THE NORTH AMERICAN CONSERVATION CONFERENCE 165 



authority of each Nation within its own 

 sphere, will result in mutual benefits, 

 and tend to draw still closer the bonds 

 of existing good will, confidence and 

 respect. Natural resources are not con- 

 fined by the boundary lines that sepa- 

 rate Nations. We agree that no Na- 

 tion acting alone can adequately con- 

 serve them, and we recommend the 

 adoption of concurrent measures for 

 conserving the material foundations of 

 the welfare of all the Nations con- 

 cerned, and for ascertaining their loca- 

 tion and extent. 



We recognize as natural resources 

 all materials available for the use of 

 man as means of life and welfare, in- 

 cluding: those on the surface of the 

 earth, like the soil and the waters ; 

 those below the surface, like the min- 

 erals ; and those above the surface, like 

 the forests. We agree that these re- 

 sources should be developed, used and 

 conserved for the future, in the inter- 

 ests of mankind, whose rights and 

 duties to guard and control the natural 

 sources of life and welfare are inherent, 

 perpetual and indefeasible. We agree 

 that those resources which are neces- 

 saries of life should be regarded as pub- 

 lic utilities, that their ownership entails 

 specific duties to the public, and that 

 as far as possible effective measures 

 should be adopted to guard against 

 monopoly. 



PUBLIC HEALTH 



Believing that the Conservation 

 movement tends strongly to develop 

 national efficiency in the highest pos- 

 sible degree in our respective countries. 

 we recognize that to accomplish such 

 an object with success, the maintenance 

 and improvement of public health is a 

 first essential. 



In all steps for the utilization of nat- 

 ural resources considerations of public 

 health should always be kept in view. 



Facts which cannot be questioned 

 demonstrate that immediate action is 

 necessary to prevent further pollution, 

 mainly by sewage, of the lakes, rivers 

 and streams throughout North America. 

 Such pollution, aside from the enor- 



mous loss in fertilizing elements en- 

 tailed thereby, is an immediate and con- 

 tinuous danger to public health, to the 

 health of animals, and, when caused by 

 certain chemical agents, to agriculture. 

 Therefore we recommend that prevent- 

 ive legislation be enacted. 



FORESTS 



We recognize the forests as indis- 

 pensable to civilization and public wel- 

 fare. They furnish material for con- 

 struction and manufacture, and pro- 

 mote the habitability of the earth. We 

 regard the wise use. effective pro- 

 tection, especially from fire, and prompt 

 renewal of the forests on land best 

 adapted to such use, as a public neces- 

 sity and hence a public duty devolving 

 upon all forest owners alike, whether 

 public, corporate or individual. 



We consider the creation of many 

 and large forest reservations and their 

 permanent maintenance under Govern- 

 ment control absolutely essential to the 

 ptiblic welfare. 



We favor the early completion of in- 

 ventories of forest resources, in order 

 to ascertain the available supply and 

 the rate of consumption and repro- 

 duction. 



We recommend the extension of 

 technical education and practical field 

 instruction in forest conservation, af- 

 forestation and reforestation, so as to 

 provide efficient forest officers whose 

 knowdedge will be available for neces- 

 sary public information on these sub- 

 jects. 



Believing that excessive taxation on 

 standing timber privately owned is a 

 potent cause "of forest destruction by 

 increasing the cost of maintaining 

 growing forests, we agree in the wis- 

 dom and justice of separating the tax- 

 ation of timber land from the taxation 

 of the timber growing upon it, and ad- 

 justing both in such a manner as to 

 encourage forest conservation and 

 forest growing. 



We agree that the ownership of 

 forest lands, either at the headwaters 

 of streams or upon areas better suited 

 for forest growth than for other pur- 



