FOREST POLICY OF PENNSYLVANIA 



By |OHN L. STROBECK 



O\YI.\<i ti> the >laml Pennsylvania 

 has taken with regard to tree 

 propagation, in accordance with 

 the principles of economic forestry, she 

 now occupies a position the prominence 

 of which i> not the least of her assets. 

 1 say assets because it is that promi- 

 nence which acts as a continual incent- 

 ive to interest with the landowners in 

 forest preservation and reforestation; 

 and what can be accomplished by an 

 aroused public is well known in com- 

 mercial economy as well as politically. 



Hut it is the intention to review and 

 discuss the policies of the Department 

 of Forestry of the state with regard to 

 the public lands now under the man- 

 agement of the Department, rather than 

 the economic status regarding private 

 lands. The Department has under its 

 management with absolute title "780.000 

 acres of forest land, with options foi 

 purchase on other lands to the extent 

 of U5.0O;) acres, which represents near- 

 ly $3,000,000 paid- for titles. How- 

 ever. Commissioner C'onklin places a 

 conservative estimate of $5.000,000 as 

 the actual value based on current values 

 of these lands to the state at the present 

 time. 



Pennsylvania -tands >econd among 

 the states in the number of acres of 

 state forest land. N'ew York alone ex- 

 ceeding her. I'.ut if liberal opportuni- 

 ties continue to be given for the pur- 

 pose of purchasing forest land, it i- a 

 <|Uestion of only a few veai's of time be- 

 fore the state will lead in this respect 

 also. In fact, it is the express desire 

 of ( 'lovernor Stuart, as given in 

 a speech at Kethlehem thi- summer, that 

 'he state continue the purchase of for- 

 est land until it has in it- possession 

 or control a t< 'tal of 6,OQ >.< < > acr< 



Localities where di-content an>s ( 

 when acquisition was tir-t attempted. 



are now reconciled in the majority of 

 cases because of the advantage 



afforded 



i i i To the poor mountaineer, in 

 whose vicinity the greater areas of the 

 Reserves are situated. Me secures la- 

 bor with more ease, since improvement 

 is also necessary under the ]>olicics of 

 the state aside from the usual harvest- 

 ing which was carried on formerly; and 

 harvesting also requires more labor be- 

 cause of the conservative and efficient 

 manner in which it is done. More la- 

 bor is therefore, the result, and this 

 strikes a responsive chord in this class 

 of people, which ultimately places the 

 Department in their favor. 



l 2 ) I'.ecause of the advantage afford- 

 ed the small landowner who can rest in 

 greater security from devastation by 

 tire, owing to his close proximity to 

 slate lands, where protection is a note- 

 worthy feature. Me also secures an ad- 

 vantage when he is given work by the 

 Department during portions , ,f the vear 

 when his labor is not required on his 

 own property. Me secures winter labor, 

 when formcrlv he remained idle dur- 

 ing tin- colder months. Me also enjoys 

 gra/ing privileges on an equality with 

 the large -tockraiser. for rates are the 

 same to all. an 1 his allotment i< hi- 

 only SO long as he pays the rates. < if 

 course these a- Kan; ages are not always 

 clear to him. for his interest generally 

 lies locally only; but it is sin-pricing to 

 note how speedily these people art' com- 

 ing to an appreciative frame of mind 



1^1 I'.ecause of privilege- accorded 

 s|x>rtsinen. Although restrictions are 

 ported over state lands which require 

 ol>ser\ance. \ e! the\ are very reason- 

 able and still more effective, and the 

 s|x.rtsm;in has the additional advantage 

 of avoiding trespassing pr<.c. The 



game commission, by authority and ap- 



481 



