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AMERICAN FORESTRY I 



VOL. 27 



APRIL, 1921 



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NO. 328 



EDITORIAL 



THE ASSOCIATION'S PROGRESS IN FORESTRY ASSURED 



"DAPID development in the ability of the American 

 *-*- Forestry Association to further promote the cause 

 of forestry is assured by important action taken at the 

 Annual Meeting of the Association on February 25. This 

 was the adoption of amendments to the by-laws which 

 remove the danger of the Association ever passing under 

 the control of special interests, a condition threatened on 

 several occasions, and which assure for all time its policy 

 of truly representing and creating public opinion. 



The amendments make seven of the directors includ- 

 ing President Charles Lathrop Pack, permanent directors. 

 All these men have been directors for the past ten years 

 or more. They represent forestry, conservation, lumber- 

 ing, paper manufacturing, banking, general business and 

 education interests so diversified that these men are 

 pa.ticularly representative of the general public. The 

 other eight directors will be elected by the members, who 

 are now entitled to vote by mail or in person. This per- 

 mits all to have a direct voice in the affairs of the Asso- 

 ciation, a much more democratic arrangement than that 

 previously in effect, of allowing only those present at the 

 annual meetings to vote. Rarely did more than 150 to 

 175 members attend these meetings. This is about one 

 per cent of the membership. 



Adoption of these provisions assuring a continued pub- 

 lic service and public spirited policy also permit much 

 better financial support of the Association than in the 

 past. Certainty that the Association is removed from 

 danger of control by special interests is an assurance to 

 those who desire to aid in its work through substantial 

 financial support that their money is contributing directly 

 to the public good. This condition having been met, the 

 Association will now proceed in its endeavor to secure a 

 substantial endowment for educational work. It has al- 

 ready been assured funds for a national publicity cam- 

 paign for forestry and for many improvements in its 

 magazine and other publication. It is also to acquire a 

 fine, commodious building on Sixteenth Street, Washing- 

 ton, D. C, as a permanent home, a gift to the Associa- 

 tion from President Charles Lathrop Pack. 



The Association is therefore now in a position to do 

 more to promote forestry than ever before. It will con- 

 tinue, unhampered, its policy of truly representing the 

 public. It will further its educational work to the limit of 

 its resources. It will strive to greatly increase its mem- 

 bership, to extend its influence, to secure greater pres- 

 tige, and to advance the whole cause of forestry in every 

 way its capacity permits. 



COUNTY CONSERVATION ASSOCIATIONS 



Z^ 1 ENTER County, Pennsylvania, has taken the lead in 

 ^- >4 organizing an association of all those interested in 

 promoting the conservation of the natural resources of 

 the county. The plan of organization contemplates 

 dividing the county into nine conservation districts, each 

 of which has a series of seven committees dealing with 

 the subjects of forestry, fish, game, wild flowers, song 

 and insectivorous birds, recreation, and education. The 

 Committee on Forestry, for example, is expected to in- 

 terest itself in the general forestry movement, to en- 

 courage the planting of waste and idle lands, the proper 

 care and development of farm woodlands and forests, 

 and their protection from fire and other destructive 

 agencies. It is also interested in promoting the planting 



of shade trees along highways and in towns and cities 

 and about schools and churches. Similar committees 

 handle matters relating to the county as a whole. 



The movement is of particular interest for two reasons ; 

 first, because by its organization in such small units it 

 can enlist the interest and co-operation of practically the 

 entire population of the county, and secondly, because it 

 brings strength to each of the different phases of conser- 

 vation by pooling the support of those interested in these 

 various phases. A neighboring county is already organ- 

 izing along the same lines and four other counties are 

 considering doing so. Those responsible for inaugurating 

 the plan in Center County are hopeful that it will eventu- 

 ally develop into a State organization, and it is not un- 



