772 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



1909. New Hampshire established a nonsalaried forestry commission of three 

 persons, and appointed a forester, who was also the chief fire warden, 

 with the duty of appointing as local fire wardens men nominated by 

 selectmen; forester was charged with the execution of all forest work 

 of the State, including the direction of all activities having in view the 

 prevention and control of forest fires. Forestry commission authorized 

 to buy land for forestry purposes whenever any person or persons should 

 furnish the funds therefor. 



North Dakota created the office of forest fire warden. For unorganized 

 townships having at least 25 percent of woodland, the board of county 

 commissioners was required to appoint two or more wardens for each 

 township and to designate the district of each. In each civil township 

 in the State having at least 25 percent of its total area in woodland the 

 supervisor was to act as forest fire warden. 



Pennsylvania authorized the department of forestry to grow and distribute 

 young trees to all persons who would plant and care for them, charge not 

 to exceed cost of production and transportation; repealed the act requir- 

 ing constables to act as fire wardens; and provided for a force of forest 

 fire wardens distinct from the peace officers. Commissioner and deputy 

 commissioner of forestry were made solely responsible for the forest fire 

 protection work of the State, and authorized to appoint a district fire 

 warden in each borough and township. 



Rhode Island required the annual appointment of a forest fire warden 

 by each town council, and the appointment of two or more district 

 wardens if the town contained over 4,000 acres of woodland. Wardens 

 required to take active measures to prevent and suppress forest fires. 



West Virginia provided for the appointment of a forest, fish, and game 

 warden, for a term of 4 years; to be ex officio fire warden for the State; 

 all deputy wardens made fire wardens for their respective counties. 

 Cost of extinguishing any fire made recoverable by the warden, in the 

 name of the county, from the person or corporation responsible for it; 

 such recovery not to act as a bar to the recovery of civil damages by 

 anyone injured. 



Wisconsin enacted specific regulations concerning forest fires and their 



causes. 



1910. Louisiana authorized change of name of "Commission for the Conservation 

 of Natural Resources" to "Conservation Commission"; membership 

 increased to eight. Act of 1904 amended so as to designate the register 

 of the State land office as forester, and to provide for a deputy forester 

 who should have had technical training in silviculture. Among many 

 new duties imposed on the forester and his assistant were general duties 

 as to fire protection, cooperation with private parties, and authorization 

 of the acceptance of gifts of land to the State for administration as 

 forests by the State conservation commission. Commission authorized 

 to purchase forest land for the State. Forest fire laws strengthened, with 

 severe penalties. 



Maryland law of 1906 regarding the appointment and duties of forest 

 wardens (appointed by the governor upon the request of the forester, 

 with irregular pay) was amended; one warden provided for each 15,000 

 acres of woodland in any county, and State to pay one half the cost of 

 fire fighting. 



Massachusetts authorized the acceptance of bequests and gifts for the 

 advancement of the forestry interests of the State in the manner desig- 

 nated by the donor. 



One of the striking things revealed by the legislative record is the 

 large number of States which inaugurated activities in forestry in 

 the years 1901-10. During the first decade of the twentieth century 

 there was greater activity in the formation of State forestry depart- 

 ments which proved more lasting than in any other equal period. At 

 the beginning of 1901, New York and Pennsylvania were the only States 

 which had actually embarked on policies of permanent forest land 

 ownership and administration. Not a single State had a technically 

 trained State forester, nor were there until 1900 any technically 

 trained foresters in the United States outside a very small number 



