OUR FORESTS 29 



COOPERATION WITH THE STATES 



The Federal Government is cooperating with the States in the 

 prevention and suppression of forest fires. This cooperation was 

 first authorized by the Weeks law, which provided for Federal aid 

 in protecting forested watersheds from fire to any State that would 

 spend in the same year an amount at least equal to the Federal ex- 

 penditure. Since 1924, however, cooperation with the States has 

 been carried on under the provisions of the Clarke-McNary Act, 

 considered the most forward step in forestry taken since the passage 

 of the Weeks law. This act provides for cooperation with such 

 States as have State or other forestry organizations in the protec- 

 tion of forests from fire, in assisting farmers in the handling of their 

 woods, and in the growing and distribution of young trees for plant- 

 ing. Funds necessary to carry on the work under the Clark-McNary 

 Act are furnished by the Federal Government, and proportionate 

 amounts are provided by the States. 



STATE FORESTRY 



State interest in forestry antedated Federal forestry by many 

 years. As early as 1777, North Carolina, and in 1787, South 

 Carolina, enacted laws against wilful and careless woods burning. 

 In 1867, Michigan and Wisconsin both made inquiries into conditions 

 and needs of their forests. In 1869, the Maine Board of Agriculture 

 appointed a committee to report on a forest policy for the State, and 

 in 1872 the Maine Legislature enacted a law " for the encouragement 

 of the growth of trees." By this law, lands planted with trees were 

 exempt from taxation for 20 years. Laws offering tree planters 

 either bounties or tax exemption were passed between 1868 and 1872 

 in Connecticut, New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, 

 Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Nevada. In fact, most of the eastern 

 States gave early legislative attention to their forest resources. 



As early as 1872, New York created a commission to consider 

 ownership of the " wild lands lying northward of the Mohawk," and 

 the definite building up of the present Adirondack and Catskill forest 

 preserves dates from 1885. When Colorado became a State in 1876, 

 its constitution provided that the general assembly enact laws to 

 preserve the forests upon the State's lands. California created a 

 State board of forestry in 1885. A number of other States estab- 

 lished forestry bureaus or commissions in the eighties. 



Today, 41 States have well-established forestry departments which 

 carry on activities similar to those of the Federal Government. The 

 States own in the aggregate almost 14,000,000 acres of forest land, 

 and most of them maintain State forests or parks. Some have forest 

 nurseries, where trees are grown from seed for forest planting and 

 for planting along roadsides (fig. 17). One of the most important 

 projects of State forestry administration, of course, is the suppres- 

 sion of fire. Many States have therefore developed excellent systems 

 of forest fire prevention and control. State forestry departments 

 give farmers and other private forest owners advice and assistance in 

 the handling of their timberlands. They also extend cooperation to 

 schools, clubs, and other associations interested in the spreading of 

 forestry education. Thirty States have adopted laws providing for 

 some form of forest study in the public schools. In 12 States the 

 forest laws provide that forest study be a part of the regular school 



