262 OUR USE OF THE LAND 



of southern Wisconsin, would not grow farm crops. After 

 clear-cutting the forests, all that would grow was the aspen 

 bristle, and even that did not do very well, with the fires that 

 no one bothered to put out, and the cutting of the little 

 whiskers of trees for the pulp mills. 



The counties in this area, which was opened up so hopefully 

 a short quarter of a century ago, have become a burden to the 

 state. They are hopelessly in debt, and that debt is mounting. 

 The little bit of farming and cutting aspen for pulp doesn't 

 support the people very well, and leaves little money for taxes 

 to keep up the roads and schools which are widely scattered 

 over the area. 



ZONING 



One of Wisconsin's answers to this cut-over land problem 

 is zoning. A state zoning board was set up. Members of this 

 board, along with government experts from the Forest Service 

 and the Soil Conservation Service and other government 

 agencies, went into the areas and made a survey of the resources. 

 They recommended certain changes. They showed in these 

 recommendations how the land could be used to the better ad' 

 vantage of everyone. They explained how if the less productive 

 land could be returned to forest the town would save money. 

 The people living in those areas could be moved nearer to the 

 towns. With the people more closely concentrated, there 

 would be less expense for schools and roads. 



The various counties appointed committees to study these 

 recommendations, and then submitted to the voters in the 

 various townships a plan based on them. If the voters elected 

 to accept the plans, with any changes that either they or the 

 county decided to make, the plan became a law. As a result, 

 the use of property is restricted just as it is in the various zones 

 of cities. The costs of government are reduced. Unoccupied 

 land is protected from misuse. 



