96 Fourth Annual Report of the 



we should at once begin extensive tree planting for shade pur- 

 poses. A plan to carry out such an idea has already been pre- 

 pared. An appropriation should be made to carry on the work. 



LEGISLATION 



The past few years embrace a period during which there has 

 been much discussion and effort put forth along the line of 

 advanced forest legislation. The central feature has been the 

 State's control over private forests. There have been many per- 

 sons and various organizations interested in these conferences. 

 Many proposed measures have been drafted, but the bill intro- 

 duced at the last session of the Legislature was supposed by its 

 sponsors to cover the situation. 



The principle of the proposed legislation was State control, 

 in some cases optional and in others mandatory, but in any event, 

 the owner received relief from taxation and usually other benefits. 

 The main features of the bill were embodied in sections 88, 88a, 

 88b, 89 and 89a. For the convenience of the reader an attempt 

 has been made to prepare a synopsis of the several provisions. 

 There is a distinction made according to the location of lands. 

 The classification depends upon whether or not they are located 

 within either the Adirondack or Catskill parks. Each section 

 will be considered separately and in order: 



Section 88. This, the first provision, is the entering step. 

 It is entirely optional, and may be said to provide for a declara- 

 tion by an owner that he desires to place his property under a 

 system of forest management, controlled by the State authorities. 

 It applies to any private land within the parks and to " unim- 

 proved," " non-agricultural " lands whose value is $10 per acre 

 or less if located without the parks. The prescribed procedure is 

 an application by the owner, an examination by the Commission, 

 submission of a plan for management by the owner and approval 

 of the latter by the Commission. The advantages to the owner 

 are that it permits him to be entitled to the benefits as provided 

 by section 88-b (State to reforest) also section 89-a (State to 

 pay taxes). 



Section 88-a. This section in brief means compulsory reforesta- 

 tion under certain conditions. It is applicable withiu the parks 



