i68 FORESTS AND MANKIND 



the forester's tradition, part of his heritage. And today, al- 

 though modern foresters are occupied with many more prob- 

 lems than the protection of game, nevertheless, it often becomes 

 part of their duties to look after the welfare of these forest 

 wards. They are, after all, just as truly products of the forests 

 as boards, turpentine, or paper pulp. Only the most restricted 

 view would limit the products of a forest to the amount of 

 wood it grows. And because the existence of these beasts and 

 birds and fishes is tied up so intimately with the welfare of 

 our forests, we are confronted with still another reason why 

 these forests should be made perpetual by wise use. For, when 

 our trees go, a great part of our wild things must inevitably 

 go with them. Deer, elk, moose, grouse, beaver, and bears all 

 the many varied, colorful kinds of life that make the forest a 

 place of absorbing interest will be swept away with the trees. 



One would think that animals reach their best development 

 and greatest numbers in the wilderness, where man has never 

 interfered with nature. Many woodsmen too believe that any 

 tree cutting, no matter how conservative renders the land less 

 fit for wild life. Yet, foresters and naturalists, both, have piled 

 up much convincing evidence to prove that game animals 

 actually increase most rapidly where forestry is being prac- 

 ticed. The German forests, those great and perpetual wooded 

 areas have been cut over and cut over for many hundred years, 

 but today, more deer and other game abound there than ever 

 before. This, too, in a region where a hundred and fifty years 

 ago game was practically unknown. 



Forestry, sound conservative forestry, which seeks after the 

 perpetual productivity of the woods, actually brings about con- 

 ditions beneficial to the wild life that these woods harbor. As 



