IT hardly seems necessary to explain to the readers of the 

 North Woods the meaning of conservation. However 

 there are so many misinterpretations of the word that a 

 brief explanation is desirable. 



Conservation does not mean the withholding of our re- 

 sources from the markets, it means maintaining a system 

 that will return a maximum from them. If this necessitates 

 checking the exploitation to which they have been subjected 

 it is only that their total yield may be greatly increased by 

 indefinitely prolonging their period of yield. 



There are certain of our resources to which conservation 

 does not apply. Even these have received greater attention 

 than the forests, game and water resources of the state. An 

 iron mine, for instance, never could be handled in such a 

 way that its ore would not ultimately be exhausted but meth- 

 ods are being introduced whereby a greater percentage is 

 realized from the yield but its quantity is fixed. 



Forests are a variable quantity capable of producing a 

 continued revenue. If handled as a crop the benefits may be 

 realized indefinitely and on an increasing scale. By the con- 

 servation of our forests then, we mean, the scientific manage- 

 ment of our forests that we may treat them as a crop, cut 

 them repeatedly as they mature and receive from them a con- 

 tinued revenue. When the forests have yielded one treasure 

 to mankind their capacity has not been exhausted. They are 

 ready to produce another growth and will if conditions are 

 furnished under which they can thrive. 



Our iron mines cannot be refilled but our forest lands can 

 be reforested. In many cases this reforestation will be car- 

 ried on by nature. She is forever attempting this reproduc- 

 tion process but most often some agent of man prevents. 

 Education along forestry lines has taught us that nature may 

 be aided in this reproduction work and returns be made more 

 rapid. Nature takes no count of time and place. She will 



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