STATE FOREST PROBLEMS IN MARYLAND 



BY F. \Y. BESLEY, State Forester 



DOT many years ago the Federal of a few people, who succeeded in se- 

 Government was practically the curing the necessary legislation to es- 

 only agency for organized for- tablish it, and did not come because 

 estry work in this country. Since then, there was a demand for it on the part 

 however, not less than twenty-seven of the people at large. It started in an 

 States have taken up the practice of inconspicuous way, with a small ap- 

 forestry in a more or less systematic propriation, too small in fact to attract 

 way and are at the present time ex- the notice of the politicians. Like many 

 pending over a million dollars annually other states the promoters of the for- 

 in the effort. est movement in Maryland had the co- 

 When we recall the many years of operation of the United States. Forest 

 hard fighting by a few men whose Service which offered a model law, 

 names are familiar to all of you, that that, with a number of modifications 

 was required to establish a forest policy to suit the circumstances, was adopted, 

 for the Government upon the millions One of the good features of the law 

 of acres that the Government owned, was the provision reltaing to a non- 

 it is not surprising that the States have partisan State Board of Forestry, con- 

 been unseemingly slow in adopting a sisting of the Governor, the Comp- 

 forest policy which involved lands troller, the president of the Johns Hop- 

 owned by private individuals who have kins University, the president of the 

 little or no interest in this general State Agricultural College arid two ap- 

 problem of forest conservation. Here- pointees of the Governor, one of whom 

 in lies one of the chief difficulties and shall be a citizen of the State interested 

 accounts in a large measure for the in the advancement of forestry and the 

 slow development of forestry in the other a practical lumberman, engaged 

 states. Few states have large holdings in the manufacture of lumber \vithin 

 of forest land upon which they are the state. Notwithstanding the fact 

 free to practice forestry without re- that Maryland has the reputation of 

 striction. Practically all of the land is great political activity within her state 

 held by private individuals who can boards, the Board of Forestry has been 

 only be appealed to by showing them entirely free from it, and ever since 

 that the practice of conservative fores- the work was organized there has been 

 try will pay and in face of the fire risk, absolutely no political interference and 

 the low value of stumpage, the hap- it is not believed that with an ex-officio 

 hazard system of taxation, and lack board of this character, such a thing is 

 of reliable data as to what may be probable. The forest law has been 

 financially expected, this is difficult to amended in two or three particulars, 

 figure out to the satisfaction of the but in the main it stands to-day as 

 landowner. At the same time the land- representing nearly everything that is 

 owner will continue to hold his land needed from the standpoint of legisla- 

 in timber growth, and is generally will- tion, and its successful working has 

 ing to adopt means for greater protec- prompted other states to adopt many 

 tion and measures to improve growth of its provisions. Forestry in Mary- 

 conditions when such improvement land has a promising field and while 

 does not involve much of an outlay, progress has been slow, a substantial 

 Phis opens up a wide field of useful- foundation has been laid which will 

 v r hich the state can, and does, enable the state to proceed in the de- 

 supply and which means real progress velopment of a forest policy along con- 

 even though it be far from the ideal structive lines. The first appropriation 

 we hope to attain eventually. was $7,000 for the two years 1907- 

 Organized forest work' began in 1 90S ; $8,000 for the two following 

 Maryland in 1906 through the activities years; $9,000 for the next two years 

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