158 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



which he started* and animals which he introduced roamed at 

 will, while trespassers cut trees without warrant. But its future 

 is more assured than it was twelve years ago, because fire, graz- 

 ing, and trespass are now controlled. The present scarcity of 

 seedlings is not necessarily discouraging. In situations so ex- 

 posed, it may happen that young trees will start in considerable 

 numbers only at infrequent intervals, when there happens to 

 come a good seed-year followed by weather conditions favor- 

 able to the germination of the seed and the first few years' de- 

 velopment of the delicate seedlings. This combination of cir- 

 cumstances may not have occurred since the organization of the 

 National Forest in 1905. Even granting that planting is imprac- 

 ticable in that locality, there is still hope for Chagoopa Town. 



The hope centers in the continuance of the forester's care of 

 the region. There are powerful selfish interests still at work 

 quietly trying to undermine and finally break down the whole 

 structure of governmental forest administration, which has 

 been so painfully built up. The forest has all it can do along its 

 frontier to hold back its unavoidable foes. If to its natural 

 enemies we add man-made ones, the war-zone forest cannot 

 stand against the onslaught. Within certain limits, man as well 

 as Nature has a hand in determining where timber-line shall be. 

 At least, we can see to it that there is no unholy anti-forest alli- 

 ance between destructive man and the other (less ruinous?) 

 forces of Nature. We wish you well, Chagoopa Forest ! 



* Lightning starts many fires; man starts more. 



