Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-01-01
FORESTRY IN VERMONT.
Fletcher D. Proctor Writes Inter.
estinsiy In New England
Mauaxine


Fletcher d. Proctor, former governor
of Vermont, contributes an article to
series by New England executives, in
Deferred Forestry" printed in the
New England Magazine for December,
in relation to the subject of forestry in
Vermont Mr.. Proctor says
Approximately go per cent of the area
of our state Is forest or wild land. and
this vast area ought TO be made more
pi Oductive and OF greater value to its
ow ners and the people. Large tracts of
fOi mer PASTURES or even titled fields are
now gradually being reclaimed by nature
and are growing up to young trees.
While this has been Il source Of regret
and apprehension in the past, and has
led to much discussion as to what should
be done with our so-called abandoned
farms, we are beginning to realize that
it may all be turned to source of profit
to the owners and to the state. II this
land were reclaimed and brought back
to state of cultivation it could not
compete agriculturally with the vast
areas of more productive agricultural
land.
Besides the question of making the
land of greater value to the owners there
is also involved the preservation of our
water supplies. If we neglect our forests
and cut them without judgment our
water powers will be seriously impaired,
not only the larger ones, 80 necessary at
manufacturing centers, but also the
great number of small powers scattered
throughout the state, which are or ought
to be of great value to their respective
communities. If we strip our hills and
mountain sides and do not take proper
cars to replace their forest growth the
danger of floods in the spring time will
be greatly increased, causing damage to
small mill properties and bridges and in
juring highways. In the end the do.
nestle water supplies of our villages and
cities are also quite sure to be seriously
affected.
Thus both directly and indirectly pro-
per forest encouragement and manage
ment is necessary to the best interests of
all the people of the state. 1t is no lon
ger theory or simply an aesthetic ques-
ton, but very practical one. Vermont
has already begun to recognize her duty
in this regard. In 1904 the Legislature
provides that the governor should desig-
nate one of the members of the board of
agriculture to act as forestry commits
each town should take measures to con-
troll and extinguish forest fires. 1t also
exempted from taxation for 10 years I'M
cultivated lands planted with timber or
forest trees under certain conditions.
The Legislature of 1906 appropriated $500
annually for five years for the purpose of
aiding in the establishment and mainten-
ance of nursery for the propagation
of forest seedlings of useful varieties at
the Vermont agricultural experiment
station. The commission on taxation in
their report recommend changes in the
taxation of timber lands for the purpose
of encouraging their cultivation and
preservation.
All this has been in the right direction,
but it does not go far enough, Vermont
should have a distinct forest policy of
her own. That this may be successfully
inaugurated and carried on we should
have a state forester educated and trained
along the most advanced and approved
lines, who shall give his entire time to
the study Of forest conditions as they
exist in Vermont, with view to their
practical and permanent improvement.
This policy has been adopted by many of
the states and it is most successfully pur-
sued by the national government in the
territories and national preserves under
its jurisdiction. Such forester should
carry on a publicity and educational
work. freely advise with individual own
ers supervise our forest fire laws, which
ought to be strengthened and made
more efficient eventually take charge of
the state nurseries for forest seedlings,
and in general way formulate and
conduct policy so vital to the true pros
neritv of the state Whila this will an.
tail some expense, believe the state can
undertake no work nor assume any
equivalent expense that would yield to
her people greater returns than an ad-
vanced forestry policy wisely and pro-
tod