Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-08-15
Natural Resources
Depicting Rapidly
Report of Wisconsin Conservation
Commission Covers Activities for
the Year 1928 and 1924.

our natural resources.
The Conservation Commission of
Wisconsin thus opens its biennial re-
port for 1923 and 1924.
The report says there is increasing
demand for the services Of the COM
mission:
Every county is DESTROYS of a
game warden, which is justified by
the constantly increasing number Of
hunters and fishermen who thrOng
the countryside during the open sea,
son. Throngs Of nonresident fisher
men crowd the lakes and streams
during vacation time and there IS
pressing need for a larger propaga-
ton and planting Of fish.
1.-THE larger use of state parks and
the increasing hazard of forest fires,
all taken together, seem to justify
the budget request for additional
money to carry on the work and the
receipts of the department apparent
ly warrant this without laying any
tax upon the people of the state"
Under the report Of the depart.
ment of fisheries the commission
says:
During the last few years there
has been a very noticeable increase
in the interest taken in the rearing
Of muskellunge. This has been slim
ulated by what have appeared to be
the gradual decreasing numbers or
this valuable species and in the fu-
ture the commission win ledOuble its
efforts to increase the output of this
important fish for the waters of the
state The time is AT hand and the
demand of interested citizens is such
that our lakes and streams must he
supplied with a greater quantity of
/ fish if we are to maintain our posi-
ton as a splendid fishing region
The commission recognizes a pub
ic interest in forestry 1t says:
"Analyze it any way you please,
/ the fact remains that the recent CON
! stitutional amendment on forestry
was approved by the substantial ma.
/ jority of 1929 votes This is In,
dicative more than anything else of
the mind of the people of the state
on this subject.
Forestry Economic Problem
/ What can be done to restore the
forests of the state? This is almost
entirely an economic question. The
methods Of forest removal of the
past, and in large measure those Of
the present, have developed and ara
in existence because, everything else
considered, they are the only possible
ones that could survive the economic
condition Of the times
at seems to be a rule that when
ever a people come in contact with
great and abundant natural re-
source that they take of that re.
source in a liberal and wasteful man
ner and let the future take care of
itself. In reality, therefore, in at
tempting to solve the forest problem
we are seeking TO change the estah-
lished methods Of operation and of
business procedure in this particular
field that have been in effect in our
state for almost a century When
ever the people of the state really
want this done, it will be done, and
the sooner we can bring this condi-
ton of affairs about the better and
less expensive it will be for all Of us
UNLESS young trees are protected
we can have no future forests. This
is obvious. Adequate fire protection
means decided expansion of the
activities now directed by the state
through this commission. Five spe-
cial fire districts are organized. each
comprising about 100000 acres.
Three others are authorized. There
is still great deal of work to be
done to perfect the organizations and
to properly equip each district"
Would Make Growths Tax EXEMPT
The commission favors blocking up
state-owned lands, calling them
parks" and having them used as
forest parks II also favors using
school and educational trust fund
lands as game refugees in the north
ern counties. 1t also advocates the
acquisition by the state of virgin for
est tracts along the highways be
fore this opportunity forever van,
ishes as the timber is cut"
A separate land and timber tax
IS advocated, to encourage private
owners to grow trees. The commits
sion advises that growing timber
should be exempt from taxation until
1t reaches merchantable size" that
forest land should be assessed At
its actual productive capacity" and
that "a forest land contract. subject
TO the approval of the county board.
should be entered into between the
state and an individual or concern
for period of SO years. whereby
the owner IS guaranteed a fixed value
on forest land for taxation purposes
and public assistance in the protee,
ton of such land from fire durine
the life Of the contract
The owner, in return for such
contract. would be required Ia grow
forests and protect them and il INN.
init to a severance tax at the time
of cutting.
Encourages State Parks
State parks are discussed at+an-
ton being called to the continually