The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-08-11
Questions and
Answers Thereto
BY George Hayes

Question If the forest service
had the power wouldn't they keep
everybody off the forests and tell
you just where you could go?
The above question is quite a
common question asked by local
people. In fact, ! had that question
myself to ask forest officials. After
having talked with the local of
ficials, do not believe there is
any such attitude on their part. In
fact their whole program is one
which tends to encourage usage of
the forests. The cabin question dis
eussed in last weeks issue is one
In point. They would like to see
more people living in the forests
because they are the most care
full group when it comes to fires
and fire prevention 1t is their plan
to encourage such usage. People
living In the forests realize the fire
danger and become voluntary fire
Wardens.
No doubt the feeling which
prompted the question above is the
direct result of the fire posters and
other DON'T posters found along
roads and trails. Personally I be-
lieve the forest service could very
we'll experiment with an entirely
new type of poster program. We
would like to have more informa-
ton about the things we see in the
forests; that which we understand
we are more careful with and we
probably would be more careful
with our matches. The usual re-
Spouse to a DON'T sign is a DO.
What do you think about the mat
ter, MIR. and Mrs. American citizen?
Question - How many evergreen
trees are there in this vicinity?
I'll name all I have seen and you
can count them. Let's take the
Pinaceae first In this family we
are represented by the White Pine.
Yellow Pine. Lodgepole Pine and
the White Bark Pine sometimes
called Timber Pine This latter
specie is found in high attitudes.
Take the Scenery Mountain trip and
you will see lots of it. In the Abies
or Fir family we have three species:
the Douglas Fir used for the COM
mercial Christmas tree, the White
Fir sometimes called the Balsam
Fir), and the Alpine Fir. The AL
pine Fir is found in the higher al
titudes. You'll see a great deal of
this specie along the Scenery Noun
tain trail. We have two species of
Juniper, one4of Cedar, Spruce, Hem
lock and YeW. Although the Larch
IS not an evergreen, it has many of
the characteristics Of the above trees.
We have two species, the Western
Larch and the Alpie Larch. Pos
sibly you have seen other species
in this district-if SO let us know.
Question-Don't the forest service
spend a lot of money on propa-
ganda?
In answering this question it
seems to the writer that we ought
to define our terms. There is prop
aganda and propaganda. If we CON
slider informing the public as to
what the forest service program Is,
then it seems to me that
they do not spend enough on public
The many questions
which have been asked me lead me
% believe that few people really
know what the program is and |
what they are really trying to do. |
The same thing is true for any
other public program. 1t is espe-
,ially true in public education. If |
he public are to support the pro-
gram they should know what the
program is and the reasons back |
If it. | don't believe too much is
spent on propaganda as defined |
above. However, there may be room
or improvement as to the methods
Used.
Question-What right has the for
EST service to burn the deserted cab
ms on private land?
The forest service has no right |
o burn cabins on private lands. If |
such cabins have been burned by
orest employees they have done