CO-OPERATION BETWEEN NATIONAL FORESTS AND 

 ADJACENT PRIVATE LANDS 



By Burt P. Kirki^and 



University of IVashington 



After nearly _a^ decade of quiescence the profession of forestry 

 again shows signs of life. It is high time, for the decade has seen 

 the near completion of white pine exploitation in the Lake States, 

 while it is now reported that the end is in sight in the southern yellow 

 pine. The pulpwood shortage is becoming acute in certain sections. 

 These phenomena prove the foresight of the foresters who gained the 

 ear of the public in the early years of the present century but were 

 unable to have their recommendations acted upon, except as to the 

 creation of National Forests, which have been well established and 

 protected from fire. Time, therefore, presses, for the introduction of 

 efificient forestry on the National Forests and its rapid extension to 

 private lands. There are many problems to solve which the past 

 decade, though one of inactivity in forestry matters, at least has given 

 sufficiently full time for discussion of policies to show conclusively 

 that there is no one panacea such as tax reform, financial reorganiza- 

 tion, better industrial organization, etc., which will solve all forest 

 problems. A complete program must provide all of these in greater 

 or less degree, and in particular must deal with local problems accord- 

 ing to local circumstances and needs. Ultimately, the program must 

 provide for getting each forest area into a form of ownership under 

 which continuous forest production is practicable. 



The present paper deals with a restricted class of private forest 

 lands, though one of great importance, that adjacent to National For- 

 ests. It proposes methods of immediate introduction of forestry on 

 these lands pending the time ownership conditions become settled. 

 Every western forester knows that when the National Forest bounda- 

 ries were established it was already too late to include many areas 

 which logically belonged within the National Forests, because these 

 areas had already, in whole or in part, passed from public ownership. 

 Such areas lie along the boundaries of the greater part of the National 

 Forests in the important western timber regions. It is with these 



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