First Annual Report of the 



DIVISION OF LANDS AND FORESTS. 



In the preservation and restoration of the forests in the water- 

 sheds of the Adirondack and Catskill Preserves, the prevention of 

 fires is the fundamental thing. It is of little use to reforest the 

 bare places unless the growth is protected, as a single fire 

 could wipe out the results of several years' work in replanting. 

 The efficiency of the fire protection of the forests is shown in the 

 fact that, although the year 1911 was a year of unusual drought 

 and with an increased number of fires over that of previous years, 

 but one-half of 1 per cent, of the total area of the forests under 

 protection suffered fire loss ; and this, although each patrolman 

 covered an area of over 100,000 acres. 



The State bears the entire cost of the patrolling of forest lands, 

 although it owns less than one-fourth of the area patrolled. The 

 entire expense of the patrol system is borne by the State, as well 

 as one-half the extra expense of the cost of fighting fire. These 

 two items last year amounted to $71,067.60, of which the State 

 paid directly $47,693.62 for patrolling, and for one-half of the 

 cost of hiring extra help in fighting fires, $23,373.98. It would 

 seem only a matter of good business and justice to all concerned if 

 the cost of patrolling and of fire fighting should be based on the 

 area of the forest lands protected. Is there any reason why the 

 State should pay for the protection of the forests of private 

 owners ? An equitable system could be devised whereby each pri- 

 vate owner and the State would pay a just and proportionate 

 amount of the expense of saving the forests. 



So much of the welfare and prosperity of the State at large de- 

 pend upon the protection of the watersheds that the State should 

 assume control of the timber cutting, and by law regulate the size 

 of the trees to be cut. The various interests which now own large 

 tracts of forest lands in the Adirondacks especially have in most 

 cases expressed a willingness for the enactment of such a law, and 

 have agreed to co-operate in seeing that such a law was properly 

 observed. This regulation, which would provide that no trees 

 should be cut under a certain diameter, would be an efficient means 

 to prevent the destruction of the watersheds and a great aid in the 

 work of reforestation of cut over lands, in that it would provide 

 natural reforestation by seed trees. 



