New Britain herald., 1926-11-18
Forestry Problems

Forestry Problems
 From the standpoint of land util- ization the forestry problem is the most important which New England
 has to face, in he opinion of Austin
 F. Hawes, Connecticut state forester,
 who suggested a forestry program
 for the New England council, which
 has been developed by the foresters
 of the six states represented. | Mir. Hawes explained the need Of a | forestry program and declared that ! forestry in it's relation to agriculture. industry and commerce was of vast importance. Contrasting Europe with New England. he said that ex- perience in Europe has shown that nation which has s of an acre per capita in well managed woods may be self-supporting as to timber products, and with 1.2 acres per capita may export such products. New England at present has 3.2 acres of woods per capita and even Connecticut has Il acres. yet south ern New England is already import ing so per cent of its lumber from distant regions.
 This condition was laid in part ito the unfortunate tendency on the part of many of our manufacturers to look askance at our homegrown timber"
 Taking up the forestry program in general, MT. Hawes said the basis of any forestry program must be the protection of the forests from fires. insects and disease. Forest fires in New England lay waste an average of .11O,0O0 acres yearly, while insects land disease have wrought ever great CT damage.
 Proposed Legislation
 Proposed Connecticut legislation to help remedy the present situation follows:
 (a) Provision should be made to acquire 100000 acres of state forests as rapidly as possible and place them under the management of trained district foresters.
 (b) More adequate fire protection should be furnished forest owners through the extension of the system of lookout stations; the parishes of modern fire fighting equipment in- cluding gasoline pump and truck units, and the organization of volun- teor companies of trained fire fight CTS.
 (c) Supervision Of local tree wardens by the state park, and for est commission.
 World war veterans and women, boys and girls of New England were mentioned by Mir. Hawes as some Of the agents in advancing the propos- ed program. The veterans were named because thousands of them returned to "mismanaged and fire scared hillsides bringing in their minds a picture of the beautiful and productive forests of France and Switzerland. This picture and the knowledge of what these forests meant to the allies in their hour of peril cannot fail 10 have an inn portant influence in speeding our program of timber production
 For twenty years the women of New England who are "always fore 1 front in any program requiring vis- | ion," have actively backed the for estry movement. he continued. while | the national organizations of the , young people such as the Boy Scouts and Camp Fire girls will have pro- found influence upon the attitude of mind of the next generation.
 Other organization which can aid in the general program arr fish and game clubs, business mems clubs. chambers of commerce, | Oranges and farm bureaus, and for l estry associations, he said.
 Section Is Prosperous
 Reports of the New England | council committee on vital New England problems show that New England is on the whole prosperous | absolutely and relatively" but not | "as prosperous as it can be made,' John S. Lawrence of Boston, the | president of the council, said in his | address.
 The next year, Mir. Lawrence be- licved that the council should make | efforts to break down artificial bar riers impeding the most economic | production and distribution of pow CT, standardization and better mark l eting of agricultural lroducts, re- forestration of areas unfit for agri- culture to meet the growing de- mands for and decreasing supply Of lumber, community interest in local industry, the elimination of every form of waste, just taxation. intel ligent marketing and research and especially the creation of a new at titude of mind towards ourself.
 The agricultural problem was dis cussed by Harry F. Lewis of Davis vile, R. l., chairman of the agricul- tural committee of the council, and Prof. H. w. Yount of the Massachu- setts Agricultural College.
 Mr. Lewis said the chief aim of his committee is to bring about the consideration of the agricultural problems of the northeast on a ! broad New England basis. Both the committee and the state commits sioners of agriculture who are CO., operating with the council are agreed that in this way can progress best be made toward improving the situation of the New EnglaTd farm or and increasing the production or foodstuffs in the New England area.
 The opportunity of New England nnultrr rnnn lies in the production