DEVELOPMENT OF BRUSH-DISPOSAL POLICY 697 



how far brush should be moved away from standing timber and repro- 

 duction to prevent damage to boles and crowns. After thorough dis- 

 cussion, a uniform policy was formulated, applicable to both forests 

 and to both yellow pine and Douglas fir types. This policy definitely 

 substituted top lopping for pulling, which was discontinued. 



By making certain changes in the wording for the two types and 

 running the instructions in parallel columns, and by allowing sufificient 

 elasticity to enable the officers in charge of the sales and the super- 

 visors to fit the instructions to conditions on the sales, this policy was 

 extended to include all the New Mexico forests, and has been adopted 

 on all the forests in Arizona, with the exception of the north half of 

 the Coconino and the Tusayan. where the method of pulling does the 

 least harm and is solidly established in practice. The instructions, in- 

 cluding general directions for fire-line construction, follow : 



STANDARD INSTRUCTIOXS FOR BRUSH DISPOSAL ON THE NATIONAL FORESTS OF NEW 

 MEXICO AND ARIZONA, EXCEPT COCONINO AND TUSAYAN FORESTS 



Purposes 



The purposes of brush disposal are: 



1. To put the brush in condition to do as little damage to standing timber as 

 possible in case the brush burns. 



2. To secure as rapid a disappearance of the brush as possible b}- decay. 



3. To give protection to the soil, prevent erosion, and secure favorable condi- 

 tions for reproduction. 



4. To construct practical fire lines and to put brush in the best condition for 

 combatting a fire. 



Yellow Pine Type Douglas Fir Type 



1. The piling and burning of brush, i. The piling and burning of brush, 

 except on fire lines or w^here required except on fire lines or where special 

 for the control of destructive insects, instructions are issued governing the 

 will be discontinued. sale, will be discontinued. 



2. All tops shall be lopped, by having the branches cut off from all sides, close 

 to the main stem, the remaining stub to be less than 6 inches in length. The prac- 

 tice of cutting off only a portion of a branch, leaving a stub attached to the stem, 

 will not be accepted. 



3. All brush shall be thrown or removed to a distance of 10 feet or more from 

 the nearest living tree of a commercial species. For trees with live crowns ex- 

 tending to within 15 feet of the ground, this distance shall be measured from a 

 point directly below the outer edge of crown. For trees whose live crowns are 

 higher than 15 feet, it shall be measured from the bole, provided that brush need 

 not be moved more than 25 feet to attain this result. Where the close spacing of 

 trees does not permit the brush to be placed at a distance of 10 feet from living 

 trees by moving it 25 feet, it shall be removed as far as possible from the boles 



