PREFATORY NOTi:. 



The Michigan Forestry ) 'oiuinissioii, in coini)iling this ^-olurae, is mind- 

 ful of the fai;t that, although i&sued in. a small edition, it is the perma- 

 nent history of the initial movement which promises important result:? 

 in the future development of our State. In our endeavor to stay the 

 ruthless destruction of timber and awaken an interest in tree-planting as 

 a commercial venture for the State, Ave are entering upon a new era of 

 statecraft. In the rapid elision of oi;r magnificent forest growth, we have 

 not been entirely wasteful, for many grand purposes have been subserved 

 through the commercial use of the products of Michigan forests. We 

 have, in this process, however, been drawing heavily upon our capital 

 without any plan of restoration, or without the creation of anything allied 

 to a sinking fund to care for exigencies of the future. Our commission 

 has set itself about the work of impressing people with the importance of 

 growing timber as an accessory to our agriculture, and one which shall, 

 if well carried out, furnish a i-egular and continuous product from the 

 soil, of great and increasing value. In doing this, the grower of timber 

 will serve his State by supporting numberless commercial enterprises 

 which use for raw material the proclucts of the forest. In accomplishing 

 this purpose, any effort of the State expressed in Avell defined methods will 

 reap a reward not second to any other effort along the lines of production. 

 The statistical matter furnished in many of the papers which are con- 

 tributed to this volume furnish an unanswerable argument in favor of 

 holding permanently in the State large areas of land to be kept as forest 

 reserve lands. 



There must be some legislation carefully thought out in connection 

 with tills change of policy on the part of the State, if it shall be adopted. 

 In formulating this legislation, we are not traversing new ground. Other 

 countries and other states have made advancement, and from their ex- 

 perience we ouglit certainly to evolve a plan which shall, in its application 

 1o our conditions, be of incalculable value to the future of our common- 

 wealth. 



AA'e have a small forest reserve which is little more than an object les- 

 son. The greater question and the solution of the greater problem are 

 matters which have received the careful thought of the State Forestry 

 Commission, and in its recommendations for legislation, there is the 

 single purpose in view of maintaining the resources of our State so as to 

 contribute in the highest measure to the welfare of its increasing popula- 

 tion. Our recommendations are based upon the principles which influence 

 the mind of a well-equipped business man in the management of his af- 

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