XXVlil INTRODUCTION 



the purpose of protecting the watersheds from which potable 

 water is obtained, but the public need of such forests in the 

 vicinity of cities and villages for the purpose of recreation and for 

 timber supply is now being realized. 



Many private owners of timberlands are organizing patrols 

 for the protection of their holdings from fire. More and more 

 attention is given yearly to closer utilization, elimination of un- 

 necessary waste, and future growth. 1 Only a beginning, however, 

 has yet been made in the conservation of private forests in this 

 country. 



6. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE 



If the United States is to hold her present position among the 

 timber-producing countries of the world, or even in a measure 

 supply her future needs for forest products, persistent effort is 

 required on the part of the nation, state, and individual. 



The public forests must be managed so that they will ulti- 

 mately attain their maximum production and retain it for all 

 time. The conservation of these forests is well under way. The 

 real needs are the increase of the area of publicly owned forests, and 

 the saner utilization and better care of the large areas of forest pri- 

 vately owned. The 200 million acres of woodlots embraced in the 

 farms of the country and the 235 million acres of forests owned 

 privately, but in large holdings, must be managed so as to re- 

 duce the present waste and assure future crops. If this is not done, 

 a larger percentage of the forests on non-agricultural lands must 

 be taken over by the public. 



The conservation of the forests depends largely upon the at- 

 titude of the public. Because of their value to the public as a 

 whole, both the nation and the state should assist private holders 

 of forest lands in maintaining them in the best condition as to 

 quality and growth. This can be done by better tax laws, by 

 better fire laws, and by the dissemination of fuller information 

 as to how forests should be managed. A marked improvement 

 over the present condition of private timberlands is essential. 

 The public can well afford to make liberal appropriations for this 

 purpose. Adequate protection can be attained only by means of 

 an organized service during the fire season. The annual loss of 



1 Chapman, H. IT., and Bryant, II. C.: Prolonging the cut of southern 

 pine. (Yale School of Forestry, Bui. II. 1913.) 



