COOPERATION IN FOREST PROTECTION 645 



It is supported by a large majority of the foresters and National and 

 State authorities who will be responsible for its execution, by many 

 owners whose operations will be aflfected, and by nation-wide public 

 opinion of the most intelligent sort. 



STATE FOREST POLICIES 



In order to fix the responsibility which lies with the States and 

 private owners of timberlands under the National Forestry Program 

 which has been set up, it is further suggested that any effective State 

 forest policy should be based upon the following principles : 



(1) That all soil shall be made productive of the crop to which it is 

 best adapted or for which there is the greatest public need. 



(2) That while agriculture and forestry are based upon soil pro- 

 duction, the methods necessary in forestry and the time involved are 

 so different from those of agriculture that forestry demands an entirely 

 different form of administration. 



{o) That State forest policies shall be initiated and carried out in 

 cooperation with the National Government and with private owners 

 wherever and to the fullest extent possible. 



(4) That State forest legislation shall establish general principles 

 and procedure only and vest in a properly constituted and non-political 

 body, acting through technically qualitied representatives, the responsi- 

 bility for the fixing of regulations and enforcing them. 



(5) That the paramount and immediate consideration in any forest 

 policy is the creation and maintenance of effective means for the pre- 

 vention and control of fire on all forest lands of whatever ownership, 

 and that every owner of forest land shall be required to conduct 

 operations thereon in such a manner as to avoid creating a fire menace 

 to adjacent property. 



(6) That forest surveys, land classification, forest research, and 

 forest education shall be provided for. 



(7) That there shall be such changes and adjustments in prevailing 

 systems of taxation as will enable all forest lands to be equitably taxed 

 thereunder, yet will not discourage the holding of private forest land 

 for future crops without impairing local revenues. 



(8) That the State, upon request, shall assist the private owner of 

 forest lands to make them continuously productive through the prep- 

 aration of working plans, supplying of planting materials and super- 

 vision of silvicultural operations free of charge or at cost. 



(9) That the State be empowered to take over at a fair valuation 

 and administer as part of the system of public forests any land which, 

 after competent examination, is classified as suitable only for timber 

 growth, in case the owner refuses to avail himself of the opportunities 



