16 



NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



ting by different methods, the study of 

 succession after fires and the study of 

 reproduction and growth but also as 

 demonstration areas having a certain 

 educational value. 



Speaking of the use of school forests 

 as research centers and the need of pro- 

 tection Prof. James W. Toumey, of 

 the Yale Forests School says: "Such 

 forests cannot perform their best ser- 

 vice as research stations unless they 

 are under a management which will 

 afford the greatest protection to per- 

 manent sample plots and make it rea- 

 sonably certain that investigations, 

 once begun, can be carried through." 

 The same may be said of private tracts. 



While no special provision is made 

 for the protection of sample plots 

 outside of the enforcement of the usual 

 fire laws prevalent on state forests, 

 the setting aside of certain tracts to 

 serve as demonstration areas is a part 

 of the forest policy of many states and 

 is sometimes carried on in cooperation 

 with private owners. It stands to 

 reason that such cooperation under 

 state control will be a valuable aid in 

 protecting sample plots within such 

 demonstration forests from destruction. 

 These demonstration forests, says 

 Secretary Wallace, "might be estab- 

 lished in certain "key areas," where 

 Federal or state ownership would be of 

 special value in protecting stream 

 sources and giving the local people 

 a practical demonstration of fire pro- 

 tection and good forest management." 



Korstian^ discusses the permanent 

 sample plots on the National Forests 

 (page 17) and their value to the fores- 

 ter, the biologist and the ecologist. He 

 divides these into silvicultural plots, 

 where succession and the effects of 

 different grades of cutting and thinning 

 can be studied; and plots which have 

 been established in connection with 

 range management to determine the ef- 

 fect of severity of grazing both upon 



' Korstian, C. F. "The preservation ot natural 

 conditions in the national forests." This volume, 

 page 17. 



herbaceous, shrubby and tree repro- 

 duction. 



While the Conservation Commission 

 of Canada has ceased to function, this 

 organization must be given great credit 

 for the establishment of sample plots 

 in the various provinces under the 

 leadership of their forester, Mr. Clyde 

 N. Leavitt, assisted in the supervision 

 of field parties by Dean C. D. Howe, 

 of the Faculty of Forestry of the Uni- 

 versity of Toronto. These plots were 

 established in cooperation with some 

 of the provinces, lumber and paper 

 companies and on military reservations 

 so that they still have a good chance of 

 being perpetuated. It can be said 

 that the Commission went into greater 

 detail in measuring the individual 

 trees on these plots and recording the 

 data than any other organization which 

 preceded it, affording a stimulus to the 

 provinces and private companies in 

 sample plot work which cannot be over- 

 estimated. 



On such plots, by periodically measur- 

 ing and recording the increase in size 

 of all specimens, from small saplings up 

 to mature individuals which have been 

 numbered and measured, figures can 

 be obtained which will be of great value 

 in making yield tables for pure or mixed 

 forests, while incidental changes taking 

 place in the life-history of the stand 

 can be accurately studied and recorded. 

 It is true that these plots are more or 

 less exposed to fires and windstorms 

 but under the frequent inspection of 

 foresters they stand a very good chance 

 for permanency. 



III. EXTENT TO WHICH FOREST LAWS 

 AFFECT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND 

 MAINTENANCE OF GAME PRESERVES 



While excellent fishing and game pre- 

 serves have been established by pri- 

 vate individuals, such as the Whitnej'^ 

 tract in the Adirondacks and the vari- 

 ous fishing clubs and game clubs both 

 in Canada and the United States where 

 restrictions are made regarding fires 



