FOREST PROTECTION 139 



Par. 14. Protection Against Shifting Sands. 



Instances are rare in which the forest requires any protection against 

 shifting sands. 



On the other hand, the forest frequently tends to protect from damage 

 the farms, the railroads and other human interests. 



In other words: The forest requires, rarely, protection against shift- 

 ing sands; and it acts frequently as a protector against shifting sands. 



Famous instances of the role which the forest plays in this connection 

 are those of Cape Cod, Mass.; of Hatteras Island, N. C. (Compare Collier 

 Cobb's article in the National Geographic Magazine entitled "Where the 

 wind does the work"); in Central Hungary; in the Landes of Gascogny, 

 France; in the Rhine Valley near Darmstadt, Germany; along the Colum- 

 bia River in Oregon and Washington; and so on). 



A. Shifting sand along the seashore is found notably in the form of sand 



dunes moving landward, fed and driven by ocean winds. 



It would be unwise to attempt any afforestation of the dunes nearest 

 the ocean. Afforestation may set in at some distance from the 

 ocean in protected depressions found between parallel dunes. 



The dunes are fixed, to begin with, by rough palings forming the heart 

 of the dunes and causing a constant growth of the height of the 

 dunes. The sides of the dunes are fortified by sandgrasses and 

 sand weeds. 



The species used for afforestation belong to particularly modest genera: 

 Cotton woods, willows and pines are recommended. 



Obviously, the forester restocking shifting sands is interested in the 

 fixation of the sands more than in a direct revenue derivable from 

 plantations made at a very high expense on very sterile soil. 



B. The case lies somewhat different on sand areas found inland. Here, 



afforestation is frequently indicated as a means toward a revenue 

 obtainable from soil lying otherwise unproductive and threaten- 

 ing, at the margins of the sand fields, destruction to adjoining farm- 

 land. 



The usual method of proceeding is the following: 



Sods of grasses or else sods of heather are laid on the soil, checker-board 

 fashion. Within the sods are planted longrooted yellow pines, 

 preference being given to transplants two years old or else to ball 

 plants one year old. There is no harm in "deep planting." 



Afforestation should begin on the windward side of the sand area, in 

 protected spots. 



The most famous attempt made in America toward the afforestation 

 of inland sands is that of the Forest Service trying to establish, 

 on the "Bad Lands" of Nebraska, a planted forest on a large scale. 



