An Example in Conservation Work 



THE Berks County Consenation Association of 

 Pennsylvania is one of the most striking examples 

 in the United States of what may be done for 

 conservation by the right kind of local organization. 

 Organized in September, 1914. it found facing it the 

 problem of conserving the forests and trees of the county, 

 the water-sheds and water courses, bird life and places 

 of scenic value. Blessed with energetic officers, it speedily 

 extended its membership, aroused the interest of all the 

 people of the county in its work : enlisted the aid of the 

 school teachers and the school children in its tree-planting 



" In the fall of 1914. we planted 3000 pines on Mount 

 Penu : maintained a Forest Fire Patrol of 14 men and 

 6 State Policemen during the dangerous forest fire season. 

 Large placards, cautioning the people of the dangers and 

 losses from forest fires, were posted all over the county, 

 and an educational campaign, through the newspapers 

 and in the public schools, was inaugurated. Forest Fire 

 Wardens were appointed by the State Forestry Depart- 

 ment at our request and are still in service. The Asso- 

 ciation taljulated the forest lands of Berks County, and 

 we know now where everv acre is and who the owner 



operations: secured the 

 assistance of the newspapers 

 in giving the publicity re- 

 quired : obtained the cooper- 

 ation of other organizations, 

 and has now achieved a very 

 considerable success, as well 

 as established the conserva- 

 tion movement in the countv 

 so strongly that it will not 



die. At the same time the Association, by its endeavors 

 and by the particularly good results obtained, has set an 

 example to other organizations and has encouraged the 

 growth of a number of them along similar lines of work. 

 What it has accomplished is well described by 

 Harvey F. Heinly, an attorney of Reading, Penna., and 

 an enthusiastic member of the Association. He savs : 



THE REGIMEN'T OF PLANTERS EN ROUTE 



Fifteen street cars were required to transport the Boy Scouts and school girls of Reading. Pennsylvania, who enlisted 

 at the call of the Berks County Conservation Association, to plant several thousand trees on the water-shed of the 

 company which supplies the city wdth water. 



of it is ; and in order to encourage proper reforestation 

 the Association went so far as to find customers for those 

 who ha\e made up their minds to market their timber 

 in a proper and scientific wav. 



" During the year 1915. 2000 small pines were planted 

 at the Bethany C)rphans' Asylum by the children them- 

 selves ; 1000 small iiines were planted at the Topton 



THE REGIMENT OF TREE PLANTERS 



The enthusiastic force of school children, gathered by 

 Reading to plant trees, assembled for action on the lani 

 which they were about to plant. 



480 



IIUW TO PLANT 



A PLANTING SQUAD AT WORK 



A squad of the Reading tree planting After instruction by the forester, these girls went to 

 force being instructed by the forester work and not only planted a quantity of trees but did 

 how to place the pines in the ground. the work skilfully. 



