, REPORT OF THE 



safe and proper restrictions, to supervise all construction work in 

 streams in order to protect the public's right and safeguard life 

 and property against the danger from impounded waters, to protect 

 oyster beds against pollution, and to establish state nurseries from 

 which denuded lands may be reforested." 



By the provisions of chapter 647 the Conservation Commission 

 succeeded to all the powers and duties of the Forest, Fish and 

 Game Commission, the Forest Purchasing Board, the Water Sup- 

 ply Commission, and the commissioners of water power on Black 

 river. The intent and effect was to consolidate under one head all 

 the closely related duties and problems of administration over 

 forest and stream, fish and game, and to give powerful impetus to 

 the conservation of the natural resources of the Empire State. 



To this end, the law vests the Conservation Commission 

 with jurisdiction over investigation of water resources ; regulation 

 and use of water in the principal watersheds ; safety of dams and 

 reservoirs ; prevention of floods ; supply of potable water to munic- 

 ipalities; disposal of sewage; drainage and irrigation, as well as 

 tree culture and reforestation, the care and custody of forests and 

 parks, and the protection and propagation of fish and game. In 

 order that consolidation might not mean confusion, the framers 

 of the Conservation Law wisely provided for three grand divisions 

 of the Conservation Department, along the natural and logical 

 lines of (1) lands and forests, (2) fish and game and (3) inland 

 waters, and directed that one of the three deputy commissioners 

 to be appointed should perform duties relating to one of these three 

 divisions. Thus, the general scheme of organization centers in 

 a commission, directly responsible to the Governor, and through 

 him. to the people; while each of the divisions, with its bureaus 

 or sub-divisions, has its well defined duties and responsibilities. 



While each of the divisions will be taken up later in this report, 

 it may be well, by way of general summary, at this point to note 

 that the forest preserve placed under the care of the Conservation 

 Commission embraces 1,600,000 acres; that there are 100,000 acres 

 of swamp land in the State which may be advantageously drained ; 

 that six million acres of forest lands are to be protected from fire ; 

 that more than 15,000,000 trees are being grown from seed, in 

 the six State nurseries, for purposes of reforestation; that the 



