Why Should Trees And Forests Be Planted And 

 Protected In Minnesota. 



BY WILLIS REDDING, 

 Bingham Lake, Minn. 



Trees and forests should be protected in Minnesota 

 because if they are not taken care of there will be a 

 great scarcity of lumber in a very 

 few years. 



The great forest fires which oc- 

 curred last fall destroyed millions 

 of trees in the northern part of the 

 state. Forest fires not only destray 

 trees but also towns. People were 

 burned to death while escaping the 

 flames. If forest fires would occur 

 very often as bad as the one last 

 fall, the trees would not produce 

 lumber enough for fifty years. 



About fifty years ago Minnesota, Wisconsin and 

 Michigan were nearly completely covered with large 

 forests. When the settlers moved on further west 

 from New York and other states in the east, they 

 chopped down many valuable trees. The Indians 

 showed them how to girdle the trees and in that way 

 thousands of trees were wasted. The settlers made 

 board fences and log cabins and that is the way so 

 many trees have been used up. 



Forests need protection. Just think of the many 

 things they give up to the people ! Trees furnish fuel, 

 shade for man and beast, lumber, paper, protect the 

 ground from parching, guard land surface against 



- 18 



