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THE FORESTER. 



May, 



Water Supply and Forestry. 



If there is one question above another 

 that comes nearer to the people of South- 

 ern California, it is that of an abundant 

 water supply how to get it and how to 

 retain it ; in other words, the preserva- 

 tion of forests and water, as the one nat- 

 urally insures and secures the other. 

 As it is, the rain which falls on our 

 mountains, which have been so much 

 denuded of vegetation, rushes in tor- 

 rents down the bleak slopes, and is re- 

 sistlessly carried through the canyons out 

 into the great ocean deep, instead of be- 

 ing arrested by tree and root, branch 

 and blade, and conveyed into the re- 

 cesses of the earth nature's great res- 

 ervoir for the natural storage of a vast 

 supply sufficient to meet all the demands 

 of man. 



The thinking, prudent people have 

 become thoroughly awakened to the ne- 

 cessity for taking active measures to 

 remedy the trouble and as far as possible 

 prevent its recurrence. Organizations 

 are being formed, memorials presented 

 to the legislative authorities, State and 

 national, and measures suggested both 

 scientific and practical whereby to fur- 

 ther prevent the great forest destruction 

 which has been going on all these years, 

 causing the headwaters of our rivers and 

 streams to be laid bare, so that the wa- 

 ter, instead of seeping into the ground 

 and being deposited in the mountain 

 fastnesses of mother earth, is carried off 

 in torrents, causing, in many cases, great 

 flood and waste. It is a question of ac- 

 tion by the individual, and by the Gov- 

 ernment. The individual who owns or 

 controls large land areas should give 

 earnest and immediate attention to this 

 important question. 



The Government has wisely created a 

 number of forest reserves, and the policy 

 is being continued in the setting apart of 

 others as their needs are understood and 

 the public necessities require. It is not 

 only the preservation of large trees 

 which is looked after, but also the smaller 



growth which in their sphere perform ant 

 important function in the economy of 

 nature through every twig and fiber of 

 which the rain and moisture percolates 

 the soil. The question is one of protec- 

 tion and promotion protecting the ex- 

 isting growth from further destruction 

 by fire or otherwise, and also the pro- 

 motion of its growth. In this way can 

 the great watersheds be preserved and 

 effectually made to serve the great pur- 

 pose which nature intended them to do. 

 The primary object of Forest Reserves 

 is stated to be that of saving and im- 

 proving the forest for the purpose of se- 

 curing for the people a permanent sup- 

 ply of timber and also insuring condi- 

 tions favorable to continuous water flow. 



Every public-spirited citizen who ap- 

 preciates and values these conditions is 

 gratified that the Pine Mountain and 

 Zaca Lake Forest Reserve was estab- 

 lished, the only regret being that it had 

 not been done long before. What is 

 left in the public domain of the Santa 

 Ynez Mountains and which is now 

 chiefly valuable for forest-reserve pur- 

 poses should have been included, as 

 they are situate right on our borders, in 

 fact at our very doors ; so close, indeed, 

 and so important as to seriously influ- 

 ence our continued and permanent water 

 supply, together with the prevention of 

 destructive fires which periodically sweep 

 over them, and not infrequently menace 

 property, and also to guarantee the bet- 

 ter care and preservation of the remain- 

 ing vestige of growth upon them. 



It is a question of public concern, a 

 matter extremely vital to our present and 

 future welfare, and it is exceedingly grat- 

 ifying therefore to know that the proper 

 measures are being taken to have them 

 brought under the supervision of the 

 forest reserve control, so as to secure 

 and perpetuate these important safe- 

 guards against the possibility of anni- 

 hilating our forest and water supply. 

 Editorial, Santa Barbara (Cat), Press. 



