Water.-.-Small
Nurseries a Feature.

Professor Hugh P. Baker, of Wash
lngton, d. Ca who Is connected with
the Bureau of Forestry, and Is also
an instructor in forestry at the Iowa
State College, has been in the city
for several days in conference with
Leon F. kneipp, supervisor of the
Pecos and Jemez Reserves. Mr.. Baker
has been detailed by the government
for the purpose Of examining the wat
ersheds in these two forest reserves
with an idea of determining the adapt
ability for tree planting as a means
of conserving the water supply and
particularly the watersheds from
which the water comes that supplies
the cities of Santa Fe and Las Vegas.
He will leave in a few days to begin
this work on the Pecos Rorest Re.
serve.
This work of planting trees in the
watersheds has been commenced
in most of the western for
est reserves" Mr.. Baker stat
ed this morning while being in
terviwed by reporter of the New
Mexican. "The government is prepar-
ing for the tremendous future develop.
ment which we know will come. The
development will depend greatly upon
the permanency Of the water sup
ply.
To Plant Trees Where Possible.
Il am here to examine the city wat
ersheds and watersheds generally fo1
the purpose of planting trees where
ever practicable. Certain burned over
areas have not been coming in
very rapidly to native growth and In
these districts we are planning to
plant number OF seedlings. Mr..
kneipp thought it might improve the
water conserving power in the re-
serves under his supervision to have
more Or less tree planting done. ]
haven't determined yet what kind OF
trees will be planted but in all prob
ability they will be native trees.
'In addition to examining the forests
in the watersheds | will also look into
the matter Of establishing small nur-
series at the ranger headquarters for
the production Of seedlings to be used
in planting the thin areas. The seed
will be collected on the reserves and
planted at these ranger nurseries or
we may establish one large permanent
nursery. ] am astonlshed at the
amount of natural growth on the
mountains and the scarcity of forest
fires. OF course unless fires can be
kept out of the forest reserves 1t
would be useless to plant trees, but
we figure that the forest fires can
be eliminated to a certain extent.
"Mr. Kneipp tells me that he has had
only one fire of any consequence in
the forest reserves under his supervi-
sion since he assumed charge and that
was in the Jemez. The fire burned six
hundred acres in district where no
ranger was stationed and it burned for
three or four days. A ranger has been
placed at this point and no fire in that
vicinity has occurred since. There
have been several small fires in other
parts Of the reserve but they we're put
out before they had a chance to
spread"
Start Work on Pecos Reserve.
Professor Baker expects to be en-
ployed in his present work for several
months. He will start on the Pecos
Reserve and then continue on the
Jemez Reserve. If he has time there,
after he will make tour Of inspection
Of the Lincoln Reserve. He says that
a great many of the universities and
colleges throughout the country are
establishing departments of forestry
and the federal forestry service is
furnishing most of the instructors.
Professor Baker is delighted witt
the climate of New Mexico and es.
pecially that of Santa Fe. "You have
great climate here" he said when
the conversation drifted to that sub.
lect. "I consider Iowa one of the
greatest states in the Union but It's
climate cannot compare with that OF
New Mexico. If Iowa had a climate
like this it would be without doubt
one Of the greatest commonwealth