The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1921-05-19
PROTECTION
WEEK
Movement to Protect Forests
From Red Plague of Fire
beginning May %.

[ quench.'
Have you ever stopped to think no
this nation would fare if there wer
: no forests-no wood to supply tn
, thousand and one necessities Of dc
mestic life.
: The American public. blessed wit
an inheritance of vast natural re
sources, has always been prodigal O
its wealth The presence Of ricl
soil, copiOus water supply, and min
erals and timber In abundance, ha.
yesulted in an attitude Of indifference,
TO the possibility Of their exhaustion
There is always = day Of reckoning
however, and this is particularly tru.
IN regard to our timber resources.
Three-ffths OF the original timber
supply in the United States is gone
There is now consumed annually more
than 81 million board feet Of material
of sawtimber size, and nearly 5 bill
hon feet is destroyed by fire, insects,
etc Our depleted forests are grow
ing less than one-quarter Of this to-
tai amount. Not only are the re-
naming virgin forests being cut heav-
lily, but we are using up the second
growth and small material on. which
depends our future supply. In all,
the requirements of our population
are close to 300 board feet per capita
The answer to the forest problem is
not to use less wood, but to grow
more-to put our idle acres 10 work
producing trees. The crux of the
problem hes in preventing forest
fires
To this end q great movement to
preserve our forests is now on foot,
prDclAimed ~ tAe President rs For
est Protection Week, May 22-28. Its
purpose is to insure 4 plentiful sup
ply Of timber for all time; to protect
the forests and watersheds from
which flow streams supplying cities
and farms with water; TO keep green
and beautiful the forest covered lands
which serve as Fairgrounds for the
nation, and to bring before the Amer
lean people the serious and unhappy.
effects of the present unnecessary
waste by forest fires, TO the end that
through their individual and collective
Efforts the forest resources of our
may be saved from destrue- (
ion.
Every good citizen should know
What forests mean to his country, to
lis state, and to his very home; and
hat every fire that burns in the for
st is detriment to the progress of
civilization. Every boy and girl
hould have instiIled in their minds
he untold damage that may result
rom carelessness with fire in the
voods. In destroying the forest we
re no only damaging the present,
ut are literally burning up the fu-
ure.
The preservation of forests is not /;
new ideA-even the children of Is ,
ael of Bible times knew much on this /.
ubject. A study of the books of the ,
Id Testament reveals some interest
lg statements relative to forestry. :
'aiah may be considered from a con- :,
arvative standpoint as the Roose- .
Ut of the Holy Land Joel knew
uch about the forests and was !,
Of watershed protection as =
ell as the inventor, in sense, of :,
e phrase prevent forest fires" :
zekiel was not only a woodsrnan and .e
| artist, bat knew much of the lum- :,
r business, both domestic and for :.
gn. Some wonderful descriptions /
forest fires are also found in the
d Testament, probably the best be- :.
2 given by Joel. =,
The need of adequate provisions II
r the safeguarding and renewal of h,
r forests is of vital Importance TO ca
: nation The total loss from for n,
fires for the five years ending ar
tn 1890 was $S5 5,0e0, 900. The ed
lgnitude Of the area burned over to
ring this period, which totaled So an
5000 acres, is startling; it repre- es
It's an area greater than thAt occu- of
d by the New England states to- $,
her with AL the forested area Of pr
state Of New York. OF the 160.-
fires that occurred, over so per
t were due to human agencies and
Id have been prevented by care nir
vigilance on the part of citizens lov
addition to the destruction of pr,
wing timber and settlers homes, va
Of life was sometimes heavy, as va
the great Minnesota FIRE Of 1918, thr
.rein nearly a thousand persons car