The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-03-11
Explains Work Of State
Forest Experiment Station

the Montana legislature passes the
pending bill creating a state forest and
conservation experiment station, Mon
tana's stockmen, farmers and the state
in general will reap many benefits One
quarter Of Montana's land surface-be- :,
tween twenty and twenty-five million
acres of land-has its highest economic
value in the production of forest crops; |
The proposed experiment station would |
study the question of how Montana |
may fully capitalize on its forest soils
and forest stand as an aid to agricul-
ture, live stock pasturage and the
rapidly increasing recreational m
dustry.
The experiment station would be un-
der the direction of the school of for
estrv at Montana State university.
Montanas forest resources can have
an immediate cash value to the people
Of the state and with proper study and
development can be made to bring into
the state a continually increasing reve-
nue.. forestry school heads believe. That
cash value would be derived through
livestock pasturage, fish and game stock
and recreational utilities.
Added to these direct benefits are the
indirect values of development of the
forests after study of their potentiall-
ties by the experiment station The
conservation of moisture for irrigation,
the prevention OF soil erosion. the stab
ilization of water flow, and with 1t,
flood prevention.
To attain these detectives, both di-
rect and indirect, 1T is necessary that
careful studies be made that our for
est soils may be put to their highest
economic use-the use that will produce
the greatest good to the greatest num-
Der of people in the community and
state forest school officials believe.
The states production Of lumber and
other forest products varies from 2o0,-
100000 to 100000, 600 feet each year, the
actual amount cut changing with mar
ket conditions. Forestry is the source
of livelihood of possibly $500 wage
earners when the mills are in full OPP
Grafton.
by careful study and investigation.
we may be able, upon the creation oil
an experiment station, to develop usis
and markets for our woods and mill
wastes forestry heads believe. These
wastes now amount to 40 to 80 per
cent of the gross volume of the tree.
With our present knowledge, this
waste is unavoidable We may be able
to discover uses and markets for our
inferior species Eventually we will
have stabilized pulp and paper IN
dustry in the state We have the tim
Der and the power.
I'VE may be able. to secure informa-
ton to allow our forest products e
enter into an easier competition witt
The output of other forest regions, Il
increase the per acre productions, t
complete an inventory of our fores
crop: to decide what use shall be made
of our cuf-over lands--whether they
will continue to be used as forest land
or turned over to agricultural pur'
poses"
Forestry school officials think tina
central and eastern Montana farm
need forest windbreaks and shelte
belts to reduce wind velocity and witt
II soil moisture evaporation, to collec
and retain drifting snow as an addition
al source of soil moisture, and to max
homes more comfortable and Shelters
from wind and snow Presiden
Roosevelt, speaking at Fort Peck, sal
that he would not be satisfied until a
farms in the prairie regions ARE full
protected by windbreaks and shelter
belts !,
"Woodlots On submarginal farm soil
will furnish the farmers and the stock
men with building material and fut
without decreasing their crop produc
ton area. They may find cash reve
nue. in the sale Of poles, posts or fuel
proponents of the station say.
much needs to be done before "
are sure we know the more acceptab
species: before we know the best meth
Cd of planting to secure the least lo
in the windbreak or shelter belt; DC
fore we know the relationship betWee
the location of the wind break or she
ter belt and the prevailing wind d
rection that the best results may be az
complished; before we begin the TO-
estation of our cachement basins to s.
cure conservation of the water i
flood irrigation or stock watern
places.
This proposed forest and conserv'
ton experiment station can occupy
definite place in Montanas upbuildii
and rehabilitation. 1t can well ass
Montana to solve those problems OF Il
state that fall within its field"