The Mena weekly star., 1921-05-19
NATIONS FOREST
 AND CIVILIZATION
(Continued From Page Onel

Der for all time; to protect the for ested watersheds from which flow streams supplying cities and farms with water; to keep green and beau tiful the forest-covered lands which serve as playgrounds for the Nation, and to bring before the American people the serious and unhappy eff 1 fleets of the present unnecessary waste by forest fires, to the end that thru their individual and collective eff forts the forest resources Of our country may be saved from destruc- tion.
 Every good citizen should know what forests mean to his country, to his state and to his very home; and that every fire that burns in the for est is a detriment to the progress of civilization. Every boy and girl should have instilled in their minds the untold damage that may result from carelessness with fire in the woods. In destroying the forests we are not only damaging the present, but we are literally burning up the future.
 The need of adequate provisions for the safeguarding and renewal of our forests is of vital importance to the nation. The total loss from forest fires for the five year period ending with 1920 was more than $85, ,000,0 ,000 The magnitude of the area burned over during this period, which totals 56 ,48S, 900 acres is startling; it repre- sents an area greater than that oc- cupied by the New England states to- gether with the forested area of the state of New York Of the 100000 fires that occurred, over 50 per cent were due to human agencies and could have been prevented by care and vigilance on the part of citizens. In detecting and suppressing forest 1 fires the Forest Service of the De- partment of Agricultural spends over one million dollars each year and states and private individuals one and half million dollars.
 The virgin forest area of the Unit ed States proper is estimated to have been in the neighborhood of S22 mill lion acres but our forests have now shrunk to little more than one-half of their original area. An area equiv alent to the combined forest of France, Switzerland, Germany, Den- mark, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Portugal has been so severely cut and burned as to become unproductive waste. We have in this country to- day 300 million acres that no longer bear useful timber, but which should be growing trees to help our waning timber supply. Why is it not produc- ing timber? Because of fire which
 burns over it year after year and in
 time makes the land, which once sup
 ported magnificent forests, barren
 and desolate waste
 The fire problem is one which le.
 quires concerted action by the ed.
 cTal and State governments and calls
 for the whole-hearted cooperation of
 all citizens who have an abiding i'm
 terest in their country's welfare To- day "A states are cooperating with the United States Forest Service in
 the protection of timber lands out. side the National Forests against de
 yastation by fire
 There are IA states, however, with
 total of over 100,000,000 acres oi timbered lands. which to date have
 taken little or no action in forest fire 7 prevention matters, and it is certainly lregrettable that our own great state Of Arkansas, with her large forestec area and with millions of feet oi , timber destroyed by fire annually falls within this number Few states i If any, are richer in natural resources l than Arkansas, but with ever in- ereasing demand for her forest pro. ducts, her timber resources will soon be depleted unless some action is
 taken to bring about replacement of
 timber supply. Not only has Arkan-
 sas been blessed with magnificent
 forests but she is also blessed with
 ideal conditions for natural restor- ation Nature has dealt lavishly with
 Arkansas in bestowing great wealth
 of natural resources but prodigalitv, indifference and improvidence will
 surely soon destroy the gifts of na-
 ture in regard to timber resources.
 Is there remedy for this needless
 and almost criminal destruction of
 timber and other natural resources ? 1 YES-it may all be summed up in the T pertinent phrase, HELP PROTECT THE FORESTS-BE CAREFUL 1 WITH FIRE"
 | FOREST PROTECTION WEEK.
 to be observed May 22-28, is a great
 movement to which the public must
 lend its hest efforts and wf1oieheart-
 ed cooperation, if it is to be carried
 to a successful finish
 l WILL YOU HELP and thereby
 help your nation, your state. vour family and yourself?
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