The Winslow mail., 1925-08-04
NATURE PLANTS
OWN TREES IF
GIVEN CHANCE

Nature sows tree seeds enough
for successive heavy timber crops
and needs little or no help from
artificial tree planters if not dis
turbed by fires, overgrazing or de-
structive logging, declares District
Forester F. c. w. POoler, of Albu-
querque, in comment on the idea
that is being spread abroad by GER
tain writer's and speakers to the
effect that reproduction of south
western forests can be obtained
only by setting out trees.
Planting trees for the purpose of
re-establishing forest conditions in
the southwest, Mr.. Pooler asserts,
is not now economically feasible
on big scale even if it were gen
orally practicable, for the reason
that, based on present market
prices, the cost of planting exceeds
the worth of the resultant forest
products. In addition, forest tree
planting in Arizona and New Mex
leo has been found not practicable
in other than the Saw-timber type
because southwestern climatic con-
ditions are distinctly against the
survival of artificially grown seed
lings except in the high country,
and there nature will do her own
planting if given chance.
Reforestation in replacement of
harvested tree crops can be, for
the most part. readily and econom-
ically accomplished through nat
ural reseeding, provided forest
fires. overgrazing by live stock,
and destructive logging methods
are prevented. This is done in the
southwestern national forests by
giving careful protection. to the
immature, fast growing young trees
and seedlings that are established
at the time the mature trees are
harvested and by leaving three or
four goOd-siZed, healthy seed trees
to each acre to seed up the open
spots after the ripe trees have been
removed
There are few areas, it is true,
Mr.. Pooler points out, which are
the result of old burns or early
NACuA cuttings anu ouOoC4uSuI LII cd
which probably will not naturally
reseed; at least. not for a great
many years, because there are no
seed trees left to do the seeding.
Some of these areas are on national
forests, but most of them are not
1t is likely that, if these areas be-
come reforeSted. they will have to
be planted. They can not be plant
ed. however desirable such plant
ing might be. until such time as
congress provides funds, for the
expense and planting in the south
west is not yet regarded as justi-
fable, except in certain limited re-
giOns, on account of the cost to the
public.
Within the national forests of
New Mexico there are more than
100000 acres of land in the saw
timber type. Not more than 240,-
900 acres of that great area will
fail to reseed naturally. In Ari-
zona, with a Saw-timber area in ex-
cess of 100000 acres, only about
10000 acres will fail to re-estab-
lish if afforded proper and ade-
quate protection for a period of
years. The combined area of the
two states that calls for artificial
planting constitutes approximately
AZ per cent of the total saw-timber
type.
1t should be apparent to the pub
lie mind when the facts are known,
Mr.. POoler believes, that an area
which is less than 5 per cent of the
total 100000 acres of saw-timber
land, even though it will not re-
forest itself, does not present a
problem that is seriously interfer-
ing with the aggregate production
of humber and other forest prod
ucts in the southwest. Especially
is this true when it is remembered
that much of such land is in mac
cessible regions and could not be
logged If it had the best of saw
timber on 1t.
The forest service, according to
the district forester. is ready to do
extensive planting in the national