INITIATING A STATE FOREST POLICY IN KENTUCKY 137 



Logs Being Hauled to Railroad 



The One on the Wagon is White Oak, 14 feet by 34 inches. It Scales 787 feet Scribners Rule. The 



Scene is near Kuttawa, Lyon County, Kentucky 



or other throughout the entire summer. 

 In fact, it was the twenty-fourth of 

 September before the Governor as 

 Secretary of the State Board of Forestry 

 signed the necessary agreements. With 

 the cooperation of the Federal Govern- 

 ment in fire protection in the State 

 assured, it seems that a sound beginning 

 of a fire protective poHcy has been made. 

 This fall, two patrolmen at large for 

 the State have been appointed and be- 

 tween twenty and twenty-five county 

 patrolmen will be provided, such ap- 

 pointments being confined to those 

 counties needing protection most. The 

 details of this fire protective scheme 

 have not as yet been fully worked out; 

 but are in a fluid state. In connection 

 with the plans for fire protection the 

 active cooperation of the Fish and Game 

 Commission through their wardens has 

 been secured. Also the cooperation of 

 timberland owners is a most desirable 

 featxire of the proposed plan, and in 

 two quarters at least an organization 



of the interested individuals is probable. 

 There are no public lands in Kentucky 

 of any sort, from which State forests 

 could be created. Undoubtedly, the 

 value of State forests, scientifically 

 managed, as concrete examples of the 

 practicability of a forest policy for the 

 State can not be over estimated. At 

 the present time it seems that the only 

 way the necessary land can be acquired 

 is by gift or purchase. The former 

 method is uncertain and vague ; and the 

 latter method is out of the question 

 except, perhaps, in a very small way at 

 the present time because of the limited 

 amount available under the appro- 

 priation for the State Baord of Forestry. 

 Another way of obtaining the requisite 

 land has been suggested, but does not 

 seem feasible for a good many reasons; 

 that is, turning tax-lands, suitable for 

 the purpose of State forests, over to the 

 State Board of Forestry. One of the 

 principal objections to this is that the 

 present squatters on the land would 



