The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-04-21
History of American Forest
Week April 24-3O This Year


The idea of devoting seven days in
the year to forestry education orig
mated on the Pacific coast in 1920
President Harding in 1921 issued the
first proclamation which brought the
Federal Government behind the idea.
President Coolidge in turn gave the
plan his sanction; and the presidential
proclamations have been issued for
seven successive years.
Out of the multifarious "weeks"
this is the only one to which the Gov
eminent has given recognition and
support. Many governors have like
wise issued special proclamations. At
first the week was called Forest
Protection Week." but the breadth of
the forest problem led President
Coolidge in 1925 to enlarge the scope
of the undertaking and change the
name to American Forest Week. In
1926 the authorities of the United
States and Canada, in view of the in
ternal aspect of the forestry prob
lem, jointly agreed that the week
should be celebrated concurrently in
the two countries. In Canada the
week is known as "Save the Forests
Week." but it's observance is essen
TALLY of the same character as in the
United States. This joint observance
by the two countries is continued in
1927.
What It Is.
American Forest Week is an annual
call to all citizens, young and old, to
take part in bringing about better
forest conditions. The American For
est Week Committee, of which Hon.
Frank O. Lowden, of Illinois, is gen.
eral chairman, is composed of nearly
100 organizations representing almost
every conceivable form of interest
the Federal Government, State Gov
ernments, outdoor, wild life, and
recreational interests, foresters and
forestry associations, the lumber in
dustry, large consumersr of forest
products, labor, groups interested in
water resources, scientific and civic
organizations and host of others.
American Forest Week is all inclu-
sive, for its purpose is to give oppor-
tunity for every form of interest in
trees and forests to find expression,
each in its own way. The end it aims
at is that the general welfare may be
promoted through the taking of COM
mon counsel, the formation of intel
ligent public opinion, and the stimu-
lating of action, individual and collec-
tive, under the impulse thus given.
American Forest Week is not a tool
for advancing the views or serving
the purpose of any special group or
itself with the particular measure or
facts and to promote discussion from
every angle. 1t has no goal other
than that which a rightly informed
public opinion may itself set up and
seek. 1t is strictly and wholly educa-
tional in plan and purpose.
How To Avoid Causing A Forest Fire.
1t is not difficult for anyone to be
careful with fire while in wooded
areas. Here are few simple rules
which if observed will go far toward
reducing the appalling number of
man-caused forest fires reported every
year.
l. Matches-Be sure your match is
out. Break it in two before YOU
throw it away.
2. Tobacco-Be sure that pipe ashes
and cigar or cigarette stubs are dead
before throwing them away. Never
throw them into brush, leaves, or
needles.
3. Making camp-Before building
fire scrape away all infammable
material from a spot 5 feet in diam
eter. Dig hole in the center and in
1t build your camp fire. Keep your
fire small. Never build it against
trees or logs, or near brush.
a. Breaking camp-Never break
camp until your fire is out-dead out.
5. Brush burning-Never burn
trash or brush in windy weather or
while there is the slightest danger
that the fire will get away.
6. How to put out camp fire
Stir the Goals while soaking them with
water. Turn small sticks and drench
both sides. Wet the ground around
the fire. If you can't get the water
stir in dirt and tread it down until it
is packed tight over and around the
fire. Be sure the last spark is dead.