The Coconino sun., 1924-06-13
ARIZONA'S FORESTS MEAN
MUCH TO STATES FUTURE


That the national forests of Arizona
are a great asset to the state anc
that in the future they must be large.
! ly depended upon for local lumber
supply was the statement made by
District Forester F. G. w. Pooler Oh
the United States forest service, ir
urging the observance of Forest Pro.
lection week.
Without protection of the forests
against fire." said Mr.. Pooler, "there
can be no future production of tim.
ber and without a local timber sup
ply, Arizona would lose much of hen
prosperity. That is why the forest
service has for many years insisted
upon care with fires in the forests. y
The average annual cut of lumber
in Arizona for the period of 1911
1915 was 76 million board feet. Since
that time the average has increased
to approximately 80 million feet
Lumbering is one of Arizona's impor-
tant industries from the point of view
of men employed, value Of its product
and the money which it places in cir
culation. More important than this,
however, is the value of local sup
ply of lumber for local use. Ac-
cording to a lumber market study
made by the forest service in 1914,
the annual consumption of lumber
was 246 million feet.
Arizona has promise of considerable
further increase in population and in
dustry. 1t is not unlikely that with
in the next twenty years its annual
needs will increase to 500 million feet
of lumber. The cost of securing lum-
ber from outside sources even now is
high. The freight charges alone to
Phoenix from Louisiana, in the south
ern pine region, is approximately $35
per thousand feet, and from Oregon
is $40.
In a few years the southern pine
region will cease to be an exporting
region. California and the Pacific
Northwest will be the last great res
ervoirs of timber left in the United
States for countrywide supply. The
competition of other localities will
tend to advance the price and the
cost of shipped-in supplies for Ari-
zona will increase accordingly.
A study made in 1920 indicated
that under reasonably conservative
forestry practice sustained supply of
$50 million feet or little more might
be secured from Arizona forests an
nually. By forestry practice is meant
something beyond the type of cutting,
fire protection, etc., which is being
practiced on private lands, and beyond
what, in all probability, the private
owner can afford when it is considered
that, largely because of climate con-
ditions, it requires from 120 to $50
years to grow timber here.
The value of forests in Arizona is to
the community rather than as source
of profit to the Individual owner.
Under such conditions public owner
ship and administration seem neces-
sary to insure conservative methods
of cutting and adequate protection.
Because of the large percentage
owned, however, the national forests
are in a strategic position for main
tanning sustained cut, and this is
assured by the underlying principles
of forest service administration. The
annual cut from the national forests
for the past few years has averaged
one-half Of the total state cut. This
proportion, however, will rapidly in
crease as the private timber is cut out.
Watershed protection has long been
recognized as one of the major func-
tions of forests. This is of special
importance in a semi-arid region Like
the southwest. Forest cover tends to
stabilize the flow of streams and re-
duce the amount of silt carried, which
is such a big problem in connection
with irrigation works. The main
tainance of a forest cover depends
upon conservative methods of cutting
and grazing and effective fire protec-
tion such as can be afforded by a
public agency handling the forests on
a long time basis, and is accomplished
by the national forest system of ad-
The importance of the
Tonto, Crook and Apache forests is
peculiarly great in this connection
since these include a very large part
of the headwaters of the Salt River,
upon which agriculture around Phoe-
nix is dependent for irrigation water.
One of the principal industries in
the state is stock raising. The indus
try is dependent for all or part Of the
year upon range feed. The national
forest contains some 101a million
acres of the best range in the state,
and the system of handling these
ranges allows not only for the equities
of thousands of stockmen, but ad-
ministers the grazing on conservat-
i've basis which will properly conserve
the range beyond anything that can
be looked for on open ranges.
While serving these major functions
the national forests at the same time
provide ideal recreation resources.
Summer home and other permits are
provided for at nominal sums. The
forest service cooperates in game pro-
lection. 1t has opened up millions OF
acres to the public by roads and trail
construction. 1t is estimated that IN
1928, $4,000 people visited the nat
ional forests Of Arizona for recrea-
tional purposes.
In lieu of taxes, the national forests
pay to the counties Within which they
- roaoivNtc q