WOODS BURNING IX THE SOUTH 6 



others is held to strict accountability. The irresponsible burner must 

 be banished from the woods, and the well-intentioned burner must 

 squarely face the responsibility incurred when he starts fire on his 

 own land. 



The Forest Service of the United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture recognizes that its responsibility in this matter extends to its 

 own practices in the administration of national forests in the South. 

 It has written into its policies for the national forest in Florida that 

 burning of the woods will not be permitted in connection with any 

 further turpentine contracts except to clear off protective strips and 

 to conduct scientific experiments on a limited scale. Similarly it is 

 opposed to the use of fire on any national-forest lands. It has made 

 a systematic effort to eliminate the causes of all unlawful burning ; 

 to strengthen its facilities for extinguishing fires that do occur ; and 

 to enforce strictly its fire-trespass laws and regulations. 



To sum up, extensive forest destruction in the South results from 

 the old custom of unlawful woods burning and the handicap which 

 this custom imposes on the people who want to protect their forest 

 lands for more profitable production. The woods burner, who is 

 gnawing at the vitals of southern prosperity, is permitted largely to 

 evade the responsibility for his acts. Custom, indifference, and lack 

 of understanding often join with him in defeating the efforts of the 

 individual landowner and the public to keep fires out. 



The Remedy. 



The remedy is clear. Individual responsibility for promiscuous 

 woods burning must be established, and the individual must be led 

 through education to realize the need for outlawing such fire and for 

 taking his part in keeping fire out of the forest lands. Those not 

 amenable to reason must be controlled by the vigorous enforcement 

 of law, in order that the interests of the public and the landowners 

 may be protected. Systems of fire prevention organized by States 

 and landowners must be extended and strengthened. 



No one agency alone can cope with this situation. All private 

 landowners, all the Southern States, and the Federal Government, 

 must agree on a common course of action and work together to put 

 an end to unnecessary and costly forest destruction. 



The following program is offered as suggestive of the course to be 

 followed : 



Fire Prevention 



Fire prevention comes first. It must strike through education at 

 the lack of information, the prejudice, and the careless criminality 

 of the woods burner. 



Every risk should be given close study, and direct and specific 

 action should be taken for its control, reduction, and eventual elimi- 

 nation. Every agency of forest protection, public or private, through 

 persistent personal contact should bring home to the town resident 

 and the landowner a realization of the value of forests kept free 

 from fire and of the loss to the individual and to the community 

 that results from fire. There should be developed in each community 

 and throughout the South a public sentiment against devastating- 

 woods burning and a determination to do away with it. 



81731°— 36 



