PUBLIC ASPECTS OF FORESTRY 529 



ty 





Indiana 2,000 acres 



New York 1,41,523 



Pennsylvania 920,763 



Michigan 231,349.58 " 



Massachusetts 2,000 



Connecticut 1,509 



Maryland 1,900 



New Jersey 13,720 



Wisconsin 385,000 



Vermont 1,700 



Minnesota 51,000 



Kansas 600 



Total 3,253,184.58 acres 



PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE OWNERS 



Forestry in this country will not be entirely solved merely by public owner- 

 ship. Even with a considerable extension of the national forest system and 

 with the establishment of large state forests, the amount of private forests will 

 undoubtedly exceed that publicly owned. One of the most important problems, 

 therefore, is that of the practice of forestry by private owners. 



There are a number of ways in which the public, which has so great an 

 interest in bringing about the practice of forestry, may contribute to help the 

 private owner in overcoming certain difiiculties which he faces in practicing 

 forestry. This assistance must come primarily from the state and not from 

 the Federal government. The Forest Service has authority to aid private 

 owners through advice in methods of handling woodlands, and indirectly its 

 investigations in methods of forestry are of great benefit to the private owner. 

 In a limited way, also, the government is now assisting private owners through 

 co-operation with the states in the protection of lands on important watersheds 

 of navigable rivers. In general, however, the assistance to private individuals 

 must be worked out by the states. 



The most important duty of the states in this regard is the protection 

 from fire. A number of states have recently taken an advanced position in 

 this matter and have not only passed effective forest legislation, but have 

 provided for the organization of fire patrolmen. It is not proper that the 

 state should bear the entire burden of protecting private property, but it 

 should furnish the machinery which will enable the proper organization of fire 

 protection in co-operation with private owners. The reduction of the fire 

 risk removes the greatest obstacle in the way of forestry. The second induce- 

 ment for private forestry is the introduction of a fair system for the taxation of 

 growing timber. The state may, further, render to private owners direct 

 advice and assistance in methods of conservative handling of forests. 



PUBLIC REGULATION OF PRIVATE FORESTS 



The question has already come up in a number of states whether the public 

 should place restrictions on the handling of certain classes of land in order 

 to prevent injury to the public. I have already mentioned the fact that in most 

 European countries there is a measure of public oversight of the management 

 of private forests. 



In many states there are already laws regarding incendiarism and respon- 

 sibility for setting fires by carelessness or accident. In several states there are 

 restrictive regulations regarding the use of fire in burning brush and clearing 

 land, and in some laws have been passed regarding the disposal of brush after 



