The Coconino sun., 1924-01-11
FOREST OFFICIALS MEET TO
CONSIDER RESEARCH WORK

The district investigative committee
of the u. S. forest service was called
together Thursday by District Fores-
ter F. C. w. Pooler to learn of the
forest research work accomplished in
Arizona and New Mexico during the
past year and to plan scientlflc
forestry work to be undertaken
during the coming year.
The committee which is composed
of District Forester Pooler and his
five assistants in Albuquerque, Super
visor E. G. Miller of Flagstaff
Arizona, Supervisor E. w. Loveridge
Of Taos, New Mexico, Mr.. G. A.
Pearson of the Fort Valley experiment
station near Flagstaff, Arizona,
Director E. w. Nelson Of the Jonada
range reserve near Las Cruces, New
Mexico, Director M. ]. Culley of the
Santa Rita range reserve south OF
Tucson, Arizona and DR.. w. H. Long
of the bureau of plant industry,
Albuquerque, meets annually to out
line the program of scientific investi-
cations in order that the work to be
undertaken may be of the greatest
value in the practice of forestry on the
Southwestern national forests.
In addition to the Committee, the
meetings are being attended by
Logging Engineer r. w. Hayes of the
Indian service which controls large
bodies of timber in the southwest upon
which forestry is being practiced.
Mr. r. E. Marsh in charge of forest
management for the southwestern
district opened the meeting by expl-
aiming briefly the importent problems
that confront the national forest ad-
ministration. Mr.. Marsh stated that
it was of utmost Importance more
knowledge be secured as to the best
method of handling the timber resour-
ces of the southwest in order that
there will not be timber shortage in
the. near future. He said that while
methods of regenerating these stands
were pretty well defined already,
much research remained to be done
in order to grow the largest amount
of timber in the shortest time
"At the present time about 200
million board feet of timber are being
cut each year in the southwest"
continued Mr.. Marsh. Somewhat less
than one-half of this is cut from the
national forests where about two
thirds of the timber now stands.
Within a few years the percentage
of cut from national forests will
greatly increase, and within three or
four years it is estimated that the cut
of the two states will reach 300
million feet. On sustained annual
Weld basis it is estimated that
southwestern forests can supply annu-
ally $50 million feet of timber. Be-
cause of the expected early increase
in cut it is essential that the best
possible forestry be practised on the
national forests and in order to do
this, large amount of research work
is still necessary"
In reviewing the problems of the
national forests, Mr., Marsh said that
it is of utmost Importance to get
forests growing on some of the open
lands and on the large burned over
areas in northern New Mexico and
elsewhere. These areas are now pro-
ducing very little timber of value and
methods must be found to reforest
them. Other problems to be solved
are the proper control of erosion and
insect infestations while grazing man
agement still presents many PROPOSE
tions to be worked out.
Following Mr.. Marsh's brief re-
marks, the committee reviewed the
accomplishments of the Fort Valley
station as reported by Director Pear
son. His work in forest planting and
his forest management research were
gone into and plans are being made
to continue these projects. Plans for
grazing and other studies are to be
made while the committee is in ses-
sion and complete program of re-
search work will be drawn up in such
a manner as to make the national for
est resources of the greatest value.
The committees work will be fin
ished by Saturday evening after which
the program of work for 1924 will be
submitted to the forester in Washing
ton for approval.