A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 783 



salaries paid and the meager number of men employed are con- 

 sidered. Fire protection has been the principal job, and with experi- 

 ence the men have become proficient in it. 



Administration and development of State forests has been given 

 secondary consideration. It is the more difficult job of the two, 

 because it requires men with techncal training and a longer time to 

 learn. It demands more intensive study, careful observations, and 

 closer supervision than it has had in the past. It is going to necesssi- 

 tate greater emphasis on State effort in this direction, and even 

 realinement of personnel in some State organizations, if the job is to 

 be coped with successfully. 



Due to lack of appropriations, some State organizations are, of 

 course, woefully undermanned. A limited number are just about 

 built up to the point in quantity and ability of personnel to handle 

 the State's forestry problems in a satisfactory manner, and it can be 

 expected they will do so. More will arrive at that situation in a few 

 years. For others, where favorable public sentiment toward forestry 

 is not as yet well developed, and where the State's wealth is dispro- 

 portionately small, the outlook is not so cheerful. A long period of 

 intensive educational effort is indicated, during which a careful and 

 thorough administration of the type of work that can be undertaken 

 must be the primary aim. 



As a rule, the laws authorize the State forestry organization or its 

 administrative officers to carry on a wide range of forestry activities, 

 such as to maintain a system of fire protection, to assist the private 

 owners of woodland, to ascertain facts about and make reports on 

 the State's forest resources, to cooperate with the Federal Govern- 

 ment, to grow and distribute forest trees for planting, and to acquire 

 forest land through one means or another and administer it as State 

 forests. In a few instances, certain activities such as purchase of land 

 for State forests and the growing and distribution of trees to private 

 owners are not permitted. The extent to which the States engage in 

 these various activities and the degree of success attained is largely 

 determined by the State funds appropriated for the various purposes. 



The general trend in State organization is to divide the States into 

 districts and to put a man in charge of each. With aid, supervision, 

 and inspection from headquarters, these men handle most of the 

 various State activities in their districts, especially protection, re- 

 forestation, and management of State lands. Some States have gone 

 further than others in decentralizing these activities and in delegating 

 authority to the district men. Educational activities and legal mat- 

 ters are ordinarily handled by or are under close supervision of the 

 central office, and of course policies and programs are decided there. 

 Extension activities are logically a function of the district men and 

 are handled by them when they are technically qualified for the task. 

 Otherwise, this field is covered by the headquarters organization. 



THE PROMOTION OF PRIVATE FORESTRY 



The chief purpose of most State policies of forestry is to bring about 

 private timber growing. Policies of extensive permanent forest 

 ownership and management by the States are still exceptional. While 

 forest protection, forest research, nursery production of planting 

 stock, and public education in forestry are all necessary for successful 

 public forest management, and while in the States that are engaging 



