302 



Canadian Forestry Journal, December, ipi^. 



Ontario's Railway Enforces Live 

 Policy of Forest Guarding 



Condition of Forest Growth Described by Member of Board — 

 Conservation More Than a Theory. 



By George W. Lee, 

 Commissioner, Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Raihvay Board. 



The preservation of the forests 

 along the Hne of the Temiskaming- 

 and Northern Ontario Railway, the 

 means used to prevent forest fires 

 occurring, the conservation of our 

 timberlands, and the need of refores- 

 tration are live questions with the 

 Commission and are questions the 

 Commission have been— and will 

 continue to be — intensely interested 

 in. The matter is an important one, 

 not alone for the present time, but 

 for all time, the future especially. It 

 is their desire to leave something to 

 posterity that they have themselves 

 largely enjoyed — diminished it will 

 be, but not extinguished is their 

 hope. They desire that much of the 

 young forests will remain after they 

 are gone to supply the wants of 

 those following them, tempering the 

 climate, conserving the rainfalls. 



The southern part of this Railway 

 runs through the Temagami Forest 

 Reserve; part of it through timber 

 berths from which the first growths 

 have been removed by those holding 

 the licenses — taken out in saw-logs 

 and board timber. 



The country near North Bay and 

 for twepty miles north, was timber- 

 ed several years ago. The lands 

 were opened for settlement and to- 

 day are partly occupied. There are 

 considerable stretches of hardwood 

 bush still remaining that is being 

 drawn on 3^early for stove-wood 

 supply. 



Fire Guards Cut. 



From a point ' about forty miles 

 north of North Bay to Latchford is 

 the Temagami Forest Reserve, and, 

 as stated, there are some timber 

 berths interspersed. This section of 

 our Line occupies about fifty-five 

 miles. This Reserve is specially 

 patrolled by the Fire Rangers of the 

 T. & N. O. Ry. and the Government. 

 Large spaces were cut away years 

 ago, on both sides of the line, to 

 form fire zones. Those zones were 

 carefully cleaned up, brush, decayed 

 wood, etc., being destroyed, and for 

 years no fires of any extent have oc- 

 curred. 



North of Latchford, mileage 94, 

 and on up the line to New Liskeard, 

 mileage 113, was occupied by the 

 Gillies Limits and all was largely 

 given over to the prospector from 

 the time of the entrance of the T. & 

 N. O. Railway. All of the available 

 timber — all of it that was fit for lum- 

 bering—has been removed. Some 

 of it was taken out years ago, some 

 of it cjuite recently, most of it was 

 away before the advent of the Rail- 

 way and the coming of the prospec- 

 tor. All but -the younger growth' 

 was sawed for commercial uses. 



From New Liskeard to Englehart 

 (mileage 138) : — This section of our 

 line is situated in the "Clay Belt,"' 

 and is largely occupied by settlers 

 who to-day are getting the bush 

 rather well cleared away and the- 



