The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-02-23
timber CODES
BEING Revised
Sustained Timber Yield and
Forest Conservation Being
Stressed by Officials.


Stressed by officials.
Woods practice rules designed to
assure forest conservation and sustained
timber production on lands in private
ownership in this region are being
revised now by the local committee, &C
cording to Regional Forester E. w.
Tinker.
Tentative rules submitted to the
recent Forest Conservation Conference
in Washington by the various regional
committees of the United States were
declared inadequate and returned for
revision. They did not meet the
Lumber Code requirements Of forest
conservation and sustained production,
and were mot susceptible of field in
spection," agreed the industrial and
public conferees.
"The demand for more specific rules
of practice is drastic, but indicative, I
believe, of an attitude of good faith and
determination by leaders in the lumber
industry to redeem the public re-
sponsibilities to which they are pledged
by their Code" F. A. Silcox, chief of
the forest service, said. II believe, and
I feel leaders in the lumber industry
recognize, that public opinion will no
longer tolerate the "cut-out-and-get-
out" policy Of forest exploitation which
for decades has taken no account Of
local or national public welfare"
That the Conference played no fav-
orites, Mr.. Silcox said, was indicated
by the fact that every set of rules sub
mitted-whether from Division whose
mills normally produce 10000, 900 600
feet of lumber per year, or one which
produce less than one-tenth that
amount received identical treatment.
All were returned with specific state
ments, prepared after detailed exam
nations, which indicate just where and
how each falls short of the Code re-
quirements.
Immediate revision and prompt re-
turn of all regional practice rules to the
Lumber Code Authority was specifically
provided for by Conference action.
After review and approval, the Code
authority is to issue them in the form
of individual bulletins for each re-
gional division or subdivision as defined
in the Lumber Code. The rules so
issued are to have such legal status as
will permit of adequate enforcement.
The broad forest practice require
ments adopted for operators under the
Lumber Code are:
l. To maintain sustained production
of forest resources by leaving all forest
land hereafter cut over in favorable
condition for regrowth of the forest.
2. To insure fire protection during
and Immediately following logging
operation by having crews readily avail
able to fight fire, prohibiting smoking
in the woods during periods of fire
danger, slash and snag disposal, and
equipment of logging locomotives and
engines with adequate devices to pre-
vent fires.
8. To cooperate with public agencies
in systematic protection against insects
and disease which menace the forest.
4. To preserve on logging areas the
reproduction and young trees below
merchantable size, which form the basis
of the future timber crop, by increased
care in telling, skidding, slash disposal
and other woods operations.
S. To insure regrowth after logging
by leaving on the cutting areas suffi-
cient number of trees of desirable
species to yield a commercial cut at
reasonable intervals.
6. To practice in logging operations
a system of partial cutting or "selective
logging" whereby trees that may be
cut profitably are removed from the
stand either individually or in groups,
and the young, fast-growing trees left
for future crop.
These general requirements were set
up as a guide for all regions of the
United States to follow in preparing
their specific rules for local practice"
said Mr.. Tinker. Rules, similar to
those now being prepared by private
operators, have been followed success
fully by the U. s. Forest Service ON
National Forest lands for nearly thirty
years, according to Mr.. Silcox.