Forestry Notes. 



141 



the office of State Forester. As enacted, this law lacked much 

 of the machinery included in the original bill to enforce its 

 provisions, yet as an educational measure and a step in the right 

 direction it has served a useful purpose. 



All Californians having the permanent welfare of their State 

 at heart will feel grateful to the Forest Service for its unassum- 

 ing and thorough work in collecting reliable data on such a 

 difficult question. The difficulties which beset one engaged in 

 such work must be experienced to be properly realized. In 

 speaking of this work recently. Governor Pardee said: "Every 

 cent of this money was spent wisely and honestly, as I knew 

 it would be." 



Report of '^^^ ^^^^ public report of State forestry work 

 State Forester submitted to Governor Pardee on Decem- 



ber 8th. This report shows the intimate rela- 

 tion existing between the forests of California and practically 

 every other industry, records the experiences gained under the For- 

 estry Act, and recommends specific changes in the law to provide 

 for its fuller enforcement. The growing field for the practice of 

 technical forestry is alluded to with the recommendation that the 

 fixed salaries for assistants, which is now so low that technically 

 trained men cannot be secured, be removed, leaving this to be 

 arranged by the State Board of Forestry. The present attempt 

 to protect forest areas from fires by the services of volunteer 

 fire wardens serving without pay or direction is shown ineffective. 

 It is urged instead that the State accept an equal burden with 

 the counties in protecting this resource of more than local im- 

 portance, and employ salaried fire wardens, to be on duty during 

 the dry season only. The report is now in press and will be 

 available for distribution within a few days. 



Californi\ ^ matter for congratulation that the 



Redwood Park California Redwood Park has suffered no 

 damage from fire during the past season. The 

 danger from outside fires has been diminished greatly by the 

 opening of fire-lines from forty to sixty feet wide on the ridges 

 surrounding the park. These lines will soon encircle the park, 

 as a gap about one and a half miles wide is all that remains. 

 When this is crossed, and the lines improved somewhat by 

 widening and further clearing, no great apprehensions will be 

 occasioned from any but the largest fires. These lines are not 

 supposed to be automatic, but to serve as vantage-points from 

 which approaching fires can be fought and backfiring be done 

 safely. They will be supplemented by a patrol during the dry 

 season and by a telephone system connecting them with the 

 warden's headquarters for use in summoning aid, etc. 



