Reforestation on the Minnesota 

 National Forest 



H. H. RICHMOND, '12 

 U. S. Forest Service 



The Minnesota National Forest was created by an Act of 

 Congress in 1902. It comprises^ net area of 197,000 acres. The 

 tract is located at the headwaters of the Mississippi River and 

 aside from an economic standpoint, is valuable as a protection 

 forest and also as a public recreation ground. It is known 

 throughout the middle west and even on the Atlantic Coast as 

 the playground of Minnesota. Its many lakes, its excellent 

 beaches and bathing facilities, combined with a stand of virgin 

 white and norway pine, such as can be found nowhere else 

 in the United States, attract many tourists. As a result, dur- 

 ing the past four years, two summer hotels have been con- 

 structed. In addition, thirty-five summer homes have been 

 built along the lake shores by people from Minnesota, Iowa, 

 North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and 

 even New York. 



From an economic standpoint, the Forest is entirely ac- 

 cessible either by water or railroad. The Mississippi River 

 flows through the center, while two railroads cross the Forest 

 from East to West. It is bounded both North and South by 

 waterways. The market for timber is unlimited and the 

 quality of the stumpage is unsurpassed. No substitute can be 

 found for white pine and as for norway, it is second only to 

 the first named species. 



The silvicultural system in vogue on the Forest consists of 

 clear cutting with scattered seed trees. Until 1908, 5% of the 

 entire stand was left as scattered seed trees, but after 

 careful observations it was found that 5% was insufficient to 

 restock the area. As a result a bill was passed which required 

 10% of the stand to be left instead of 5% as formerly. The 

 scattered seed tree system has not proven an entire success 

 on the Minnesota National Forest. It has had many oppon- 



