, 1921-05-26
FOREST OFFICE NOTES

There seems to be an erroneous
impression abroad that Forest Pro-
lection is confined to the National
forests and that Forest Protection
week, May 1928, is applicable only
to the National Forests. AZ a mat
ter Of fact but two-fifths of the
timbered areas OF the United States
are included within the National
Forests. In Wyoming large areas
OF forested lands are located out
side the National Forest boundaries.
This outside land is practically in
private ownership, partly state land
and partly government land. For
instance in Laramie, Albany. Platte
and Carbon counties there are large
forested areas not included in the
National forests on the Laramie
mountains. In Albany and Carbon
Counties, skirting the Medicine Bow
and Hayden National forests there
are extensively timbered areas such
as Sheep. Jelm. Deer and Elk Noun
tains. The National forests have,
under the jurisdiction Of the Forest
Service organized protection and by
securing cooperation OF the people
not only Is the protection accomp-
lished at lesser expense to the tax
payer but the cause OF fires and the
necessity for protection is. to a large
extent, eliminated. On the forested
areas outside OF the national forests
there Is no organized protection and,
therefore. there exists a greater ned
for the exercise OF care and judg-
ment by the average citizen.
Furthermore Forest Protection is
not by any means confined to fire
prevention and suppression. During
the past year attention has been in
vited several times by public spirit
ed citizens to the unauthorized and
wanton destruction and cutting of
trees along the Lincoln Highway
through the Laramie mountains be-
tween Cheyenne and Laramie. The
cuttings have been principally to Sc
cure Christmas trees and following
the line OF least resistance the cut
ting has been done adjacent to the
Highway, whereas, al the expense of
very little effort trees may be Sc
cured from locations sufficiently dis
tant from the highway so that the
scenic feature will not be destroy
ed. The value OF trees along a high
way from the scenic standpoint is so
well recognized that in certain To-
calities movements are afoot to plant
trees bordering highways. 1t is,
therefore. little short of criminal to
destroy natural scenic beauty where
we have It in such locations. Much
Of such scenic destruction Is done
thoughtlessly and by persons who do
not have a realization of the dis
tinct economic value to the commun-
ity. Through publicity. it is appar-
ent, a realization can be brought
home to such persons and 1t is safe
to say that this is all that is nee
essary for the average citizen.
In addition to care with fire there
Is the sanitary question, which in
cludes an exercise Of care so that
streams will not be polluted. and
the policing OF camping sites so that
subsequent campers will not face an
n%ninvfting aspect Of rubbish. dirt
and filth left by some one else. The
civic organizations lave begun to
lend attention to these matters and
the recently organized Albany Sports
mems Club has included excellent in
structions to its entire membership.
The need for fire prevention and
protection for the Laramie mount
aims has been emphasized during the
last decade many times through the
, occurance of forest fires. The most
recent one of which. there is rec
ord occurred in 1918 near Owen and
not far from Wheatland. This fire
covered an area sever miles long by
three miles wide and extraordinary
efforts were necessary to prevent
it from sweeping away ranches and
settlements. The assertion is ventur.
ed that it will require very little
propaganda to bring a realization
OF the importance OF Forest Protect.
ion week. to areas outside Of the
National forests to those citizens OF
the Wheatland neighborhood, who
at the expense of much time. energy
land money fought this fire,
Statistics show that 81 per cent Of
forest fires are p~reventable and much
OF this prevention can be accomplish.
ed by the average citizen when he
travels in the forested areas.