New-York tribune., 1909-05-27
MAKING PROGRESS ~ FORESTRY.

H4h{AfT PROGRESS ~ TDHENIR4
The regret which must he felt at the failure
of the late Legislature to provide for a fitting
permanent memorial Of Hudson and Fulton in
connection with the coming celebration by ere
ating a state park in the Highlands Of the Hud
son will he materially tempered by consdera-
tOn Of the step which actually taken In
that direction and the very significant advance
in state forestry policy that was made in the
enactment of a bill which the Governor has just
signed. providing for the creation and control OF
Il forest reservation in the Highlands on the
west side of the Hudson River, extending from
Stony Point to Cornwall and comprising an area
Of about seventy-tiye square Understanding
United States lands at West Point. reservoirs
for water supply, incorporated villages and
lands suitable for residential purposes. All the
forest lands within this area are constituted
forest reservation. They are not acquired by
the state. though the Forest. Fish and Game
Commission is authorized 'to take by purchase
gift or devise the fee other estates therein
"Of any the said lands and also ito receive by
gift, contribution or bequest moneys TO be used
lin acquiring or improving the said lands or any
'of them
This obviously opens the way for the acqusi
tion Of considerable portion Of tile proposed
park 1t is true that the commission has re-
ceived no appropriation for the purchase Of
lands. but there is reason for hoping and OK
pecting that private munifcence. which has
hitherto accomplished so much for the state
which the state should have done for itself in
similar directions, will furnish the commission
with means for extensive acquisitions And
while the commission now has power to condemn
lands by right of eminent domain it is probable
that some land owners will be found who will
be willing to dispose Of their holdings at reason
able prices II is not unlikely that the Hudson
Fulton committee, which has greatly interested
itself in the matter. will be able to promote the
work of the commission. and 1t certainly should
feel encoura ged TO continue and increase its eff
forts, in the next Legislature for the completion
of the park plans by the state on a generous
and worthy scale.
But what is perhaps most significant and most
gratifying in the new law is it's provision Of in
telligent and competent state control for the
cultivation and cutting of timber on private
lands. The Forest, Fish and Game Commission
is explicitly empowered to supervise and con.
'trol the cutting of timber upon the lands in
"cluded within the boundaries described. botb
public and such private lands as are suitable
"for the growth Of timber only" Thus the no.
lice power of the state is applied for the protec-
tion Of private woodlands from destruction The
essential rights of ownership are not impaired.
but they are required to be so exercised as not
to impair the genegal welfare of the state. Land
owners may use their forests for woodcutting
but they may not abuse them by DESTROYING the
whole arboreal growth 1t is scarcely necessary
to add what we have often remarked. that the
enforcement of such a policy Of forest cultiva,
ton is sure to prove in the long run more nrotit
able 10 land owners than the too frequent prac
tlce of forest destruction. This policy has long
been familiar and profitable one in Etrone
The Supreme Court of Maine recently expressed