The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-03-09
s650,000 NEEDED
PROTECT FORESTS.
REPORT MADE BY INVESTIGATOR
j. A. MITCHELL STATES THIS
AMOUNT NEEDED TO PROTECT
MINNESOTA FORESTS.

To adequately protect Minnesota S
forest resources from fire will require
an annual expenditure of $650OOO &C
cording to report just issued by the
State Forest Service. The report in
question entitled, Forest Fires in
Minnesota" is the result of a study OF
ell of the Lake States Forest Expert
nient Staten of which DR.. Raphael
Zon is director.
According to the report in question,
from 1000 to 1900 fires occur annually
in Minnesota and in the neighborhood
of 100000 acres burn over. During the
past ten years the direct property loss
from forest fires has averaged over
three and half million dollars year.
Four hundred and thirty-two lives
have been sacrificed and incalculable
damage has been done to the soil, to
growing timber, to wild life and to
local business.
Area in Need of Protection.
OF Minnesota's 51,749, 100 acres, ap-
proximately 23,50O,O0O acres, or As per
cent, are today in need of organized
protection. There were originally. it
is estimated, about 38,400,000 acres OF
forest land in Minnesota stretching in
practically unbroken wilderness from
the prairieS of the west and south to
the Canadian line. To date this area
has been reduced little over one
third by settlement and cultivation
While logging and fire have reduced
MinneSotaS forest resources over 85
per cent, the state still has in the
neighoorhood of SOS, 100000 worth OF
merchantable timber and is growing
approximately $2,io0,000 worth OF
pulpwood and saw timber annually
Capitalized at per cent, the present
production value of this growing tim
Der Is over $95,000,0OO which places
the present total forests wealth of the
state in need of protection at $780,
100000.
With adequate protection not only
would the areas now idle to a large
extent become productive, but the
average yield per acre of culled over
and second-growth lands would in
crease at least SO per cent as exist
ing open stands become more fully
stocked and present annual fire losses
are reduced. Allowing for 10 per
sent reduction in the present forest
land area by settlement, conservative
estimate of the potential annual wood
production to be expected with ade-
quate protection is in the neighpor-
hood of 100000 cords or 3,5OO,UvJ
feet, board measure in perpetuity,
more than twice the amount now be-
ing produced.
Forest Fires Increasing.
During the past ten years the aver
age number of forest fires per year in
the state has increased over 100 per
cent. In spite of the increase in ..ie
of fires, the average area
burned over annually has been de- |
creased Is per cent and the side of the
average fire "a per cent by the efforts
Of the state and federal forest service |
and interested owners of private for
est land. The annual property loss,
however, still averages over a million |
dollars year.
Fires Largely Preventable.
The fire records of the past ten
years show that SO per cent of the /
forest fires that occur in Minnesota /
are men caused and, therefore, pre-
7entable. The chief offenders are rail-
'oads, those engaged in land clearing, |
campers and smokers. OF these, land /
clearing and railroad fires are de-
,reasing, while camper-smoker fires
ire increasing in relative importance
,ut in actual number, fires from all
;auses, numbering excepted, have in
'reaSed during the period in question.
Season of Greatest Danger. =.
While normally spring and fall are
he worst seasons for forest fires. Min
lesota also has distinct and oc-
asionally severe summer fire season
in August at the height of
he vacation season. In fact, the only
eason Of the year when there is no
LANCER from forest fires Is III winter,