The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-08-21

airy. Authority is given to the COM
missioner to entertain visitors. The
commissioner also serves as fire and
game warden and is host to the many
who visit the park each summer.
Itasca Park is game preserve, a
state forest, pleasure ground, and
practical workshop for those TAX
ing the forestry course in the uni
versity. r. T.
Two Rod Fire Break.
A fire break, two rods wide, has
been cleared around the park, but no
attempt has been made to turn this
into highway except for that small
portion which is formed by county
road.
To cut roads or trails to the more
important lakes and to open them to
visitors should be the work of the
immediate future.
Protection of the park from the
ravages of fire is vested in the hands
of M. Heinzelman, local superinten-
dent, who serves as fire warden. I'm
der the Minnesota law the fire war
den is empowered to call upon any
resident of the state to assist in fight
ing fire and may compel service.
The fire break two rods wide around
the park was found last spring to be
of invaluable aid in fighting a fire.
On the occasion to which reference is
made the students of the Minnesota
Forest School rendered efficient ser
vice in putting out fire which at
one time threatened to devastate: the
northeastern section of thsApark.
Taught Hard Woods Growing
Wherever the ::latured timber has
been cut or burned it has been re-
placed by tangled growth of hard
woods. In some parts of the park,
notably in the northeastern section,
norway and white pine, spruce and
balsam have secured a firm foothold.
The forestry students have endeav-
ored to assist nature at several points
by planting small areas and have also
done a little transplanting work.
With the fire break now around the
park and the close supervision which
is given during the dry seasons it
should be possible to keep out the
fires, and should this be done a mag
nificent future growth is assured.
As a Game and Fish Preserve.
When the hunting season opens in
the fall deer within fifty miles Of
the park all make tracks for the spot
they have learned to regard as their
special haven. The regulations pro-
vide that loaded firearms must not be
carried into the park and this rule is
vigorously enforced.
No accurate estimate has been
made of the number of deer which
make the park their home. It is not
unusual to see two or three during
an afternoon stroll along the trails
or wagon roads, and in the evening
a fawn, buck or doe shaking its thirst
at the edge of lake is one of the
attractive sights of the place.
Beavers Skillful Engineers.
Of even greater interest than the
deer are the beavers and their works.
About nine years ago two pair of
beavers were bought and placed in
the park. It is estimated that there
are now about 200. They have built
large number of dams, one of which
is about 800 feet long, the pond COW
ering about five acres. Another, on
Nicollet or elk, is about $50 feet lone
and covers about three acres. Al
many of the good feeding grounds
around the park the beavers have
constructed houses Their abodes
bear mute evidence of the engineer
ing skill of these workers. Near
their homes some spots appear as
| LuOuSu SWdupcIS udu 0uUodfOEcu u
clear the way and bungled the job
At two points for nearly quarter Of
a mile all the bigtooth aspen and
some of the birch have been felled by
the beavers. That which reached the
ground was clear Of its limbs and the
bark stripped from the upper part Of
the trunk. The trees which lodge il
other trees are left untouched, al
the beaver apparently works on the
ground only. Some of the trees felle6
were about eighteen inches in diam
eter, one measuring ffty-five and {
half inches in circumference. Tree.
twelve to fifteen inches in diametel
were not unusual.
Other Wild Animals Numerous.
The patkAlso provides a home fol
a few black bear and an occasional
Il Continued on last page