71 



realize that Illinois must do things as Illinois, and not as sections of a 

 state. We are already co-operating with the Federal Government in the 

 topographical survey. In this map-making the ground is being prepared. 

 There is this background for study and thought. There have been papers 

 prepared, relating to various minor features of forestry. There have been 

 small groups of people interested in this thing. And now I come back 

 to where I started, saying that the forestry program of Illinois is still 

 tentative, and as for a forest policy, we have none. I believe I am also 

 justified in saying that Illinois is working on a lot of things which are 

 preparing the way for us so that if Ohio, Indiana and Illinois get together, 

 working with the Federal Government, doing those things which can be 

 done, Illinois will be ready to co-operate, and Illinois will lend its influence, 

 not only in the halls of congress, but also at home. (Applause) 



THE CHAIRMAN: We have all been interested in Dr. Shepardson's 

 talk, and I know it will bring out much discussion when we come to that 

 point. It interested me, because he admitted that we were ahead of Illinois 

 in forestry. All of you are aware that Indiana made some changes in the 

 last legislature, and created a Department of Conservation, which covers 

 five or six different offices, listing them under this board. After the Gov- 

 ernment created this board, which was to commence action the first of 

 April, the board thought only of one man as director of these departments. 

 He was a man who took great interest in parks, conservation, had spent a 

 good deal of time and money along these lines, and so we selected for this 

 position a man who will talk to you now, and who no doubt will give us 

 something which will be appreciated, Col. Richard Lieber, Director of Con- 

 servation for the State of Indiana. (Applause) 



MR. RICHARD LIEBER: Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, at the ban- 

 quet last night Mr. Bookwalter referred to an accident which happened 

 to a lonely tree in France. That to us, sounded like a strange incident for 

 nobody in this country has ever thought of planting trees for the future 

 since everybody expects that the remnants of forests that we do have 

 should last forever and so save us from the necessity of exerting ourselves. 

 Whereas in the old countries of Europe tree planting has become a necessity 

 and has been practiced for centuries, we are now just in the early stages 

 of considering it. It is not that we are less careful than the other nations, 

 not that the other nations are wiser than we are, but it is because neces- 

 sity has not yet driven us to it. As matters are shaping up at this time, we 

 still have a margin of safety, but is it always wise to use the margin of 

 safety? We should be prepared to have that material which is so essen- 

 tial, therefore the entire matter of forestry is one of public interest. 



The forestry problem of Indiana must be solved on the basis of public 

 welfare. Under this I would include such contributing factors as the 

 aesthetic, climatic, recreational and most important, the economical. 



All these elements are contained in the wider scope of a forestry policy 

 and so interwoven are they into the public weal that it is doubly neces- 

 sary to work out a well defined, at times even a narrowed down, plan of 

 forest management in order to keep its character free from confusion with 

 its attributes. 



The silent woods may be the poet's inspiration, but that is not forestry- 



