THE DOMINION FOREST RESERVES IN THE DRY BELT 

 IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 



By Roland D. Craig, F.E., Inspector of 

 Forest Reserves. 



The Hat Creek, Tranquille, Long Lake, Niskonlith, Martin 

 Mt., and Monte Hills Forest reserves, form a group which re- 

 semble each other in situation, purpose and sylvicultural char- 

 acteristics. Situated in what has been known as the " Dr}^ Belt," 

 but what should be called the " Irrigable Belt," the chief function 

 of these reserves is to protect the watersheds from which flow 

 the streams which are turning a land resembling the Majara De- 

 sert into a region of fruitful valleys. The great possibilities of 

 these fertile valleys when watered, are just beginning to be appre- 

 ciated, and anything which assists irrigation cannot easily be 

 over-valued. 



Heretofore the cattle industry has been the chief source of 

 revenue to this district, but the large ranges required in this 

 region of scant vegetation has made it not the most profitable 

 business, and over-stocking has resulted in serious deterioration 

 of the grazing possibilities. It has been demonstrated, however, 

 that by irrigation $300 to $500 per acre per annum can be secured 

 in fruit, and now settlers are pouring into the valleys with the 

 intention of entering this profitable business. The profit nd 

 permanence of this industry is, however, directly dependent on 

 the preservation of the forests on the mountains surrounding 

 the valleys, for in the valleys there is very little precipitation, 

 only 2 inches falling last year in Kamloops, and irrigation must 

 be depended upon. At higher altitudes the precipitation, both 

 in snow and rain, greatly increases, and if protected and controll- 

 ed there is an ample supply of water for the land which is avail- 

 able for agriculture. 



The value of a forest cover for catchment basins is often not 

 fuUv appreciated. Dams and reservoirs may assist in controlling 

 the run-off, but they are expensive and often unnecessar}^ and 

 besides they do not protect the water from evaporation, which is 

 one of the chief sources of loss. The forests not only retard the 

 run-off, but prevent a large part of the loss by evaporation by 

 excluding sun and wind. In that region too .where much of the water 

 comes in the form of mists, which are blown along the mountain 

 tops, the increased surface afforded by the forests arrests much 

 of the moisture which would otherwise be lost. Persons travell- 



