The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-06-22
drive out all but the most hardy
visitors.
Selective Use.

visitors.
Selective Use.
Agriculture has first claim on land
best suited for farming; commercial
forestry has first claim on land better
suited for forest than farm. Park con-
ditionS, by common consent, take pre-
cedence over the commercial forestry in
considerable areas, especially lake
fringes and along the boundary waters. |
Production comes first in the COM
mercial forest with free play to re-
creation, though in certain areas re-
creation comes first and the salvage of
timber is incidental. But in the I'M
tanned wilderness there is no salvage, |
hardly any beholding of scenery and
precious little chance for recreation.
Parks have their place in the Arrow
head detectives; the locations to be
chosen carefully with reference to the
best use of the land in each case and
the parks must be tended.
Industry.
The logical industrial development OF
northern Minnesota is based on forest
products, farm products and mines.
The reforestation policy of the Arrow
head association contemplates the per-
ennial yield of perpetual stand OF
timber covering probably half the or
iginal forest area. Public forests, pri-
Vate forests and farm woodlots will
supply the raw materials for the manu-
features which will determine the econ
omic destiny of one-third of the state.
Pulpwood and its manufactures have
already passed the manufacture OF saw
timber in importance, and, in the new
chemistry of wood using industries, will
rapidly outstrip sawed lumber.
During the transition stage, existing
timber reserves in private ownership
will bridge over the period until the new
forest policies come into bearing.
To remove from production at this
time more than 100000 acres of these
timber reserves would seriously handi-
cap the development of these indus
tries. ......
The interruption of supplies of raw
materials for a term of years might
compel these industries to abandon the
field, as the old fashioned lumberman
has quit already, and the new industry
then, without a going concern to pro-
coed from, would have to be built from
the ground up.
In this development, while private
forests and farm woodlots are ex-
pected to be the main factor, the Ma
tional Forests are the key to any
present program and the existing timber
reserves are the bridge from the old to
the new.
This proposition to abolish the Ma
tional Forest and take from production
all adjacent timber lands is startling
check to the industrial development of
one-third the state including the entire
Arrowhead country.
Agriculture.
Farm huSbandry in the cutover
country includes the woodlot. The farm
woodlot, according to experience in
other countries, viii hereafter furnish
the main supply Of raw materials.
During the transition stage, the sue
cess of this policy is dependent on the
backlog of the National Forest and the
present timber reserves, to keep the
industries going while woodlot pro-
duction is developing.
Iron Ore.
Within the Superior National Forest
are extensive deposits of iron ore, not
now merchantable but of unquestionable
utility in the future. Still other ex-
tensive deposits are in the area proposed
to be annexed to the park.
To take this land out of economic
production would seriously hamper If
not foi6 the development of the po-
tential resource.
Summary.
The Save the Forest" Committee
proposed to create a national park
which would include practically all Of
Lake and Cook counties and all north
of Vermilion lake in st. Louis county,
and to forbid any logging or timber
operations in all that territory covering
more than 100000 acres.
The theory is that in park the
virgin forest would be preserved, but
that If timber operations are permitted
the entire region will be devastated.
This plan would devote to recreation
large areas which would be inaccessible
to any but expert tourists, while it
would neglect other large areas which
by all tests are naturally suited to-
recreation and no other purposes, for
example on the boundary waters.
If this proposal were carried out it
would undo all that we have aimed for
in our reforestation policy.
1t would knock the props from the
financial UNDERMINING of Lake and
Cook counties.
1t would handicap if not demolish the
program of industrial and agricultural
development we have set before us.