Opinion of a Government Expert. 



T 



A MEETING of the Forestry Commission held 

 in February of this year, there was present Mr. 

 George P. Sudworth, a forestry expert from the 

 bureau in Washington, who was asked to discuss 

 with the Commission the topic of our forestry 

 problem here in Michigan, and make such suggestions as 

 occurred to him in connection with our work here in the State. 

 He was very frank in his discussion of the condition in Michi- 

 gan, and expressed himself to the Commission practically as 

 follows, basing his conclusions upon a report of Thomas H. 

 Sherrard. who was sent out by the bureau at Washington to 

 make an investigation of the lands in Roscommon and Craw- 

 ford counties which have been set aside for a permanent 

 forestry preserve. Mr. Sudworth said substantially : 



"The chief problems of the forestry situation in Michigan 

 are: 



"i. Favorable legislation at the next session of the legisla- 

 ture. 



"2. Reforestation of the vast area of pine-stump lands 

 belonging to the State. 



"3. Collection of data to form the basis of a census of the 

 forest resources of the State, and the economic condition of 

 the forest lands. 



"4. Investigations of a scientific character to throw light 

 upon present conditions of stump land and its future. 



"5. Practical experiments in conservative lumbering, in fire 

 protection, natural reproduction, tree-planting, etc. 



"6. Study of tax and trespass problems. 



"There should be favorable action by the legislature extend- 

 ing the powers and resources of the Forestry Commission. 

 The effort put forth to educate the public and popularize the 

 work is commended, and in line with this it is recommended 

 that men within and without the State who have valuable 

 experience should become interested. The bill before the last 

 legislature providing for the acquisition by the Commission 

 of most of the delinquent tax lands of the State, and which 

 was strongly opposed, is recommended. Now is the time to 

 acquire the land for the work when there is so much of it 

 from which company forests may be formed. I am against 

 trying to make a showing before this is done. 



"Undoubtedly the greatest single problem before the Com- 

 mission is the reforestation of the pine-stump lands. These 

 are the very poorest in the State. Some of it is suitable for 

 agriculture, but the bulk as forest land is a better investment 

 for the State. The most serious obstacle to reforestation is 

 fire. A successful and economical State policy of fire protec- 

 tion is the most difficult and important side of the forestry 

 problem. The conditions for fire protection are pressing, for 

 every year the natural conditions are less and less favorable 

 for natural reproduction and the necessity for planting greater. 



JJ 



