WEST VIRGINIA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 363 



the state of ''any grant of land within the state, which shall be- 

 come a part of the state reserve"; the examination of ''points of 

 interest in the state" as to their desirability as public parks; 

 etc. etc. 



The state forester " * * * * shall act as secretary of 

 the state board of forestry. He shall, under the supervision of 

 the state board of forestry, execute all matters pertaining to 

 forestry within the jurisdiction of the state ; direct the manage- 

 ment of the state forest reserve; collect data relative to forest 

 destruction and conditions ; take such action as is authorized by 

 law to prevent and extinguish forest fires and to prevent forest 

 trespass; cooperate in forestry as provided under section 5 of 

 this act ; advance as he may deem wise, by issuing of publications 

 and by lectures, the cause of forestry within the state ; ' ' etc. It 

 may be said, without quoting further, that there is practically 

 no line of legitimate and helpful forestry work that is not lib- 

 erally delegated by law to the state forester and to his helpers. 



The law provides, also, for a well-salaried assistant state 

 forester and for a complete forest fire warden and trespass agent 

 service. 



The following outline, prepared for this report by Mr. Ed- 

 ward M. Griffith, present state forester of "Wisconsin, shows some 

 of the steps in the progress of forestry in that state, particularly 

 the building up of the state forest reserve during the years from 

 1903 to 1909 : 



"1903 — Enactment of first forestry law placing some 40,000 

 acres of state lands in the forest reserves. 

 State forester to appoint town fire wardens. 



1904— Examination of 40,000 acre tract and also of other 

 state lands suitable for forest reserve purposes. 

 Organization of fire warden system. 



1905 — Enactment of present forestry law, placing all state 

 lands in northern Wisconsin, (some 200,000 acres) 

 within the forest reserves. Law provides for sale by 

 State Board of Foresty of scattered and agricultural 

 lands, proceeds to constitute ' ' Forest Reserve Fund ' ' 

 to be used for purchasing forest reserve lands, and 

 for their protection and improvement. 

 Appointment assistant state forester. 



