Conservation Commission 175 



There are examples, such as Nehasane Park, the Whitney Estate 

 Preserve and others in the Adirondacks where lumbering has 

 been practiced conservatively and the forests have not been 

 destroyed nor the indirect uses sacrificed. There is no good reason 

 why a productive forest will not produce shade, have a " duffy " 

 floor, be a satisfactory home for game or protect the watersheds. 

 The commercial forests of Europe produce these benefits in a 

 greater degree than nature does in the Adirondacks. 



The fact that forests on mountain tops or steep slopes are not 

 to be lumbered eliminates areas where the cover might be en- 

 dangered. The areas around our desirable lakes would be used 

 for camp sites and if proper rentals were paid would afford as 

 great a revenue as could be secured by lumbering. It would not, 

 therefore, be necessary in the latter instance to remove more than 

 the few mature trees necessary for fuel of the campers. 



A forest produced and maintained under a proper system of 

 forest management would not be less advantageous from any 

 standpoint. 



Fire Protection. — It is true that the slash consequent to 

 lumbering increases the fire hazard, but lopping of evergreen 

 tops reduces the risk to a short period. The present conditions 

 permit reasonable utilization and only a comparatively small 

 amount of slash would be left. As already stated, practically all 

 the merchantable material in a forest is contained in a few of 

 the larger trees, which form but a small proportion of the whole 

 stand, therefore, their removal does not seriously injure the forest 

 cover or produce a large quantity of slash. The operation will 

 necessitate the construction of roads, which will make the pathless 

 localities more accessible and thus afford quicker and cheaper 

 means of travel. These roads can also be made into necessary fire 

 lines. 



The problem of fire protection is by observation station and 

 patrol solved in principle. There is need of much educational 

 work as a preventive, and extension of the system to assure 

 greater security. Appropriations even for such manifest needs 

 are not easily obtained, but a revenue from these lands would 

 make more intensive protection possible. 



