The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-20
GENERAL LAWS
Enacted By the Legislature of Alabama

create a State Commission or fofestIS
 to consist of the Governor, member
 of the State Tax Commission, the State
 Game and Fish Commissioner the Com
 missioner of Agriculture and lndustrles'
 A member of the United States Forest
 Service. the Polytechnic Institute
 and one practiced lumberman, to de-
 clare the county Game and Fish War
 dens. Forest Wardens to declare Con-
 stables. Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs
 and Deputy Sheriffs, ex-offcio Deputy
 Forest Wardens and to provide for the
 anpointment of Deputy Forest Wardens
 bv the Governor to exempt from tax
 ation for period of ten years land
 which shall be planted in trees; to ap-
 propriate the sum of Five Hundred
 Dollars annually for the purpose of car
 rying out the provisions of this act; to
 create a Forest Reserve Fund, and to
 provide for the payment of all hnes'
 forfeitures and penalties arising under
 the provisions of this act into the said
 Fund.
 Section 1. Be it enacted by the legis- 1ature of Alabama: That there is here bv created and established a State Com mission of Forestry to consist of the Governor. a member of the State Tax Commission, the State Game and Fish Commissioner, the Commissioner Of Asrl- tulture and Industries one practical ium- herman engaged in the manufacture or lumber in this State who shall be ap- pointed by the Governor to serve for form of five years, a member of the Tinted States forest Service. to be rec commended by the Forester of said Forest Service, and the Professor of Forestry in the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. The members of said Commission shall serve without compensation or expen to the State.
 Sec. ?. That the Governor as ex-officio chairman of the Commission of Forestry' shall call meeting of said Commission within thirty days after the approval of this act at which meeting theretslaI be elected from their number secretary, who shall perform the duties usually im- nosed upon such officer The Commis- sion shall meet at least twice in each wear in the City of Montgomery, and at such other times and places as the Gov ernor may designate.
 Sec 3. That it shall be the duty Of the Commission provided for In Section 1 of this act to inquire into, and publish annually a report upon the forest condi- lions in Alabama, with reference to the preservation of forests, the effects of the destruction of forests upon the welfare or the State and all other matters pertain ing to the subject of forestry and to pro- mote, so far as they may be able, a proper appreciation in this State of the benefits to be derived from forest pres ervation. It shall further be their duty to report to each session of the Legisla- ture the results of their investigations and to recommend desirable legislation with reference to forestry, and to per form such other duties as may be inn posed upon them by this or other acts relating to forest preservation.
 Sec. 4. And the Governor is authorized s,pon the recommendation of the said Commission of Forestry to accept gifts of land to the State, the same to be held and administered by the Commission of !, ,1orestrv as State Forest reserves and To be used as to demonstrate the practi- cal utility of timber culture Such glfts 4nust be absolute, except for the rcserva- tion of all mineral and mining rights over and under said land, and stipu- lation that they shall be administered as State Forest Reserves: and the Attorney General is hereby directed to see that all deeds of gifts or other grants to the State of lands mentioned above are prop erly executed before the gift is accepted.
 Sec 5, That in order to encourage the praetice of forest culture in this State, when the owner or owners of any land which has been denuded of trees, or any other land the assessed value of which shall not at the time of application exceed the sum of five dollars per acre. shall contract in writing with the Commission of Forestry to plant and grow upon the said land suitable and useful timber trees in such manner as they shall prescribe to protect the said land from fire and to maintain the trees so planted or grown upon it in a live and thrifty condition for a period of ten years and to cut or remove from the said land within that time no tree or trees except as permitted in the said contract; it shall be lawful for the State Tax Commission, and they are hereby authorized upon the recom- mendation of the Commission of Forestry, to exempt such land from taxation for the period of ten years next thereafter in which the said land is to be so main tained. At the end of said ten years, or at any time within that period that the owner or owners of said land shall fail to maintain it in all respect according to the written agreement entered into by him and upon which the said land is exempt ed from taxation, the said land shall be restored to the tax roll and shall be taxed the same as other similar lands.
 Sec. 6. That the County Game and Fish Wardens already provided for by existing laws, be and the same are here by declared and designated Forest Ward ems. whose duty 1t shall be to enforce the forest laws of this State and to carry out the provisions of this and other acts relating to forest preservation. They shall, while holding said office, possess and exercise all the authority held and exercised by constables under the statutes of this State, so far as arresting and prosecuting persons for all violations of any of the laws rules and regulations enacted for the protection of forests in this State, or for the protection of the Game and Fish contained therein.
 Sec. T. That all sherffs, deputy sher- ifs, constables. marshals, justices of the peace and other peace officers of the State, are hereby declared ex-ofticio Deputy Forest Wardens, who shall en-