NOTES 



Timber Census of New York State 



When the Society of American Foresters, through its war committee, 

 began a survey of timber supplies in the Northeastern States, the 

 United States Forest Service was so impressed with the value of this 

 survey that it determined to expand the project into a complete timber 

 census. In New York State a subcommittee, consisting of C. R. Pettis, 

 Superintendent of State Forests, and Prof. -\. B. Recknagel, Forester 

 and Secretary to the Empire State Forest Products Association, had 

 begun the good work in May. To them, in July, came K. McR. Clark, 

 of the United States Forest Service, and plans were made for a com- 

 plete timber census of the State. There existed no list of timber-land 

 owners, so the first step was to obtain from the supervisor of each 

 town a list of names and addresses of those owning more than 50 acres 

 of woodland in their respective towns. There are 900 odd towns in the 

 State and, almost to a man, the supervisors have complied with the 

 request. Thus there exists for the first time a list of over 5.000 timber- 

 land owners in the State, alphabetically arranged by towns and coun- 

 ties. Next a timber-estimate blank, asking each owner by township to 

 report his holdings by species in feet and cords, board measure, and an 

 appropriate letter of transmittal, were sent to every name on the list. 

 The letter was signed by George D. Pratt, Conservation Commissioner 

 of the State, and went under Government frank as official business. A 

 franked addressed envelope, which required no postage, was inclosed 

 for the owner's reply. There was also inclosed a card urging the wood- 

 land owner to produce more cordwood against the impending fuel short- 

 age next winter. When these 5,000 or more replies have been received 

 they will be carefully tabulated by the United States Government in 

 order that it can, as necessity arises, make immediately available the 

 timber resources of the State for the production of war material. That 

 the Empire State is the leader in this project, as in so many other war- 

 time activities, is greatly to its credit. The other Northeastern States 

 are following suit, so that before long the Government will have an 

 authoritative answer to the oft-repeated question, "How much standing 

 timber is left in the East?" In due time the information so collected 

 will be published without, of course, giving any names, but only general 

 totals, which in no way reveal individual estimates. 

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