The diamond drill., 1920-03-06

Mr.. Thomas Conlin.
Editor The Diamond Drill.
CRYSTAL Falls Michigan

Mr.. G. r. Lawrence sent me copy
or his letter In regard 10 our forestry
problem which appeared in the Drill
OK Feb II and suggested that some in
formation concerning the matter be
secured had just received and read
the very interesting report OF the COM
mittee for the application of Forestry
OF the Society OF American Foresters
of which Clifford Pinchot Is Chairman.
IL sets forth in a clear. understandable
way not only the danger we are fac
ing, but also a remedy Tor the evil in
the present forest situation. l then
wrote the Michigan Public Domain
Commission for Information and re-
ceived their Biennial Report for 19l61
1918
This report brings out several Inn
portant facts. % There seems 20 be
no sane policy Of forestry practised In
the state except In the state owned
forests and In very small way a
mong private holdings. CD There
are only 145.035 acres OF state forests
being improved by the Commission,
and a total OF only $4,000 acres OF
Forest Reserves in the whole state un-
der the control OF the Commission
This Is less than half the area OF Iron
county and IL must be remembered
that a considerable percent OF this
area is not wooded at all. (3) No
forestry work has been done outside OF
the state forests, except In the selling
OF Seeding trees for reforestation.
From the above IL can be seen that
the only way in which the reforesta-
Of 10 a.. 10 uV.fn
ture can be effected at present Is by
the direct cooperation OF the owners
OF the land, the county, and the state.
The Domain Commission will not take
II upon itself to reforest these private
lands. The county cannot undertake
the task alone. Neither will the in
dividual owners be likely 10 purchase
the seedlings, reforest, and take
chances on their investment unless
they are assured OF adequate fire pro-
lection The problem Is a complicated
one.
Clifford Pinchot, in his letter accom-
panying the report previously men
toned, says, "100.000,00 acres OF for
est land have been devastated and
made non productive. Four-hfths OF
our remaining timber is privately
owned and 81 per cent OF our annual
timber cut comes from private forests.
IL is precisely these private timber
lands that are being devastated and
that is the devastation we must stop.
We propose TO stop II, moreover, with
out locking up our resources"
The public should be awakened to
the real seriousness OF the situation.
We are fast feeling the pinch OF tim
Der shortage There ia not an ade-
quate supply of pulp wood for paper,
and lumber OF all sorts Is hard TO get,
with a resulting high scale ofprices.
III this is the situation now, what will
II be 80 or 40 years from now, unless
we take immediate action TO remedy
the trouble? Forty years may seem
like a long time. but when you consid-
er that Il takes on an average or 90 10
100 years to produce fair sized saw
log. we see the problem In another
light. There are 20 states that import
more lumber than is cut from their
own forests. Experts estimate that
we are now using up our saw timber
three times as fast as II Is grown
Such a condition cannot last long. IL
Is mn TO the American Public 10 see
that steps are speedily taken that Will
insure steady supply of timber we
so much need for our national liie'
avs must be passed that will encour-
are good systems of forestry on the
part Of private owners, and that VIII
forbid devastation. The national and
state governments would greatly IN
crease their acreages OF forest pre-
serves. Statewide system OF adequate
fire protection must be provided TO
safeguard the investments In growing
trees made by the state and the indi-
yidual. These are some OF the main
points 10 be considered.
II is encouraging to find that condi-
tions In our own county are causing US
10 ask ourselves how this devastation
can be stopped. and how the idle lands
can be made TO do their part or the
proyiding for adequate timber supplies
for the future. AS conditions are now
the priyate owner does not think II 10
his advantage TO reforest. He holds
the greater part OF the lands In ques-
ton. so the problem seems TO be 10
make Il advantageous for him TO 90 so.
m should be the interest OF everyone
10 help in this work.
~ Very sincerely yours.