and replacement of trees to 
improve the community 
environment. Urban foresters 
work with developers and 
builders to help retain healthy 
trees and to design 
developments that take 
advantage of existing tree 
cover. Such activities 
increase property values and 
provide a more livable 
environment. 
State forestry staffs are often 
called on to help diagnose 
and solve urban tree 
problems. Where cities and 
towns are big enough to 
support their own staff 
forester or arboriculturist, the 
State organization provides 
technical help and 
coordination with other 
programs. 
Rural Fire Prevention 
and Control 
Fire protection is still the 
largest program in every 
State forestry organization. 
Programs have been 
expanded and modernized: 
however, the vagaries of 
weather make fire risks and 
preparation for fire protection 
a very difficult planning and 
management task. 
84 
Looking at the South's 
incendiary history, it appears 
that fire damage has 
stabilized. When the 
fire-cause records are 
examined, it is immediately 
evident that most fires in the 
South are caused by people, 
accidentally or on purpose. 
Thus, a very important part 
of fire protection is the 
prevention activity carried 
out continuously in every 
State. Education of the public 
at all ages is a continuing 
task. The Forest Service’s 
Smokey Bear Program and 
other activities focus on 
children in school. Advertising 
in all forms of the media and 
informational articles in 
newspapers and magazines 
have been the stock in trade 
of State forest-fire prevention 
activity for all age groups. 
More effort is needed to 
understand the 
human-caused fire problem 
and to develop ways to 
correct it. 
Fire programs have several 
objectives directed at 
prevention and control of 
wildfire and the use of 
prescribed fire as a 
management tool. Until the 
late 1930's, fire programs 
concentrated on the total 
elimination of fire from 
