CONSERVATION RKALIZJ^D IN MASSACHUSETTS 



801 



revise the system of taxing wild and 

 forest land. 



Now that the fire hazard and taxation 

 difficulties are coming under control, 

 the great problem of afforesting the 

 fifth of the State is being solved in this 

 way by the association. Branches of 

 the Association are being formed in 

 the towns and cities of the State. 

 These local organizations serve as vil- 

 lage improvement societies, except that 

 their energies are devoted almost ex- 

 clusively to forestry and shade-tree 

 work. The branches are independent 

 locally, having their own by-laws, which 

 conform with the by-laws of the main 

 association. Their membership con- 

 sists only of members of the Massachu- 

 setts Forestry Association. Their sec- 

 retaries send copies of the minutes of 

 all meetings of the branches and their 

 executive committees to the main office, 

 where records of all branches are kept. 

 In this way, the main association is in 

 direct touch w^th the work of the 

 branches and by constant vigilance, they 

 are kept from becoming delinquent. 

 Local improvement is brought about in 

 this way, and, consequently, the whole 

 State is benefited. The organization as 

 a whole, becomes a body of workers, 

 and local public spirit prompts the 

 members to help in this organized effort 

 to improve our forest and shade-tree 

 conditions. 



Unlike the average village improve- 

 ment society which starts from a local 

 impetus, these branch associations are 

 not permitted to die out after one or two 

 important objects have been accom- 

 plished. When a branch is organized 

 it is at once set to work. A committee 

 is appointed to draw up by-laws for the 

 guidance of the branch. Another com- 

 mittee is appointed to study the local 

 problems and present resolutions at the 

 next meeting as to what the branch shall 

 work for in the future. A date for that 

 meeting is usually set before the organ- 

 ization meeting adjourns. This starts 

 the branch to work, and the resolutions 

 adopted at the second meeting are re- 

 corded with the main association, which 

 keeps bringing these resolutions up 

 before the branch continually, and 

 urging it to carry them out. In that 

 way, a branch is never totally idle, and 



the very fact that it has something to 

 do will keep it alive and self-respecting. 

 A retired or morilnmd organization of 

 this sort is worse than a dead one. 



This work is being pushed as rapidly 

 as funds will permit. The State has 

 l)ccn divided into five districts and an 

 assistant secretary is placed in each 

 district, whose duty it is to do the pre- 

 liminary work of organizing these 

 branches by arousing local interest and 

 by giving advice in forestry matters. 

 \\'e aim to keep these positions filled 

 wilh trained foresters who do much 

 goiid b)- advising individuals concern- 

 mg their forests and shade-trees. 

 These men are in line for positions as 

 city foresters, which positions we are 

 creating through the means of these 

 branch associations, in turn, the city 

 foresters are educating the people to 

 the advantages of afforesting the water- 

 sheds from which the drinking water of 

 the town or city is obtained. In a few 

 instances this work has led to the con- 

 sideration of having town forests, 

 something on the order of the German 

 Municipal Forests. This is the point 

 we were coming to. Just as soon as 

 the benefits of having such a forest 

 is recognized, our wild and waste land 

 will soon be put under cultivation. Our 

 people are fast awakening to this fact 

 through the educational influence of the 

 Branch Association work and we feel 

 safe in predicting that within a very 

 few years most of these million acres 

 of wild and waste land will be planted 

 to trees. When each town plants a few 

 acres yearly, and scores of individuals 

 take up the work as they have alrea<!y 

 begun to do, in addition to what the 

 State Department reforests annually, 

 we shall soon change the face of Massa- 

 chusetts. 



Already these Branch Associations 

 have done excellent work for their own 

 communities. The Fitchburg Branch 

 alone was the means of procuring over 

 $4,200 extra appropriations this year 

 for forest, shade-trees, and ])ark and 

 pla}-ground work. Some have brought 

 suit against offenders of the shade-tree 

 laws. Plans have been laid by all for 

 important future work and on the 

 whole, the start made by these Branch 

 Associations has been very satisfactory. 



