The Republican journal., 1915-01-28
FOREST CONSERVATION,
What Maine Has Done and Is Doing For
the Protection OfForests and Forest Con-

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the Protection OfForests and Forest Con-
servation.
The State of Maine was one of the first
to show an active interest in the protec-
ton of forests and forest conservation.
Many years before the work was so gen.
eral, Maine had established an organized
, system of forest fire protection; had in
vestigated the Mt. Katahdin region as
forest reserve; and had established
courses of instruction in forestry for the
training of professional foresters at the
State University. This State also
organized one of the earliest of the
State forestry associations, which &C.
complished much during the period of it's
! activity. 1t seemed that for the time
| being all that could be expected had been
accomplished, and consequently active
| interest in the affairs of the association
began to diminish, and today many other
States with far less forest area, have
i larger and more active associations.
The general welfare of the whole State
is 50 intimately connected with the well
fare of the forest, that it is of the great
est Importance that the forest policy be
wise and practical one.
The following offices and institutions
have already been organized to direct
and control the forestry work:
The office of the Forest Commissioner
was added to that of the State Land
Agent, and he was given charge of all
forestry matters and particularly of the
administration of the funds raised by
the special tax on the timber land own
ers, for the protection of forests from
fire. This fund is levied upon the own
ers Of cumberland in unorganized town.
ships, and is not contributed to by the
general taxpayer in any way.
There is also the work of Public Instruc-
ton in Forestry for which the Legislat-
ure makes but inadequate appropria-
tons. Through this department. the
work of instruction in forestry is carried
on, not only at the State University, but
also at the Normal Schools and colleges
throughout the State, and by means of
a summer camp course. This latter
course is conducted free of all tuition,
and offers chiefly practical work in fores-
try methods in the field for those who |
cannot afford the time or the money to
take a more extensive course of instruc-
ton.
There is also State Forest Nursery,
where seedlings are being grown for dis
tribution at cost to prospective planters
of forest land in the State. Through |
this nursery owners may avail them
selves of native grown, healthy stock for
planting waste lands at minimum cost.
The area and character of the so-called |
"wild lands' which are included in the
Maine Forestry District are fairly we'll
known, but little is known of the charac-
ter and extent of the farmers wood-lots
in the State. A State forest survey,
classifying all lands as to their greatest
productive value, whether they are best
suited for agriculture or for forestry, and
what the present stand on these areas
is, would be of tremendous value to the
farmer as well as to the forester.
The planting of trees in cities and
towns, as we'll as along the new high
ways now being constructed by the
State, is another problem worthy of seri-
GUS consideration by the Association.
1t is hoped that all of the citizens will
see fit to support this movement, and
will offer whatever help they can towards
stimulating an interest in the work and
making it Of real and practical value.