The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-05-20


Capitol, in Denver, this Twelfth day
Of April, A. D. 1920.
(SEAL) GEORGE STEPHAN,
Lieutenant and Acting Governor.
Forest Protection Week
Next week, May 1923, has been
proclaimed Forest Protection Week
by the Governor of Colorado, and he
urges all citizens "to unite in thought
and action for the preservation of our
common heritage by preventing and
suppressing fires in our mountain for
ests." The observation of this week
originated in the state of Washing
ton, and the movement is rapidly
spreading through all the western
states The Colorado Mountain Club,
the Civic and Commercial Associa-
tion of Denver, and the Forest Ser
vice are cooperating in bringing
home to the citizens of Colorado the
Importance of protecting our forests.
Without trees, Colorado would be
rs desolate as the Sahara. Our noun
tains would be unattractive. Our
water suwply would fail and we would
have destructive spring floods Tim
'ber would be lacking for industrial
development. There would be no fish
and game. Countless other calamities
would follow, some of which wouldn't
matter-for Colorado would already
be dead!
That's how important trees are!
And now is the time, just on the edge
of the fishing and vacation season,
for this to sink in
The Gunnison National Forest con-
tains 500 million feet of standing
timber. This seems like q lot, but
there was as much again in the early
'8Os which has been destroyed by FIRE
These immense fires occurred before
the National Forests were created
and before the people learned care
with fire and the value of protecting
their own mountain forests. Even SO,
there have been l15 fires reported to
the local Superintedent's office in
the last ten years, many Of which
were caused by carelessness with
camp fires and matches.
In Montana and Idaho, last summer,
10000 acres of timber was de-
stroyed, and Uncle Sam spent two
million dollars for fire fighting alone.
Nearly one half Of these fires were
man caused, either through incendi-
arism or carlessness.
Wood seems SO common in our
every day life that we tend to forget
it's Importance. From the cradle to
the coffin, we are continually depend
ent upon the many products made
90 = To-
most important thing in our lives.
One half of the people of the world
live in wooden houses and over half
use wood for fuel.
Colorado's reputation as Vacation
land Supreme" her scenery, her fish
tng. her beautiful mountain roads and
camping sites-all these depend pri-
marily on her mountain forests. The
great numbers of fishermen, tourists
and campers who come to the Gunni-
son region, and our own Sunday and
vacation pleasures along our streams
and in the hills, would be few if the
remaining half of the timber on the
Gunnison Forest would go like the
first half has gone-by fire
The National Forests are the peo-
pies forests, and we should protect
them.
When you are in the woods, remem-
Der to:
"Put your camp fire OUT
Break your match before throwing
1t away" ., 49,
"A good woodsman builds q, camp
fire. not bon fire."
Don't be careless withyyapr fcig-
arctic or cigar or pipe ashes,wtGrinl
them into the earth with yourNheeli'
If you discover fireypnt~tt out. "
possible. If you canpet, get werdea
1t TO the nearest FerestoR oRspTerrerIto
the Forest SUPERVISOR as quickly as
you possibly cansoI al snoviavo bnG
= 9dt 70 nofJqnnusor edi
Monday-1 wanted pa to give me
permission also the-price to send Off
to cumpnyd& bet d Educated ;nnunky.
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