The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-05
Let's Go Hunting
5 MORE FOREST
CAMPS OPENED
IN STATE TODAY
24 CenterS Will Be 0CCu'
pied With Conservation
of Lands.
BY LEFTY LEE
Times Hunting Editor

The nineteen civilian conservation
CORPS camps have been working con-
sistently along conservation lines
for six months. Five more camps
are authorized for the second
period. All are to be occupied TO-
dav. Of the twenty-four camps
which will be in operation twelve
will be working on state forests and
state game preserves, and twelve
will be conducting soil erosion pre-
serves.
Indiana is in a fortunate position
to take advantage of this important
program because the forests and
game preserves are comparatively
new and undeveloped. The state
forests have increased from $500
acres in 1926 to $4,000 in 1888.
During this period funds available
have been used to establish three
state nurseries with an inventory OF
10000 1000 trees, to establish forest
fire protection over 100000 acres
of state and private timber lands
and wastelands, and each dollar
which could be devoted to state
forests has been used chiefly for
buying land.
Accomplishments Listed
Roads. trails administrative build
ings and recreational facilities are
being developed now with the
camps. A report of the work &C
complished by all Of the camps for
the last two months includes the
completion of the following prof.
ects. in addition to a large amount
of work devoted to incompleted
projects:
Five miles of fire breaks were
constructed, fire hazards were re-
moved from 227 acres, seven miles
of roadside were cleared, forty miles
of truck trails were cleared, nine
and one-half miles of truck trails
were constructed, 450 acres were
improved according to scientific for
est practice, three miles of exist
ing highway we're maintained
During the same two months
three headquarters buildings, five
toolhouses and three office build
ings were constructed. Nursery
work, chiefly in growing black 10
Gust trees for reforestation eroded
lands, received 1900 man days OF
work. Insect and pest control for
forest trees was carried out on $50
acres of state and private lands.
Seventy-flve miles of boundary line
were surveyed and marked, two
bridges were completed, four acres
we're cleared for public camp
grounds. one and one-fourth miles
of stream were improved, two res
ervoirs were constructed covering
eight acres, for fish, birds and for
est water supply Fifty-six miles
of trails were mapped and $4,000
board feet of timber was sawed to
provide lumber for state forest and
game preserve buildings. This IS
an impressive total for two months.
Check Dams Built
An estimate was made, support
ed by field research Investigations,
to show that southern Indiana has
lost enough top soil to cover a
county the size of Fountain county
twenty inches deep. This is ter
rife soil loss for the first century
of land utilization
The soil erosion camps are build
ing check dams for gullies Of logs,
brush and stone to hold back the
soil until reforestation on these
lands completely will revegetate the
area and afford permanent soil
cover. It is planned to plant 25,-
100000 trees next spring, Black
locust is a useful tree to the farm
er as it provides a good cover for
game, and because its fruit is SIM
liar to a bean pod with several
edible seeds, it makes a good food
tree for birds and small game.
Under the new public works en-
ployment plan projects have been
submitted for approval to use 5000
more men in the state forests and
game preserves, and 5000 more men
on soil erosion work. If these prof.
ects are approved, as there is good
evidence that they will be, this large
force Of men materially will sup
plement and increase the splendid
work being accomplished by the
forest and erosion camps. The fish
and game, park and forestry divi-
sions are cooperating closely in ev-
cry manner to develop the lands
under the supervision of the de-
partment of conservation for for
estry. recreation and fish and game
purposes in order to best serve the
public.
In use in an English city is a
motorcycle with a Sidecar which