Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-04-13
STATE FOREST RESERVATIONS
Vermont Now Has Twelve, Ag.
gregating 10000 Acres.
Secretary Of Forestry Association FIX
plains Work which Has Placed
Vermont in Vanguard Of Coun-
try's Forestry Movement.


Roderic NJ. Olzendam, secretary OF the
Vermont Forestry association in Wood
stock Elm Tree Monthly.
The preservation Of the forests which
we now have in Vermont Is a great and
pressing question at this time When
ever any individual can exercise any in
fiuence whatsoever towards saving the
timbered areas of our Green Mountains
from ruthless slaughter he should do so.
not only for himself but for those who
are coming in the years later on During
the past six years the people of Vermont
have become increasingly interested In
the work of the Forestry Association of
Vermont. This association was lnstru-
mental In bringing a State forester to
Vermont and in making the department
of forestry, comprising the State forester
and his assistants a permanent state de-
partment. BY cooperation with the For
estry association the State forester has
placed Vermont In the vanguard of the
forestry movement In the United States.
OF the objects OF the association none Is
more important to the citizens of the
State than the increase OF state holdings
OF forest lands in the several counties.
especially where necessary to protect wa
tersheds.
The policy of State forests has been
definitely adopted by Vermont through
the action of the Legislature of 1912 which
established an annual appropriation FOR
the purchase OF lands for forest purposes.
There are now 10 state forests aggregat-
ing 1000 acres situated In Underhil.
Stowe, Duxbury. Huntington. Plainfield.
Mendon. Sharon, Arlington. West Rut-
/ land, Cavendish, Townshend and Worces-
ter.
STATE FOREST PURPOSES.
The purposes Of the State forests as
summed up by the State forester in his
report for 1916 are five in number:
| /. To furnish local demonstrations to
increase the general practice of forestry
| 2 To furnish places for careful expert
mentation and study to secure informa-
ton which will be available for the gem
eral public.
An excellent illustration of the value
of reforestation is found in Lyndon. The
problem here Is to control the shifting
sands which are increasing very rapidly
menace to the town. There are othe:
towns In the State which face the same
or similar problems and the results OBJ
tanned at Lyndon will be of considerable
benefit to other localities. The state plan
tation. largely of white and Scotch pine.
made In the sand. has already convinced
many people that these rarieties will
thrive in barren wastes and check the
ha
are now about 70 acres of thrifty plant
ings from one to four years old. This
plantation. conveniently situated for OBJ
servation. being near the railroad and
the highway has already proved of large
educational value. In all of the other
, State forests demonstration experiments
. are being carried on and the forestry de-
partment is making them OF the great
est use to the people OF the localities in
which they are situated An increased In
terest in reforestation has been evident in
all the towns surrounding these demon
stration paintings.
} 8. To grow lumber, especially Of the
larger sizes, and wood which will even
, tually be valuable to local industries.
4. To derive an income for the State
: from land which would otherwise be OF
, little value.
S. To protect the local water supply
and improve the scenery
The purchase of $3.50 acres in Smuggler's
Notch and on Mt. Mansfield by the State
has given Vermont the second largest
State forest in New England. New Hamp-
shire leading with 5000 acres in the Craw
ford Notch. This purchase in Smuggler''
Notch and on the mountain was brought
, about largely through the activity OF
members of the Forestry association who
interested the Governor and the State
forester.
The State Of New Hampshire, ii is said
paid $4,000 for the Crawford Notch tract
while the Mansfield Smuggler's Notch
/ forest cost the State of Vermont abou
sl3jO0. 1t is to be noted. however, tina
in the New Hampshire case the merchant
, able timber was included in the purchase
, while funds were not available for the
Vermont forestry department to purchas,
, all the standing timber
This purchase will prove of great value
In future years. Considerable timber vii
be lett standing. due to the restriction!
, on cutting agreed to by the grantors. anc
within n few years this forest will begir
to return revenue to the State. Lumber
? and wood will be sold at the prevailing
market price by the State whenever cut
ting seems advisable
, Under certain circumstances deserving
, persons will be allowed to remove dea,
wood and other material under the rule
Of tho department Of forestry. This prac
, tice Is very common IN Germany and 4
, done in such n way az to improve tn
Q standing timber, A similar policy will
be followed in the State forests of Yer
n mont The value of such a forest to al
, the surrounding towns can hardly b
n overestimated.
!. NO MENACE IN STATE OWNERSHIP
State ownership does not mean less bust
0 ness for the local lumbermen; on the con
U trary. II means more and steadier EN-
l ployment. The people of the nearby 10
n calities will naturally be the ones VIII
) viii profit financially, because they will d.
J the cutting, hauling and saving, as wei
as the woodworking, just as before, onl
n the work will be done under the super
" vision OF the State thus insuring employ
ment not only for the lumberman. but 70
I his sons and grandsons. In many OF tn
: mountain towns of Vermont NUMBERING
and It's attendant woodworking industrie
" furnish tho inhabitants with their sol
) occupation in winter, They depend en-
y tirely upon work in the woods and in tn
i mills for their livelihood. Remove thi
md 20 LAW