The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-11-15
Committee TALKS
OF FOREST POLICY
PROMINENT IDAHO MEN MEET IN
BOISE TO DISCUSS FORESTRY
LEGISLATION.

The formulation of an adequate
forest policy for Idaho was the object
OF preliminary meeting of COM
mittee on forest legislation, held at
Boise, November 10 and IL, according
to Dean F. G. Miller of the University
of Idaho school of forestry, chairman
of the committee.
The other members of the committee
are: Lyle Waffle, of Mccall, repre-
senting forest service district No. A.;
I. HI. Nash, Boise, state land COM
missioner; Ben E. Bush, Moscow, as
sistant state land commissioner; w.
D. Humiston, Potlatch, assistant gen.
eral manager of the Potlatch Lumber
Company; c.. L. Billings, Coeur
d'Alene, land agent; Edward Rutledge
Timber Company; H. G. Shellworth,
land agent, Boise-Payette Lumber
company; W. G. Swendsen, Boise,
state commissioner of reclamation;
Hugh Sproat, Boise, president, Idaho
Woolgrowers association; George A.
Day, Oakley, president Idaho Cattle
and Horse Growers association c.
K. McHarg, Coeur d'Alene, represent
ing forest service district No. l. Sen
ator M. e. Lewis, Moscow, represent
ing small timber owners; Miles Can
non, Boise, state commissioner of
agriculture; John D. Robertson, Boise,
state tax expert; and R. e. Shepherd,
Jerome, formerly president of the Ida
ho irrigation congress.
District Forester Present.
Mr.. Humiston was represented at
the meeting by G. S. Chapman, of
Portland, forester to the Western
Forestry and Conservation associa-
! ,os,
ing were r. Fl. Rutledge, Ogden, dis
trict forester, and George N Carter
Boise, of the state reclamation ser
vice. &ssiW
The committee found the present
forest law inadequate and out Of date,
and realized that a greatly enlarged
forestry program must be adopted if
the industries now dependent upon the
forests are to survive said Dean
Miller.
1T was pointed out at the meet
ing that 40 per cent. of the land area
of the state is classified as forest
land that numbering is one of the
basic industries of the state, and that
if this vast forest area is rightly
handled the lumber industry in its
present magnitude can be made per-
manent. But it was also realized that
to secure forest renewal must be
adopted.
Important Questions Discussed.
"There is abundant proof that the
forests practically throughout the
state will re-establish themselves
readily following logging operations
if brush disposal is properly taken
care of and fires are kept out of the
young stands. i
ssThe question of the relation OF
forestry to water conservation and
the range aroused the keenest OF IN
terest, in particular on the part OF
those members of the committee con-
nected with irrigation farming. 1t
was stated that water is the very life
Of agriculture in all southern ldaho
and that the watersheds must be kept
in forest cover for the conservation
Or irrigation waters.
cit was particularly cautioned that
these watersheds must not be over
since the grasses and under
brush also serve to hold back the
water supply and prevent erosion
Forest insect depreciation was an
other question to receive lengthy con-
sideration, and owing to the serious
ness of this problem, it was felt that
it should not be left longer without
remedial legislation"