The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-12-11
SECTION IN M'HENRY
COUNTY May Be SET
AS NATIONAL FOREST
University and School Lands
Board Already Has Be-
gun Negotiations

ting aside of about 100000 acres as a
national forest in Mcdenry county
are under way between the state board
of university and school lands and
the Lake State forest experiment sta
ton, located in st. Paul.
Methods by which this land can be
acquired were outlined in a letter
sent by Raphael Zon, director of the
experiment station, to w. E. Byerly,
secretary of the board Of university
and school lands, and state land COM
missioner.
Mr.. Byerly said his department and
the governor are in accord with the
proposal and are supporting it fully.
The proposal embraces the setting
aside as a national forest purchase
unit of some 10 or IL townships In
McHenry county, to include therein
about 100, 900 acres of hilly land more
suitable for timber growing than for
hay-production, pasturing, or Guilt
vation.
Such lands, said MI. Zon, as were
deemed suitable for CORRESPONDING
purposes within the boundaries would
be acquired by the government in
the following ways:
Cd BY exchange with the state for
government lands elsewhere in North
Dakota.
ca BY purchase from the county
of tax-delinquent lands.
90 BY purchase from private indi-
viduals Of abandoned farms or the
hilly portions of partially used farms.
No Legislation Required
1.-THE establishment Of such q forest
unit" Mr. Zon said in his letter to
MI. Byerly, would require no special
legislation by congress, as 1t can be
done by executive order.
1T might require some legislation
by the state to make possible the
state exchange or the county sale Of
lands. The federal legislation required
to carry out the plan would be an
amendment to the present %appropria-
ton act for national forest purchases
calling for a fund Of, say, 100000 fol
purchases in North Dakota. To obtain
such an amendment and increase In
federal expenditures, especially Al
this time. would, of course, require q
whole hearted interest on the part o.
the people of North Daokta.
If this plan were to be carried out
it would be the intention Of the forest
service to proceed with the acquisition
of the lands slowly and methodically
not attempting to round out the area
until sufficient time had elapsed tt
indicate the feasibility Of the forest
planting. In other words, we shoule
intend to proceed Immediately with
planting experiments, gradually en-
larging the scale of the experiment!
as success was attained, and eventu'
ally stepping from an experimental
basis to of extensive planting
which would insure covering the en-
tire government-owned n will
trees in a reasonable period of years
Time Is Important
You will see, of course, that ther'
is just the same need to carry OF
the planting experiments and investi
cations which this station has IL
mind, and which Senator Nye's bill II
the last congress provided for, whethe
such q national forest unit is declares
, and established at once, or whethe
the administrative act looking towar'
a large forest is taken after a perio,
of years. Since time is an importan
element in any such experiment
however, we r very anxious to max
some start on planting next spring, /
we can possibly obtain suitable stool
and If we find that we have an
moneys which al be spared for thi
new activity.
IN attempting to map out the are
which might be suitable for tree
planting. and to obtain the othe
necessary information for u repor
to Washington, we are handicappe
by the fact that Bates &C. G.. Bates Z
the Lakes station, who examined Ian
, in McHenry county, did not have an
!. . such large program in mind an
; therefore did not attempt definitel
; to learn the limits Of the sand-hi
J area, but rather to obtain an impre.
sion of its general physical charae
: ter. I am sure that there Is M or
who is more intimately acquainte
Z with the entire area than are you. an
I should like to ask you for some hel
5 in this matter"
Mr.. Zon inquired about the are
under consideration, and an outliI
e is being submitted by Mr. Byerly.