HOW NEW JERSEY IS TRYING TO 

 IMPROVE HER FORESTS 



By ALFRED GASKILL, State Forester of New Jersey 



IN NEW JERSEY the campaign for 

 forest conservation is taking a 

 somewhat different line from that 

 conducted in most states. With a pop- 

 ulation that in average density is ex- 

 ceeded only by that of Rhode Island 

 and Massachusetts, the state has up- 

 ward of 2.000,000 acres, or forty-six 

 per cent,, of its land area still in wood- 

 land. The opportunity for practical, 

 profitable forestry of an intensive char- 

 acter is thus made evident. Probably 

 nowhere in the United States do the 

 forest areas and lumber markets lie 

 so close together. In many ways the 

 conditions are comparable with those 

 of Wiirttemberg, Saxony, and other 

 German states where the forests often 

 yield a higher net revenue than farm 

 lands. 



Like those of all other states which 

 have little of the original forest left, 

 the woodlands of New Jersey are little 

 valued and their present product is al- 

 most insignificant. Yet this fact is an- 

 other argument for forest manage- 

 ment, since the necessary investment in 

 land and immature trees is less than 

 would be required were the property 

 rated at a value based upon its pro- 

 ducing power. This producing power 

 is relatively high, for, even on the poor 

 sands of the pine section, several com- 

 mercially valuable trees will grow at a 

 more rapid rate than is the rule on the 

 average forest soil in the east. This, 

 of course, is due to a favorable climate. 



With the remnants of a once ex- 

 tensive and valuable forest that make 

 planting unnecessary, with markets for 

 forest ])rof]ucts close at hand, with a 

 soil better adapted for the growth of 

 forest trees than is usual, the forest 

 commission of New Jersey faces the 

 J74 



problem how to make the properties 

 productive, how to turn the people from 

 their old habit of neglect and abuse to 

 a reasonable measure of care for their 

 condition and earning power. The 

 solution of the problem clearly lies in 

 the control of forest fires, for it is a 

 fact that since the state was settled 

 these fires have been allowed to run 

 almost unnoticed, and the harm done 

 has been considered insignificant, or ac- 

 cepted as inevitable. Knowing that 

 forest fires arc controllable, the forest 

 commission is giving most of its ef- 

 fort, and the greater part of the money 

 appropriated, to the organization of a 

 fire service covering the whole wood- 

 land and intended to protect the forests 

 without regard to ownership. The state 

 now owns about 14.000 acres of forest 

 land which it is developing as examples 

 of forest management, yet for the pres- 

 ent this is only an incident in the larger 

 task. 



In most respects the New Jersey law 

 is an unusually good one. and has three 

 main features : First, the local fire- 

 wardens, now numbering upward of 

 200. are all appointed, not e.v officio, 

 and are paid small annual salaries to 

 compensate them for their clerical work 

 and for the prcz'ciition of fire. In ad- 

 flition, each is allowed 30 cents an hour 

 for time spent in fire fighting, with a 

 minimum of $2 for any call. Helpers 

 are paid 20 cents an hour, with a 

 minimum of $1. The whole organiza- 

 tion is under the control of a state fire- 

 warden, who is responsible to the forest 

 commission, and is paid by the state. 

 Second, every one who wants to burn 

 brush or to make an outdoor fire for 

 any purpose, must get a permit from a 

 firewarden, except the fire be made in 



