The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-03-24
fine PROGRAM PREPARED FOR
SUPERIOR FOREST IMPROVEMENT
Supervisor Leslie Bean Has prepared Very Comprehensive
Forestry Program and if Carried Out VIII Be of Vast
Benefit to Productivity and Recreation

j
the forestry program as outlined by
President Roosevelt. The presidents
decision in the matter was anticipated
and IN view OF his recommendations. the
probabilities are that the Superior Ma
tional Forest viii become a beneficiary
under the plans 10 a large extent.
Supervisor Leslie Bean Of the forest
has just completed program Of i'm
mense possibilities for the forest and
has worked il out 70 the last detail.
The whipping into shape has entailed
large amount Of work by the super
visor, the rangers and assistants in
making surveys and in securing al OF
the data needed 10 formulate the plan
and put il into comprehensive state.
Surveys have been made OF each sec
ton in the forest and data has been
arranged 70 show Just what Is 70 be
done on each forty; the NUMBER OF men
and the number Of man-days OF labor
for each individual project has been
very carefully figured
Supervisor Beans plan calls for ex-
tensive thinning out projects Of second
growth timber; the brushing out OF
other areas IN order to give the young
timber chance TO develop; the cutting
out Of diseased, nsect-infested and
mature timber; the preparation of other
areas for planting; tree planting; the
sowing Of spruce seeds in swamps
suited for the growth Of this species OF
timber; the clearing out Of fire hazards:
the building Of fire trails and cleaning
up Of portages; insect and rodent con-
troll; rlbies control; game surveys and
census; fish propagation; aerial map
ings; marking timber for cutting and
other projects too numerous to mention.
The plans show that there are about
$4,000 acres that need thinning:
$4,000 acres that need brushing and
clearing; 152. 900 acres that need i'm
provement IN the way Of taking out
dead, insect infected and mature timber.
There are more than $4,000 acres
that need planting and of which only
about 8, 900 acres are in condition for
planting at this time with the big
balance needing expert preparation be-
fore planting could be done with any
degree Of satisfaction. There is also a
need for more adequate fire protection
by building trails and clearing portages.
The forest contains some very bad
fire hazard areas An especial bad
area is the strip fourteen miles wide and
twenty-one miles long occasioned by the
heavy wind Of last July which laid
waste this vast acreage The state also
has such fire hazard TO care for on
state lands.
In the plan as prepared by Supervisor
Bean the recreational advantages have
been recognized and different areas have
been set aside for these purposes There
are several areas set aside for strictly
wilderness purposes in which no auto
roads VIII be allowed but in which
portages viii be improved, suitable
campSites cleared and kept IN con-
dition for tourists and others. Other
areas have been set apart for summer
homes the sites for which can be leased
from the government at a nominal
rental
Then there are the So-called timer
cutting units or working circles through
which it is hoped to maintain a per-
petual yield of timber for wood working
industries and which VIII eventually
locate near these circles to be IN the
immediate vicinity of a supply Of raw
material for their industries.
The immediate employment OF 5000
men at full time for a period of three
years IS called for in the plan. The
planting program is scheduled for over
a period of twenty-five years which
would require the planting Of about
$1,000 acres a year in the forest. The
program would call for $4,000 man
days OF labor in the Superior alone.
This plan has been worked out in
such detail so as 70 divide the forest
into ten ranger districts. each district
being subdivided into ten smaller dis
tricts or camps with one hundred such
camps and 100 men to be employed at
each camp. The actual location of the
base Of operation IN each camp has
been decided on Three forestry gradu-
ates VIII be in charge at each camp with
foreman, straw bosses, cooks, ETC. The
personnel Of each camp has already
been figured and the plan has been
worked UP TO such point that work
could be started on a moments notice
Supervisor Bean has worked out the
entire program with the idea in mind
of putting the forest into the highest
state of productivity and at the same
time enhancing and improving the
oHv
Roosevelt's unemployment relief pro-
gram includes considerable work by the
forestry department and this plan VIII
be put before him with the hope that It
VIII meet with his entire approval
Governor Olson, it Is said, IS IN accord
with similar plan for unemployment
relief work on state lands