NEED OF A FOREST LAW IN SOUTH CAROLINA 



REPRESENTATIVES of the "South Carohna has unique possibili- 

 American Forestry Association, ties as a timber-producing State. Few 

 the Forest Service and the other regions in the world are as favor- 

 Southern Commercial Congress able to tree growth as the one in which 

 appeared recently before a committee it lies. Climate and soil combine to 

 of the South Carolina Legislature and produce the most valuable timber in 

 urged the passage of a State forestry the shortest time, provided fire and 

 bill quite similar to the bill passed some unwise cutting are kept in check, 

 time ago in Kentucky and now in sue- Nowhere else are there so many hard- 

 cessful operation there. wood species, while its coniferous forests 



There is such a decided need for a are among the most valuable in the 

 forestry law in the State that the legis- United States. So great is the region's 

 lators are getting urgent demands from adaptability to forest growth that even 

 every county to give the proposed bill worn-out farmland, no longer capable 

 their earnest consideration. There is of supporting crops, will in time re- 

 doubt, however, owing to the qmckly clothe itself with trees, if only these can 

 approaching close of the session, as to escape the ravages of fire, 

 whether the bill will get out of the hands "Fire is the forest's greatest enemy. 

 of the committee. Its introduction has Since the first settlement of this country 

 aroused so much interest, however, it has destroyed as much timber as 

 that if the bill does not pass at the lumbering has utihzed. Nor does it 

 present session it is almost certain to confine its damage to the forest growth 

 do so at the next session for by that " ^he old trees of the present stand and 

 time the American Forestry Association the young ones which should furnish us 

 and other interests will have so im- ^^^ forests m the future. It robs 

 pressed the people of the State with the the soil of its fe tihty; it sweeps away 

 need of a forestry law that the legis- the cover provided by Nature for the 

 lature will doubtless treat it as one of watersheds, increasing the danger both 

 the most important measures before it. o^ ^oods and of low water m the streams ; 



J. Girvin Peters, chief of the office of '^ impairs these streams' navigability; 



State Cooperation in the Forest Service, f;^^. '^ ^^^^^^^^ property and interrupts 



outlined lucidly to the committee the business. A conservative estimate of 



■^„^i.- • 4.1,;; Qi.^4.^ TT„ ^r.:A. the area burned over m South Carolina 



situation m the btate. Me said. u , /mnnnn -xi. 



, . . every year would be 400,000 acres, with 



It is a wise policy and sound ^ loss of nearly $300,000. To this loss 



business for South Carohna to protect j^ust be added that resulting from 



its forests, and m doing so it may floQ^g ^nd low water, the extent of 



secure the aid of the Federal Govern- ^^ich is only too well known to every 



ment. Ihe value of these forests to citizen of the State 



the owners, to the wage earner and to "When fire destroys the young growth 



the State is enormous. ^^ ^-^^ forest it takes away from the 



"Lumbering is the second most im- State an important source of future 



portant industry in South Carolina, wealth, just as in the destruction of the 



The value of its products is not less older trees it removes a present source, 



than $15,000,000 annually. Of this Upon the young growth depends the 



sum, about $3,000,000 represents the permanency of the lumber industry in 



value of the timber before it is cut. South Carolina. If it is left to burn 



The remainder, approximately $12,- there will be no forest in the years to 



000,000, is the cost of manufacture, come to supply the needs of the many 



which goes principally in wages to the wood-using industries. Cut-over lands 



community. This industry employs will remain valueless if the young repro- 



over 15,000 wage earners, many of duction which springs up after lumber- 



whom are skilled laborers. ing is not allowedto grow. Its protec- 



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