The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-12
FORESTS OF ALABAMA
GOVERNMENT EXPERT SUBMITS A
REPORT.
Warning IL Sounded to State to Con-
serve its Resources. III. Foster
Hns Investigated the
Conditions.

Washington, May 1I.--(Special. "a
preliminary report of the examination
Of forest conditions existing In Ala
bama has just been completed by ]. III.
Foster OF the United States Forest
Service. In cooperation with the State
Commission OF Forestry.
In o. response to letter which was
sent by the United States Forester to
the Governors of all the States inviting
Federal and State cooperation In ex-
aiming forest conditions and outlin-
ing forest policies, the early part of
this year, Governor Conner OF Alabama,
through the Commission Of Forestry.
arranged at once with the forest SER
vice for this examination In his State.
The State Commission had but 5000
available. which was duplicated by the
forest service. but with this small
amount the investigation was started
to summarize the existing conditions in
the State and to outline the needs for
improved legislation and q systematic
and conservative method of handling
the forest lands and forest problems
in general.
The report brings out many interest
ing facts concerning the pest and
present condition of the states forest
resources. Originally. Alabama was
covered with magnificent forests, vary
of the northeast. to the great pine
forests OF the coastal plain. The
mountains of the north contain val
liable deposits of coal, iron and other
minerals. and the pine hardwood forests
have been badly stripped from the
rough slopes to supply the great need
for timber In the mines. and lumber
for the local and foreign markets.
The southern coastal pine belt was
the last to be invaded by the lumber
man. These forests have been har-
vested like grain in the field, cutting
slashing. and leaving much of the
ground clean behind. The original for
ests Of longleaf pine, the 'piney woods"
are so rapidly disappearing that one
can easily designate on the map of the
state the remaining large areas.
Fires do the most serious damage.
They burn over the same land almost
annually. They are caused principally
from railroads, carelessness by hunters
and trampers in the woods, and by
farmers to improve the grazing. Re-
peated burnings in the piney woods
absolutely destroy young growth and
when the mature timber is removed.
the country Is desolate. Longleaf pine
does not reproduce readily at best, and
after numbering, usually scrubby oaks
take possession. In the mountain Sec
lions while timber growth is nowhere
entirely lacking on uncleaned lands
fires have stunted the growth and pre-
vented the return Of the valuable spe-
cies removed.
The practice Of turpentining young
longleaf pines is the final and crush
ing blow to the piney woods forests.
The young sapling growth is slashed
and girdled for the turpentine and
within two or three years will be aban-
doned to die, break down by the wind
and burn up by fres following. The
Legitimate turpentine operations pre-
ceding and carried on upon trees later
to be cut for saw logs is wise use
of forest products and never to be dis
couraged.
Alabama has some very good forestry
laws, but In the main the State lacks
system and machinery for putting
them in operation. Most of all. the
state needs a wide-awake' forester who
can give his undivided attention TO the
educating of the people to the neces-
sity OF forest preservation, nre pro-
lection, and q wiser use Of the forests
that remain.
Alabama has reached stage where
II Is time to take account of stock.
The old growth forests are well-nigh
exhausted and will be almost entirely
within the next fifteen years. Young
growth will follow the old II 1t is
given protection from fire and unmo-
Tested.