The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-08-20

the bulk of land now being cut over
will not be needed for agricultural pur-
poses for many years to come. In the
meantime the timber producing posi-
bilities of such lands are being de-
stroyed by repeated fires, turpentining
and reckless numbering. The oppor-
tunity to organize and adopt plans of
forest management should not be de-
layed until the forest lands have all
been cut over.
Many States have temporarily de-
veloped at the expense of their forest
interests and have realized too late the
disastrous effects of wasting their for
est resources.
The report of the forest Service ex-
aminer in Florida lays particular stress
on the Importance of strong forest
policy for the State. There should be
Commission of Forestry to have gen.
eral supervision of the forestry interests
of the State and to appoint a State
Forester. 1t should be the duty of the
State Forester, under the direction of
the Commission, to advise private
owners in reference in reference to
forest management, to bring to public
attention the damage done by forest
fires, to formulate and put into execu-
ton firewarden system to protect the
forests from fires, to encourage more
conservative systems of numbering and
turpentining, to investigate tax and
grazing problems, and in general pro.
mote healthy interest in forest pre-
servation in the State.
The forest fire problem in Florida, as
in other Southern States, was found
to be most serious hindrance to the
perpetuation of the forests. The prac-
tice of burning over the ground an.
nually destroys all possibility Of
young growth of pine to take the place
of the mature timber when it is cut
Moreover, fires injure the standing
timber, especially where the trees
have been boxed, and destroy the yege-
table covering of the soil. 1t has been
demonstrated that repeated fires de-
crease the value of the forest for graz
ing purposes.
In order to check the annual fire evil,
the report proposes a forest fire law
for Florida which shall make it unlaw-
full and punishable by fine or imprison-
ment, or both, for any individual or
corporation to start fires on land not
their own. The proposed law also
makes every owner liable for damages
resulting from the spread of fire from
his own land to that Of another. There
are many other important features in
the proposed law, such as the appoint
ment Of firewardens, the use of spark
arresters on locomotives and engines,
and posting of fire notices.
The report furthermore recommends
the establishment of State forests from
tax lands and by purchase, as has al
ready been done by many States in the
country.
The forests of Florida have lasted
longer than in many States, perhaps
because the State has been more gen.
erously endowed with valuable growth.
The need of a forest preservation has
not been so apparent in the past, but
those who understand the present con-
ditions in Florida and in other states
should be alive to the necessity of TAX
ing some action to cut wisely what
forests remain, and provide for regener-
alton on lands that have already been
denuded. The report explains the
present situation in detail and points
the way for a wiser consideration in
the future.