A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY 



1545 



ace and the state may require him to conduct his cutting 

 operations in such fashion as to lesson the tire danger. 

 FOURTH : The states through the adoption of 

 uniformly fair forest taxation laws, the establishment 

 of forest nurseries and the preparation of forest work- 

 ing plans should offer every possible encouragement 

 to the owner who wishes to grow timber on his land. 

 If the owner of land, which after competent examjna- 

 tion is classified as valuable only for timber growing, still 

 refuses to take advantage of the opportunities pro- 

 vided for such undertakings, the land should then be 

 acquired by the public at a fair valuation and made 

 a part of the system of public forests. 



I-'IFTH; With a few notable exceptions forest plant- 

 ing has not yet been seriously undertaken in the United 

 States. Very properly the most immediate concern is 

 the protection of the timber we already have but with 

 this, because of the time element involved, there should 



be carried out, wherever sufficient fire protection can be 

 secured, a very large program of forest planting upon 

 the lands which have been so far denuded that there is 

 no hope of securing another crop through natural re- 

 production. 

 Finally : While we regard all the foregoing as nec- 

 essary steps in any adequate and well rounded out 

 National forest policy, we especially urge that every 

 effort be made to unite the professional foresters of 

 the country, the timberland owners and the consumers 

 of forest products upon an immediate program of greatly 

 increased forest fire protection and much more general 

 public acquisition of cutover lands. The first essential 

 is to protect what we already have; the second to 

 provide for future supply. Upon these measures the 

 National and State Governments can and should co- 

 operate to the fullest extent. 



RESOLUTIONS FOR A NATIONAL FOREST POLICY 



A DOPTING resolutions declaring for a comprehen- 

 •■^*- sive timber survey and land classification, for exten- 

 sive reforestation of State and private areas, adequate 

 fire protection, and a system of taxation which will en- 

 courage the owner of trees to let them grow instead of 

 forcing him to cut his growing timber, the Forestry 

 Conference arranged by the New York State Forestry 

 Association between Col. Henry S. Graves, Chief of the 

 United States Forest Service, and New York interests 

 involved in the timber problem did more to advance the 

 cause of forestry than any gathering ever held in Nev, 

 York State. For the first time all elements in the 

 State took action for definite forward progress on agreed 

 necessities, and eliminated from discussion all points on 

 which there was not thorough agreement. The resolu- 

 tions follow : — 



This Conference of those interested in the forests and 

 timberlands of the State of New York and of the Nation, 

 grateful to Divine Providence for the gracious calm 

 which has succeeded the turmoil and destruction of the 

 conflict ended on the day of which this the first anni- 

 versary, registers the following statement of principles 

 as the result of its deliberations, and commends them to 

 the consideration of the people of the State and the 

 Nation, viz : — • 



1. Timber Census. Whereas, the Great War just 

 ended has shown clearly how inadequate is our knowl- 

 edge of existing timber resources, and 



Whereas, pending the securing of such definite knowl- 

 edge any attempt to formulate a permanent tiinberland 

 policy must necessarily be premature and without ade- 

 quate basis. 



Therefore, resolved, that this Conferetice favors a 

 comprehensive timber survey and land classification 

 under the authority of the Federal Congress and of the 

 Legislatures of the different states. 



2. Fire Protection. Whereas, the fundamental step 

 in any timberland policy which may be adopted as a 

 result of the aforesaid timber survey and land classifi- 



tion, is increased protection to our forests from fire, 

 insects, fungi, and other ravages, but more particularly 

 from fire. 



Therefore, resolved, that this Conference strongly 

 endorses the policy of complete and adequate fire pro- 

 tection embodied in the laws of the State of New York, 

 and urges its extension to all the forest lands of the 

 State, at the same time commending its adoption to 

 the Federal Government and the governments of the 

 sister States of our Union, and we further especially urge 

 that adequate appropriations be made for the enforce- 

 ment of the Weeks Law, both as to forest protection and 

 forest land acquisition. 



3. Forest Taxation. Whereas, taxes on standing, 

 growing timber should be collected when the timber is 

 harvested, and not annually, as now under the general 

 property tax, and 



Whereas, this deferring of taxes would go far towards 

 enabling the land owners to carry their forests until 

 maturity without cutting. 



Therefore, resolved, that this Conference approves the 

 co-operative eft'orts of the New York State Forestry 

 -Association in this respect and urges its representatives 

 to continue their labors of the past two years until the 

 desired legislation is secured. 



4. Reforestation. Whereas, the reforesting of non- 

 agricultural lands, now unproductive, is inost desirable, 

 and 



Whereas, the owners of such lands would be willing 

 to dedicate them to continuous forest production, pro- 

 vided such a crop promised a profit at maturity, which 

 is seldom the case to-day, and 



Whereas, the State benefits through the favorable in- 

 fluence of such forests upon climate, and run off, through 

 the production of timber and through other advantages 

 ancillary thereto, which would amply repay the public 

 for any benefits extended to the owners. 



Therefore, resolved that this Conference urges the 

 Legislature of the State to assist by such action as will 



