Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1932-04-28
PROTECT RESOURCES
TO KEEP UP SUPPLY
(By Conservation DEPARTMENT.

waters are the renewable or controll-
able natural resources. With proper
plans for administration and utiliza-
ton the citizens of the state could
have forever the opportunity OF using
and benefiting from the products
which can be secured. The stock OF
trees, of game and fish, water and
the fertility of the land which would
be present under natural conditions
may be likened to a capital invest
ment of money. The annual increase
or growth may be likened to the in
terest on an investment of money. Ev-
eryone knows that if the capital is
diminished or destroyed there can be
no interest or annual increase.
The proper administration, then,
must protect and preserve the capital
stock and only the annual increase
or growth taken. In stand of trees
the annual growth can easily be fig
ured and it is only this amount which
should be cut. 1t is a little more diff
ficult to arrive at figure which could
be used as the annual increase for
game and fish, but by trial and eX-
perience it can be done. Artificial
restocking or planting by man is an
additional aid to nature to keep the
supply large enough for the demand
of the annual hunting and fishing.
Conservation means not only the
protection of the resources we have
and the restoration of what has been
unnecessarily destroyed. but also the
greatest use of all natural resources
for the greatest number of people.
The forests are fundamental in the
production of game and fish and in
the regulation and control of our
water supplies. The growth of trees
on land helps to store a part Of the
rains that fall and the SHOWS that
melt, preventing a rapid run-off. In
this way floods are prevented or re-
duced. During the dryer months Of
the summer and fall the water which
has been stored in the ground is grad
ually released to repleniSh the
streams and lakes to keep them at the
production of fish can be easily seen,
as there must be water of constant
levels. clean and cool. free from pol
luton. Each species of game bird
and animal must have the right food
shelter, protection and such, called
habitat or home. Without either food
or protection no game can survive.
The state has set aside from time
to time considerable acreage of
state owned land as state forests.
There are fourteen state forests with
an area of 1.030.190 acres. The pres
ent plan is TO have state forest
within two hours drive of all points
in the northern part of the state.
Where there is no state owned land
il will be necessary to purchase pri-
vately owned lands for this purpose.
In most of the present state forests
certain areas have been improved and
are being used as public camp
grounds. Numerous tracts of state
owned lake shore have been subdi-
vided into summer homesites of such
size as to adequately serve the great
est number of people. These sites are
leased to the public at the nominal
rate of SO per year. In some of the
forests. certain areas have been set
aside as game refugees and public
chiching and ST. Louis counties three
public shooting grounds have a total
area of 225,0O0, and there are 100
game refugees of 100000 acres set
aside in agreement with the owners
OF private land.
Twenty of our state parks have a
total area of about 1000 acres. These
parks are distributed throughout the
state. The largest parks are in the
northern half, but the greatest num-
Der is located in the more settled
southern half of the state
All public owned lands set aside
for these purposes are to be admin
istered to secure the conservation of
natural resources. This calls for pro-
lection against destructive enemies,
management to insure constant sup
ply and regulation for utilization. OF
the enemies, the forest fire is the
most common, and the most destruc-
tive, because it not only destroys for
the present but delays the restoration
for some time in the future. Fires
are $3.50 man caused and therefore,
with care, can be prevented. The
fire which burns over forested area,
q lOwland or peat swamp not only
destroys the trees and the crop of
reproduction which would make the
forest of tomorrow, but it is Destroy
ing the home of game at the same
time. The fires which burn forests
are slowly but surely destroying the
streams and lakes because of the
loss of water storage, the increase of
evaporation and the introduction of
erosion which damages the water
areas.
The average number of fires Der
year up to 1923 was 1928, 100000 acres
burned over, and loss of about $780,
900. In 1881, due to the extreme dry
ness of the forest area and the drouth
of ten or twelve years, there were
277S fires They burned over 900 =