FOREST GUIDES DEPARTMENT 



21 



nt; how forest fires destroy the tree sheds, Somewhere near your home, when the 



that otherwise spring to life and give to those 

 that follow us a crop of timber on which to draw 

 for their needs. 



We will teach you that if there were no stand- 

 ing trees or shrubs, that the birds would not be 

 with us, for there they build their nests to rear 

 their young, while they fly to neighboring fields 



The enrollment of Forest Guides among the Boy 

 Scouts of America is one of the most valuable of 

 recent contributions to the progress of forestry and 

 fire protection in the United States. It will bring 

 to bear the activity and enthusiasm of thousands 

 of capable boys in the work of preventing and ex- 

 tinguishing forest fires, and will be of enormous 

 value also in the creation of public sentiment 

 against them. 



The Forest Guide plan originated in Pennsyl- 

 vania. It was devised by Solan L. Parkes, Scout 

 Executive of Reading, to whom the full credit for 

 originating the idea is directly due. Already in a 

 few weeks nearly 6,000 Pennsylvania Boy Scouts 

 are enrolled as Forest Guides. I hope the move- 

 ment may spread to every other forested State. 

 Gifford Pinchot. 



and devour the insects that would, otherwise, 

 destroy the farmer's crops. 



We will teach you that while we go on learn- 

 ing of this work in conservation and preserva- 

 tion in such language that all can understand, 

 the realization will come to us, and stay by us. 

 that all things were placed in the world by a 

 Supreme Being. 



***** 



IV EXT month, we will have an article on the 

 identification of trees in winter, by J. S. 

 Illick, of the Forestry Department of Pennsyl- 

 vania. This will be very interesting and in- 

 structive, and will give you a great deal 

 l" pleasure on your hikes, where, by bark 

 and bud, you will learn to know the trees in 

 winter. 



***** 



"\Y/"E will learn to do by doing, and with the 



first appearance of this department, I want 



each Forest Guide to do a good Scout turn. 



snow 



covers the ground, perhaps many feet deep, 

 there will be birds, unable to find anything to 

 eat. Each Forest Guide should establish a feed- 

 ing station, and provide food, during the winter 

 months, for our feathered friends. You will 

 be surprised, after a little while, how tame 

 the birds will become, and the excellent oppor- 

 tunity you will have to study the different 

 kinds. 



.***** 



r TO help you more, we will establish a question 

 box, and answer any question which Forest 

 Guides may ask in order to help solve the prob- 

 lems which confront them. 



SOLAN L. PARKES, CHIEF FOREST GUIDE FOR THE STATE OF 

 PENNSYLVANIA AND EDITOR OF THE FOREST GUIDE DEPART- 

 MENT OF THE AMERICAN FORESTRY MAGAZINE 



Boy Scouts not living in Pennsylvania, who 

 would like to become Forest Guides, are request- 

 ed to write me. 



Scoutmasters desiring articles on special sub- 

 jects, we will be glad to hear from you. 



All mail for the Forest Guides Department 

 should be addressed to Solan L. Parkes, Chief 

 Forest Guide, Box No. 9, Reading, Pennsyl- 

 vania. 



