, 1962-08-16
PRESS
THE FORESTRY PROGRAM

Changes in the administration of the Virgin Inlands Forestry
Program will be of interest to residents of St Croix.
SO years ago the US. Forest Service was to investigate and re-
commend policies for the forested Arrears Of the US. Virgin Islands.
for many, many years, the forestry activities were hit and nilsson
again, off again! Then, Z years ago, the US. Congress granted VICORP
funds to promote forestry research, management, and utilization
VICORPs sought the technical assistance of the US. Forest Service in
administering this fund and program. AS a result OF TINS cooperation,
nearly 100000 mahogany seedlings have been established on the steep,
rough, non-agricultural slopes of St. Croix, many experimental areas
of teak and other forest tree spicies have been established, and natural
stands of mahogany have been thinned, and the slavaged fence posts
treated with chemicals at the Programs wood preservative plant at
Sion Farm. Adjacent to the post plant is a sawniH which, though
operating on a small scale, has been instrumental in making fine maho-
gany and tibet lumber available for the local maket. On top of these
regular services, the Forestry Program has also responded to requests
of private LANDOWNERS for assistance in tree removals, tree pruning, etc.
and has similarly responded to the local governments requests for
technical assistance in protecting, pruning, and managing the road
side trees
The past seven years this Program has been administered by the
US. Forest Service for the Virgin Islands Corporation. vICoRP
has provided most Of the facilities, labor, equipment. etc, It has been
WCORPs Forestry Program Now lis the US. Forest Services Fores
try Program. On July | of this year, Congress appropriated forestry
funds TO the US. Forst Service-not to VICORP. Consequently, the
future of the Virgin Islands Forestry Program will differ somewhat
from its past Specifically, the Forest Service will concentrate on re
search work research in forest management and research in wood
utilization.
The US. Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture has a
solid reputation with Congress and the Nation because of its sound
fiscal policies. It is one of the few government agencies, (and it may
be the only government agency, which always operates in the black
largely because Of its farsighted policy Of management Of the natural
forests. The us. Forest Service operates directly or indirectly in all
Of the SO states although its large land areas are in the western
states and Alaska Recently research work was initiated in Hawaii.
Additionally, the Forest Service administers considerable acreage
and reseach programs in Puerto Rico through its Institute Of Tropical
Forestry. The Virgin Islands Forestry Program is a division Of this
Institute.
The Forest Service, however cannot by law, continue certain serve
es which have been available to landowners in the past Specifically
it cannot operate the sawmilla and fence post treatin plant for profit
only for research Also it can no longer respond to requests to remove
and prlme trees on private lands. 1t will also be impossible for the
Program to supply a trained crew in the future, as in the past, to as
sist landowners in maintaining and protecting their plantations. Most
of this work was undertaken by VICORP. with direct reimbursement
from the landowner for services rendered. 1t is hoped that such future
cooperation can be promoted through an agreement with the Govern
ment of the Virgin Islands, and by even closer cooperation with the
Federal Experiment Station and the Soil Conservation Service.