self-interest of the forest owner who sees a profit or 

 commercial advantage in reforestation; or shall re- 

 forestation be assured by recognizing squarely that 

 forest lands have the nature of public utilities and 

 hence that the public shall exercise a voice in their 

 management and use? 



The every-day incentives of business or personal 

 interest will undoubtedly go part way in growing the 

 timber which must be had to supply the requirements 

 of this country. But they will only go part way. In 

 the weighing of immediate profits, big areas of timber- 

 growing land would still be left idle. Furthermore, 

 in many portions of the United States general refor- 

 estation is not possible without a large degree of pub- 

 lic co-operation, indeed of public participation. Pub- 

 lic aid must be had by the forest owner in controlling 

 the high fire hazard attendant upon an inflammable 

 investment which must be carried over a long period 

 of time. Public aid must usually be had through an 

 adjustment of taxation to the nature and growing 

 period of forest crops. Farm crops would not be 

 grown if they were taxed twice a week during the 

 growing season. Nor can forest crops be generally 

 grown if subject to the full burden of taxation thirty 

 or forty times before they become marketable. 



In the nature of things, therefore, reforestation can 

 not be left wholly to private initiative although every 

 just and reasonable encouragement should be given 

 the forest owner to utilize it as a business opportun- 

 ity. The public must, from the very nature of forest 

 properties, be an active participant. The public must 

 put around forest lands the conditions which, by and 



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