100 CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 



need of a forest policy, for forestry conservative use of the forest cannot be 

 instituted where fire is master. 



Even if we were to cut off all our timber and squander it ever so wastefully, 

 our loss would be small and it would be capable of restoration. But where fire 

 and water are allowed to do their destructive work, the foundation is torn away 

 and the loss may become irreparable. 



What then is needed in Canada everywhere above all other measures in dealing 

 with the forest problems is: (1) reduction of the causes of forest fires; (2) 

 increase of the forces to prevent the origin of forest fires and to extinguish them; 

 (3) such division in the use of soils as will open to settlement only bona fide farm 

 soils; (4) such administration of the remaining timber wealth as recognizes the 

 interests of the future. 



To my mind these four problems can only be solved by a radical change in 

 present methods of disposing of lands in general, whether for the timber or for 

 settlement, and in changing the attitude of governments so that they will consider 

 Crown lands rather as the capital of the future than the spoils of the present. 



The causes of forest fires are largely the existence of irresponsible people in the 

 woods, in a minor degree the lack of responsibility on the part of the railroads for 

 the damage they occasion, but mainly that it has not dawned on the people or 

 the governments that there is value in the mere forest cover, and more value in the 

 young growth than in the old timber. As soon as this is fully realized, as soon as 

 the Governments will vigorously undertake to protect this property of the people, 

 not only the log timber, but the young growth, which is now abandoned to its 

 fate, the difficulties of reducing the fire fiend will vanish. 



And when such efforts are made, it will also become just and right to impose 

 upon lumbermen such conditions as regards the disposal of their debris as will 

 reduce the danger from the slash they leave behind. 



At the same time a vigorous educational campaign needs to be carried on to 

 show the people that it is patriotism to keep out and to put out fires. And in 

 this campaign each one of you individually and jointly can become powerful allies. 



In carrying out such a policy the first step might best be the withdrawal of all 

 unlicensed timber lands from the operation of the old license system, as Quebec 

 has practically done last year, and placing them in forest reservations. 



An examination of the condition of these reserves with a view of segregating 

 the lands fit for farm use and settlement, and with a view of planning for the ra- 

 tional conservative disposal of the mature timber on these lands, as well as on those 

 to be kept permanently in forest reserves, is naturally the second step. 



