STATE FOREST PROBLEMS IN MARYLAND 



451 





A ROADWAY THROUGH A MARYLAND FOREST. 



The control of forest fires is the most 

 important problem in Maryland, as is 

 apparently the case in all of the other 

 States. It is reasonably certain that if 

 forest fires in the mountains could be 

 controlled within reasonable limits, the 

 timber production of that section would 

 be at least doubled. Without such fire 

 control conservative forest manage- 

 ment is out of the question. 



There are some sections in the State 

 where forest fires are infrequent, such 

 as the southern portion. In other 

 places, such as the central part where 

 the forest lands are generally isolated 

 woodlots, fires are frequent but never 

 so destructive because they are usually 

 confined to relatively small areas. The 

 annual loss from forest fires is about 

 $100,000. the bulk of which is in the 

 three western mountain counties. The 

 forest laws are adequate to deal with 

 the forest fire situation and now that 

 we have secured increased appropria- 

 tions for the purpose, it is believed that 

 a fairly effective system may be es- 

 tablished. The system now in operation 

 is that of local forest wardens, forest 

 patrolmen and lookout watchmen. All 

 of these men are commissioned as for- 

 est wardens by the Governor, upon 

 recommendation of the State Forester. 

 The law limits the number of wardens 



in each county to one for each 15,000 

 acres of woodland or majority fraction 

 thereof. The wardens are under the 

 control of the State Forester and are 

 paid for services rendered at the rate 

 of 2oc. per hour, the county and State 

 sharing equally in the expense. The 

 wardens have the authority to employ 

 assistance, arrest without warrant, the 

 power to summon help in case of emer- 

 gency, and in fact, they are given full 

 authority to deal with forest fires and 

 the enforcement of all forest laws. The 

 forest patrolmen are employed under 

 the co-operative arrangement provided 

 in the \Yeeks Law, the State putting 

 up $1,200, which amount has been du- 

 plicated by the Federal Government to 

 pay the expenses of the patrol work. 

 This amount will be more than doubled 

 for the next year. 



STATE FOREST RESERVATIONS. 



As a general policy the acquisition by 

 the State of large forest areas is open 

 to question. To my mind there are 

 but three legitimate objects to be con- 

 sidered in such purchases. 



1. Mountain lands, which have a 

 high value for water conservation in 

 state streams, in addition to timber pro- 

 duction and upon which the present or 



