10 Department Circular 112, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



forests with no provision for growing more until wood products are 

 priced on the basis of imported luxuries and their use is restricted to 

 the lowest possible scale of civilized existence. The concerted action 

 necessary to put an end to forest devastation must enlist the National 

 Government; the respective States, and the landowner. 



It is impracticable to nationalize all of the forest land in the country, 

 or even the major portion of it. On the other hand, the results 

 needed can not be attained if timber production is left to the initiative 

 of the private owner of lands or is sought solely through compulsory 

 regulation of private lands. Not only has the public very large 

 interests at stake which justify an assumption of part of the burden; 

 certain fundamental causes of forest devastation can be removed only 

 by public action. Chief among these are the fire hazard of forest prop- 

 erties, particularly of growing forests, and a property tax system, 

 which discourgages or may prevent the landowner from engaging in 

 the business of growing timber. 



On the other hand, the public can not and should not do it all. 

 A measure of responsibility rests upon the landowner, and should 

 be recognized in equitable requirements as to the handling of his land. 

 It is a case of the public and the private owner alike doing their part. 

 Our policy must aim toward timber production on somewhat the 

 same footing as in France or Scandinavia — as an established national 

 practice. This calls for a core of public forests, public instruction 

 and example, public encouragement in protection and taxation, and 

 a responsibility recognized by forest owners to keep their lands 

 productive. 



This summary would not be complete without indicating the 

 essential steps which should be taken to stop timber depletion. 

 The plan here outlined is built up on the belief that the most rapid 

 progress will be made by utilizing the recognized police powers of 

 the several States to stop forest fires and bring about better handling 

 of privately owned forest land. The equitable adjustment of timber- 

 land taxes in such ways as will promote timber production is a 

 responsibility of the individual States. At the same time the 

 national importance of stopping timber depletion calls for the tak- 

 ing of an active part by the Federal Government, particularly in 

 aiding the forest activities of the States, standardizing technical 

 practice in fire protection and forest renewal, and largely extending 

 national acquisitions of forest land. 



THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION NEEDED. 



The Federal legislation needed may be summarized briefly as 

 follows : 



(1) Cooperation with States in Fire Protection and Forest Renewal. 



Legislation is needed, as an extension of section 2 of the act of 

 March 1, 1911 (Weeks law), which will enable the Forest Service to 



