Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1927-12-16
STATE FORESTRY DEPT.
TO ASSIST WOODLAND
OWNERS

The State of Delaware has ap-
proximately 100000 acres of wood
land requiring the assistance of the
Forestry Department. One of the
chief aims of the Delaware State
Forestry Department is to bring
back to maximum prOductiveness
all the forest lands of the State. 1t
will further aim to bring about the
conversion of the thousands of
acres of waste and barren lands in
the Atlantic Coastal Plain to pro-
ductive acres by encouraging the
growth of trees.
Waste lands are a criterion of UNI
prOductiveness for both the individ-
ual and the State. They are a liza
bility to the property owner and
produce no revenue to the State.
OF the land now comprising the
sandy beaches, low shifting dunes,
and back of them level stretches of
middle beach and swampy areas
found on the inland, seventy-tiye
per cent is capable of supporting
tree growth. Steps should be taken
to hold the shifting sands with
beach grass and plant the suitable
areas with young trees. Trees thus
planted would soon be large enough
to afford protection to the area and
thus increase land values and add to
the general prosperity of the State.
1t is the general opinion of Della
ware people, acquainted with this
land, that such an afforestation pro-
ject is impossible. However, the
State of Michigan, under similar
conditions have been very success
full in retaining sand dunes with
Jack Pine. Again, the largest ar
tificially established forest in the
world, consisting of some 10000
acres and known as the Maritime
Pine Forest, is in the Landes Reg
ion of France. 1t was established
on just such land as lies on the
eastern coast of Delaware. Although
it may be difficult to establish a
forest here, nevertheless, it can be
done and is an entirely feasible pro-
position to undertake.
1t is by direct cooperation with
the owners of woodlands and waste
lands that the work will progress.
To this end, it is the purpose of the
State Forestry Department to give
the land owners the scientific
knowledge necessary to the solu-
ton of the problem involved. The
problem which is the guiding prin-
ciple of the service, to be rendered
involves a continuous production OF
trees in forest lands.
Since practically the entire wood
land and waste land acreage in the
State is privately owned, the extent
of assistance given is dependent on
% the number of requests received
for such aid; and (2) the funds
available for the work. The assist
ance given is divided into two class
es % Advice on procedure involved
in improving and maintaining wood
lands in a productive condition; and
(2) marking and estimating timber
for the owners. In the second case
the forester must spend a great
deal of time estimating the harvest,
marking which trees are to be
removed and which are to be re-
tanned for the purpose of providing
future forest.
This work of assisting woodland
owners is of benefit not only to the
individual by introducing better
forest management on his land, but
will render a much greater service
as object lessons to the community
and State at large. Each project of
this kind will constitute a concrete
example of what the State Forestry
Department service is and what it is
willing to do in order to establish
sound forestry practice.