100 MANAGEMENT REQUIRED. 



Theoretically such a plan could not be expected to be efRceint. Super- 

 vision of officers is impossible. Fires are not prevented. No method 

 is adopted to prevent forest fires. The plan of attacking a forest 

 fire sacrifices time. When a fire does occur, promptness in getting to it 

 is the key to success. Under this method prompt attack is impos- 

 sible. 



The water companies, resorts, irrigators and power companies most 

 directly interested in the protection of our mountain watersheds, all 

 agree in condemning the present plan of forest mismanagement. 



PROPER METHOD. 



With this destructive criticism, we pass to what the plan of man- 

 agement for our forest reserves in Southern California ought to be. 



First, we can say that there are temporary and palliative measures 

 that may be advisable. Of these we may mention the employment of 

 army details for patrols, and a plan like that of Mr. Lukens for an en- 

 rollment of call men near the mountains. These to be picked and 

 reliable men of experience, ready to fight flre at a given signal. This 

 would be like the old town flre systems. This is a method still 

 general in small communities for extinguishing fires of buildings. 



The ultimate system of forest management must have a permanent 

 and skilled force of men to carry it out. How shall we obtain such 

 men? 



There is but one way. This is by Forest Schools. Work and study 

 in the forest is an essential part of every forest course. Civil service 

 rules are a "sine qua non." Forestry is now a career in Europe and 

 in India. There are also fairly effective forest systems in Australasia 

 and in Canada. These forest systems all afford us valuable lines to 

 work on. The conditions here, however, are "sui generis." The best 

 system for American forest work in the great American forest reserves 

 of the West remains to be formulated. It cannot be exactly upon any 

 of the forestry lines heretofore or now followed elsewhere. 



Our system of forestry has many different climates and conditions 

 to meet. A complete plan cannot be expected to appear all at once and 

 fully ordered to fill varying needs. It seems only prudent for us to 

 outline a system for the Southern California reserves. 



