CANADIAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 99 



1906, July 13, Tranquille Reserve, by Act of Parliament. 

 1906, July 13, Hat Creek Reserve, by Act of Parliament. 

 1906, July 13, Donald Reserve, by Act of Parliament. 

 1906, July 13, Larch Hills Reserve, by Act of Parliament. 



1906, July 13, Elk Island Reserve, by Order in Council. 



1907, Sept. 14, Jasper Park Reserve, by Order in Council. 



Sept. 17, Yoho Park, reduced 105 sq. miles, by Order in Council. 



The work of making forest reserves is still progressing, and will need 

 to progress in Canada for many years. This year the region around the 

 Waterton Lakes in southwestern Alberta was examined for this purpose. The 

 forester who examined it recommended that 195 square miles be set aside. 

 Also, territories adjacent to certain reserves have been examined with view to 

 ascertaining their suitability to be added. Recommendations have been 

 made that 130 square miles be added to the Spruce Woods Reserve in 

 Manitoba, 238J square miles to the Pines Reserve in Saskatchewan, 45 square 

 miles to the Beaver Hills Reserve in Saskatchewan and 192 square miles to 

 the Cypress Hills Reserve in Alberta. 



It is the policy of the Department in throwing open territories for settle- 

 ment, to put into forest reserves all land that is unsuited to agriculture or 

 grazing, and in making these examinations the foresters have kept this policy 

 in mind. 



GRAZING ON FOREST RESERVES. 



It is not the policy of the Department, however, to exclude from the 

 reserves all land suitable for grazing. In fact, they already include large 

 grazing areas, and, if the recommendations made this year be sustained, such 

 areas will be added to the Cypress Hills and Beaver Hills. These areas are 

 among timber, and so we include them, rather than to exclude the timber. 

 Nor is it the policy of the Department to prevent grazing on these areas. 

 For several reasons it is desirable that they should be grazed. The forest 

 reserves are for the use of the people ; then why should good grass be allowed 

 to go to waste if it can be utilized? The grazing may be desirable also as a 

 protection to the woods. In some places the ground is covered with a dense 

 growth of long grass and peavine. This, when- dry, offers much fuel for fire; 

 and when the fire once gets into it, it is almost impossible to check the flames. 

 Cattle on the prairie have much the same habit as the Buffalo. In going to 

 water they follow one another and make paths which they follow day after 

 day. These paths are fire lines where the fire may be checked, small to be 

 sure, but there are many of them, and they give lines from which to back- 

 fire. 



Perhaps it will be objected that grazing prohibits the reproduction of 

 timber. It seems to me, however, that the interference with reproduction 

 from this cause is much overestimated. I know in the West many fields 

 grazed constantly that have come into timber. There is danger from over- 

 grazing, but from judicious grazing there is much less danger than from long 

 grass and peavine. 



PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE. 



The problem of protecting the forest reserves against fire is the most 

 difficult one we have. The fire problem is difficult even in the eastern pro- 

 vinces; but the conditions for fighting fire here are very favorable as com- 

 pared with those prevailing in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and eastern 



