The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-12-24
STATE FORESTRY BOARD
is MAKING ITS REPORT
Legislature Will Be Asked to Appr0pri-
ate Funds to Properly Care for
Reserves. F.

The recent agitation relative to
the management of the Itasca State
park, which was commenced by E..
R. Dampier of Akeley, has resulted
in the bringing forth of some lively
communications from the state for
estry board, and among other things,
the board recommended the repair
of Douglas lodge at the park, and
also other improvements which Mr.. !:
Dampier claims were needed.
General c. c. Andrews, executive
of the forestry board, has COM
pleted the draft of the boards report
to be submitted at the coming
legislature. 1t is noted that the
report as originally drawn by Gen.
eral Andrews has been materially
changed after a consultation with
the other members of the state for
estry board.
A St. Paul paper says of the re-
port:
The report states that the board
has been DESTROYS of undertaking
forestry work in way commensurate
with the needs of the forestry situ-
alton, but has been handicapped
by lack of means and feels that the
needs of the hour demand and
public sentiment will support the
coming legislature in making sufi-
cient appropriations to put the
work of the board upon an effective
basis.
Attention is directed to the act
of the legislature, making Itasca
park a forest reserve and placing
it under the care of the board. The
board recommends that this thirty
five sections of land located about
Itasca lake, the head of the Mis-
sissippi river, be carefully preserved
and made a sample of forest vege-
tation, a great demonstration for
est and an important game re-
serve.
There are over 100000 feet
of standing timber on the land,
mostly of large, thrifty Norway pine,
situated along the lake shores and
drives. There are $500 acres of
private owned land within the park
limits, which the board recommends
that the state acquire.
of this land the Pine Tree lum-
Der company of Little Falls owns 3,
800 acres, which it has offered to
! donate to the state, together with
the hardwoods thereon and all cone
bearing trees under eight inches in
diameter, provided the company can
have 10 years, free from taxes on
the timber, in which to remove it.
The estimated value of the pro-
posed gift is $4,000 and the taxes
exempted would amount to about
$4,000, if held for 10 years. The
board recommends the acceptance of
the company's offer.
The board recommends better
fire protection for the park and
states that the present annual appro-
priation of 1900 has been carefully
expended. The report states that
the board has, in cooperation with
the state university, established
forest school at the park, which has
been very successful. It is recon-
mended that means be provided
whereby forestry students may be
employed at small expense"
With forestry students roaming
through the park, and being per-
mitted to carry and discharge fire.
arms for the destruction of the So
called destructive animals," it. is
hardly likely that much of the game
which now inhabits the park would
stay within its confines. The Pioneer
belieues that the old law, which pro-
hibited the carrying and discharg-
ing of firearme within the limits of
the park should be restored, if the
state desires to make a game pre-
serve out of the Itasca state park.