The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-11
RlEpLAcINGI ALABAMA.s TIMBER

suiLer. ane qucseivn 40 vOAvre enS eAssne"o
of Birmingham. ssss@
REPLACING ALABAMA's TIMBER
The exhaustion Of the timber supply has
already become serious matter for the
American people. 1t is as serious for the
people In those states which still produce
enough timber for their -own use and for
export as it is for; the people who must buy
lumber imported from other states. Because
of the necessity of Transporting lumber
throughout the country, there is a heavy
freight cost which. has been added to the cost
of building homes, and this additional cost
has affected upward the prices Of lumber
everywhere, even in the localities that pro-
duce lumber. Our annual freight bill on
lumber, according to the national bureau Of
forestry, is now two hundred and fifty mil
lion dollars year, and is still mounting.
Nobody knows how much more is added to
the price because of the increased number
of hands through which lumber now passes
before it reaches the ultimate purchaser. Much
of this cost could be prevented by the simple
process of forest conservation and reforesta-
ton, which would besides pay a good profit
to those who engaged in it.
TIE subject Of our vanishing timber has
become live one in the state of Alabama,
where, at the present rate of consumption,
the. timber will disappear within the lives
Of those who have already reached maturity.
Those who now live and are actively en-
gasedsin their affairs viii participate in the
economic injury that win result from a con-
tinuation of the present policy of inattentiOn
towards our forest resources. Fortunately,
public attention is being urgently directed
to the public necessity for protecting the for
ests Of Alabama and encouraging regrowth.
One of the chief agencies through which this
shall be accomplished will be by effective
measures of fire prevention. There is never
at any time any good and sufficient reason
for burning off timber lands, or for setting
fires in timber. The states first duty is alb
solutely to prohibit by law the setting of
running fires in timber for any purpose. In
regions where the timber is thus guarded
the setting of fires is locally regarded as one
Of the worst possible offenses. 1t should be
SO regarded everywhere.
| II is estimated that Alabama has about
thirty-three mjni6K acres of timber land,
that is, land on which timber is now growing
or which is not needed or suitable for other
purposes. Under the present laxity with re.
spect to timber protection, and in the face
of the fire menace, the average increase Of
timber per acre is from two to three hundred
board feet per year. With proper forestry
methods and protection this would at once
increase to a growth of more than five hun
dred board feet per acre per year. Fifteen
million acres put under forestry methods
would yield an annual return Of more than
thirty-seven million dollars worth Of timber
each year. Is Alabama so rich that abe
can afford to throw away a wealth like that
because of Inefficient administration of her
affairs?
1t is proposed by the state forestry depart
for fire prevention, there be created a sys-
tenn of auxiliary forests privately owned,
but administered in cooperation with and
under the supervision of the state forester.
These auxiliary forests are established by a
contract entered into between the state and
the individual for a period Of five years or
more, but which may be terminated at the
option of the individual after five years. The
lands designated in the contracts shall be
subjected to no use (which will initiate
against the growth of timber, and the
owner must use reasonable diligence to pro.
tect timber on such lands from fires" All
cutting Of timber, turpentining and the like
shall be under the direction of the state for
ester and in accordance with regulations de-
signed to protect the forest from unnecessary
injury.
As inducement to land owners to enter
such forestry contracts, in addition to the
annual timber increase of more than two
dollars per acre, it is stipulated that there
shall be no tax on the forest area aside from
the land tax. The timber shall not be taxed
during its period Of growth. When any tim
Der is to be removed from the land, the state
forestry commission will appraise its value
and assess a tax Of ten per cent By this
means, not only will there be halt on the
depletion of Alabama forests, but the increase
will Overtake the cutting, and instead of
logging off our forests four times as fast as
they are reproduced, we shall be growing our
timber several times as fast as it is now be-
ing cut. This is one subject in which every
man who builds home is interested, for it
promises an eventual economy to everybody
whether they own homes or pay rent; for
even rent IL fixed on the basis of building
costs t&3
THE LOGICAL CANDIDATE
The Alabama Public Service Commission,