FORESTER'S REPORT. 83 



But the argument here is to make every tract of accessible 

 forest a part of a State park system. The way to accomplish 

 this is simple. Comparatively few forest owners exclude the 

 public from their property, though many do complain, often with 

 reason, of the depredations that are committed. If any com- 

 munity, therefore, will give the owner of one of these prop- 

 erties a reasonable assurance that his interest will not be de- 

 stroyed 'by vandalism the public enjoyment of it need not be 

 curtailed. If the community go a step further and definitely 

 agree to police the property and guard it against fires and lesser 

 injuries, the fullest privileges to the public may be secured. 

 Or a community might acquire a right of usage in a piece of 

 woodland by exempting the property from taxation so long as 

 it was made available to the public. And several small tracts 

 would be preferable to one large one, for the value of any park 

 is in direct proportion to its accessibility. 



It is the desire of the Forest Commission to have the State 

 forest reserves used as parks as largely as possible. This can 

 not now be done to any great extent, because the properties are 

 too remote from population centers. Nevertheless, the reserves 

 will be made more and more available as the improved condi- 

 tion of the fojrest on them increases their fitness as parks. Few 

 will deny that in a community like ours every acre of woodland 

 should form a part of the people's playgrounds. This ideal is 

 attainable through protection and reasonable consideration of the 

 owners. Public possession is the last, not the first, necessity. 



