68 FOREST PROTECTION 



fundamentally important in the practice of forestry whether the ob- 

 ject of management is timber production, watershed protection, range 

 management, wild life and recreational development, or the preserva- 

 tion of scenic and aesthetic values. The history of American forests 

 is replete with disastrous forest fires that were left to burn unchecked. 

 Fires have destroyed more forests than the lumberman's axe. They 

 are the greatest menace to the practice of forestry. It was largely 

 because of the forest fire problem that interest in better care and 

 management of our forests was awakened. 



The subject of forest protection includes the problems of: 



1. Forest fires. 



2. Forest- and wood-destroying insects. 



3. Forest- and wood-destroying fungi. 



4. Grazing by domestic animals and other animal injuries. 



5. Erosion. 



6. Sand dunes. 



7. Miscellaneous, including such natural phenomena as lightning, 



wind, frost, avalanches and landslides, and theft. 



2. FOREST FIRES IMPORTANCE AND EXTENT 



American forests in every section have suffered from frequent and 

 recurring fires. Some regions, as northern Idaho and southern Cali- 

 fornia, are particularly susceptible to damage because of the inflam- 

 mable nature of the forest and the forest floor, and the long warm 

 periods without rainfall. Slash, debris, and brush left after logging 

 operations have added measurably to the hazards in nearly every 

 region and have been the cause of much state legislation to reduce 

 the risk of fire. 



Repeated fires have: 



1. Destroyed much merchantable and growing stands of timber. 



2. Destroyed young growth which must be relied upon to furnish 



the forests of the future. 



3. Destroyed the humus and affected the forest floor conditions so 



that reproduction is difficult or impossible. 



4. Depleted the vigor of growth so that timber values become defi- 



nitely lowered. 



5. Increased the activity of tree-killing insects and wood-destroy- 



ing fungi following the ravages of forest fires. 



6. Destroyed many lives and millions of dollars' worth of prop- 



erty, such as cabins, communities, and railroads, as well as 



