The New York herald., 1922-06-18
REPLACING FORESTS
TASK OF ENGINEERS
Great Planting and Conserva-
tiOn Program Started by
American Council.

Engineers and scientists are united in
a reforestation program 20 insure
future timber supply. conservs the soil.
retard floods and prevent excessive
erosion endangering the country's power
development.
In this movement. through the Ameri-
can Engineering Council of the Federated
American Engineering Societies, the aid
of Federal and state forestry services.
universities, railroads. farmers organi-
cations. Including corn clubs; engineer
/ ing bodies, the moving picture industry
and the Boy Scouts will be sought. Ex-
| perence of European nations will be
| drawn.
A forestry committee headed by
/ Charles r. MacDowell of Chicago has
| been appointed to take active charge of
! the movement under the general direc-
! ton of the president of the council,
/ Mortimer F.. Cooley, dean of the college
of engineering of the University OF
/ Michigan and past president of the
American Society of Mechanical Engi-
neers The committee is investigating
/ forestry conditions in all the States and
has received reports with recommended
tions of the State forestry officials for
measures of relief in reforestation.
/ The recommendations Of the State
I foresters center on fire prevention. de-
velopment of nurseries. roadside tree
planting, the supplying of proper stock
for State and private reforestation, en-
couraging private reforestation through
elimination of excessive taxes, new
planting on public lands not suitable for
tllage, whether Federal or State owned F:
support of certain forestry bills now in
Congress and the announcement of re-
forcstation by cooperation between Fed
eral and State authorities.
Reforestation by replanting was the
recommendation of the committee from
New York state. Calvert Townley of
New York, first vice-president of the
American Engineering Council, sug-
eested Government restrictions regard
ing cutting of forests. He cited the cX-
perience of the Delaware and Hudson
Railroad. which by replanting some of
it's properties in New York was raising
timber for it's own ties.
In Maine and Massachusetts, fire pro-
lection was said to be the need Michi-
gan's needs were thus summarized
protection of existing forests from
fires: cutting existing forests in such
way as to insure their producing II
second crop; planting to forests Idle
lands not for ordinary agricultur Il
uses"
Want Better Nursing Policy.
The North Carolina report sold :
state forest fire laws should be
strenthened to include protective meas
ures by railroads. lumbermen and other
parties responsible for setting fires
largely increased State appropriation for
forest fire prevention State policy for
| Rae1r~ md G tT1
tion forests; State nursery policy for
supplying trees for forest and roadside
planting; increased funds for education
and publicity in forestry increased Fed.
eral appropriation for cooperation with
States in forest fire prevention. pur-
chase of lands for national forests. and
coop grafton with States in forest inVes-
LEGATIONS and wood using problems"
The American Engineering Council is
obtaining exact data on the extent of
che nations forest land. Reports from
state foresters show the following fig
ures California. 13.500.000 acres
Georgia, 10000 000 Idaho. 10000 900
Indiana, 1.540,000 Iowa. 100000 :
Kansas. 1,051 800: Maine. $4,000. 900 ;
Maryland 222s. 900; Massachusetts.
/ 900. Oo0: Michigan, 15,000,000; Mime
sofa 26.0oO.000 Missouri. 10000 900;
! New York, 12.OOO,0 900 North Carolina,
|
1S,775,000; Washington, 11,S00,000.
, Gland Can Bc Reclaimed"
Chief McCrory Of the Department OF
Agriculture in a special report said:
"In the past. as nation, we have nos
given much thought to securing the con-
tlnuation of timber supply. Al the pres
ent time there is a very large area OF
cut over timber lands in che United
states The exact area Of this land Is
uncertain, but Is constantly increasing
% timber on the land Is harvested. II
- obviously impossible that this land
can IL .medlately be brought under cul-
tivation. even II that should be desir-
able
''rhe public should be impressed with
the fact that the timber supply forty to
= hundred years from now depends very
largely upon what is permitted TO grow
upon these lands. IL maximum amount
OF tncrchantable timber is TO he grown
upon these lands it is essential that
fires be kept out and that they he pro-
tected from stock while In younger
stages
Prom another standpoint IL Is desir-
able that timber be maintained In the
Appalachian area for preventing ero-
sion The rivers of this area are one OF
the most important sources Of power IN
the United States and IL their water
sheds are 60 be divested of timber ero-
sion will bc very rapid