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REPORT of the ;
Wisconsin Special Legislative Committee
on
FORESTRY
of the
- Senate and Assembly
Made to the
Members of the 1915 Session of the Wisconsin : Legisiature
Pursuant to
CHAPTER 670 OF THE LAWS OF 1913.
~
REPORT of the
Wisconsin Special Legislative Committee
on
FORESTRY
of the
Senate and Assembly
Made to the
Members of the 1915 Session of the Wisconsin
Legislature
Pursuant to
CHAPTER 670 OF THE LAWS OF 19138.
PERSONNEL OF COMMITTEE AND ASSISTANTS
Members
Senators: A. PEARCE TOMKINS, Chairman, Ashland, Wis. HENRY A. HUBER, Stoughton, Wis. W. L. RICHARDS, Milwaukee, Wis.
Assemblymen: AXEL JOHNSON, Secretary, Turtle Lake, Wis. R. J. NYE, Superior, Wis. H. M. LAURSEN, Shell Lake, Wis. E. J. KNEEN, Bangor, Wis. O. F. ROESSLER, Jefferson, Wis. ,
Cissical Force A. V. GRUHN, Reporter, Racine, Wis. C. H. RAWLINSON, Clerk, La Crosse, Wis.
Cruisers
JOSEPH STEVENS, Washburn, Wis. ERNEST DOPP, Superior, Wis. GEO. L. COTT, Shell Lake, Wis.
1. Monaghan Plantation. White Pine. Two Years After Planting. Mt. Alto, Pa.
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on a t
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Adoption of Report
Bill: Relating to Consolidation of Departments Bill: Relating to Taxation of Private Timberlands Committee Findings; Summary of
Consolidation of State Board of Forestry with other Departments Change in Fire Law
Findings of Committee; Summary of
Financial History of State Board of Forestry
Fire Law; Change in
Introduction
Investigation; Methods of
Letter of Transmittal
Methods of Investigation
Personnel of Committee and Assistants
Private Timberlands; Taxation of
Report; Adoption of
Report and Findings of Committee
Summary of Committee Findings
Summary of Work and Financial History of the State Board of Forestry
Taxation Taxation of Private Timberlands Transmittal, Letter of
Work of the State Board of Forestry
Letter of Transmittal Honorable Sirs:
On behalf of the Special Legislative Committee on Forestry, appointed under Chapter 670 of the Laws of 1913, I transmit herewith their report.
Very respectfully yours,
(Signed) A. PEARCE TOMKINS, Chairman.
To the Members of the Wisconsin Legislature for the Session of 1915:
Dated, Ashland; “Wis:,.Jan. 4, 1915.
Hotel Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, January) loi.
Mr. Roessler moved that the report herewith sub- mitted by the Chairman be adopted as the final re- port of this Special Legislative Committee on For- estry, the same be filed with the secretary of state with the request that he have printed two thousand copies thereof; that no bill defining the extent of the proposed permanent reserve or a method of disposal of the agricultural lands be submitted at this time but that such bill be offered separately to the Legislature at a future date, the report to contain a statement that such a bill will be so offered; and that the Chairman be authorized to affix the signatures of the members - of this Committee now present on said report.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Nye and upon roll call the vote was as follows: Ayes—SENATORS Huber and Tomkins. ASSEMBLYMEN Johnson, Nye, Kneen and _ Rvessler. Noes—None. Total Vote—Ayes, 6; Noes, none.
Approved: (Signed) A. PEARCE TOMKINS.
Chairman.
2. Monaghan Plantation. White Pine. Four Years After Planting. Mt. Alto, Pa.
7
INTRODUCTION
A storm of protest was raised in Northern Wis- consin by the statement. in the report of the State Forester for the years 1911 and 1912 that the present state forest holdings of 400,000 acres should be in- creased so that the reserve would consist of between one million and one million and a half acres in order tosblock up and consolidate, the present. State lands. The same report claimed that the State should pur- chase at least 800,000 acres more in the permanent forest reserve area and it recommended that the Legislature pass a bill defining the boundaries of the reserve as follows: Commencing at the southwest Corer Ol 1.536,’ kk. 3o- B.; Price County, thence east along the south line of T. 38 to the eastern boundary line of Forest county, or the southeast corner of T. Soe 14-7: thence north, alongs: the: east ‘ine of FR: 14 E., to the Wisconsin-Michigan boundary line, or the Menominee river; thence west along the Wiscon- sin-Michigan boundary line to the northeast corner Omeasection to tm —©..44. Rh. 4, Eh .2) thence south ‘on. the east line-of -—R—_4=8. to the northeast corner of T. 43, R. 4 E.; thence west to the northwest corner of T. 43, fe 4° 6... thence’ south to the northwest corner of T. 41, R. 4 E.; thence west to the northwest corner VT. 4k R. 2°. thence south to the southwest .corner Oi 41. he ook. ehence east to the northwest.cor- nero: Ul. 41. R..2 E.; thence’ east ‘to the’ northwest eormer of . 4), R.3 -E.> thence. so-fh to the. south- west cormer.o1 I. 36; (Ri 3 -E., or th. point ‘of. bégin- ning, excepting from the same the following:—
lL jkands-within the limits of any village or city.
2. The following townships or portions of town- ships: Ca) ee bts (Ose. Che tT hessoirth. half -ofe ab: 420, 5R:6> E. (¢) “phe east two-thirds of TL: 38, R. 9 E. (d) \The-south- two-thirds of“ T...38, -R: LOT: (AIPA Dis Cote ated hall whl Be Gaede. 40, Re LOE:
a) Dae 4a, | Ai oss. (kh) The north -two-thirds -of “TT. 41,. Re ids Es
The announcement of the above policy, together with the misunderstanding brought about by a lack of knowledge of the intention of those interested in forestry, engendered such a feeling in the north- -astern part of Wisconsin, particularly in the counties of Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price and ‘Vilas, that every pressure possible was brought to bear upon the mem- bers at the last session of the Legislature to stop further purchases by the Board. This seemed partly to have grown out of a misunderstanding, not as to the location of the lands to be taken as a permanent forest reserve, but as to the character of the lands so to be used. A large delegation was present at the hearing on the bill creating this Special Joint Com- mittee and a great deal of interest and _ bitterness was displayed by the people of the district affected™
An examination of the pages of the report of the State Forester* will show conclusively that it never was the intention of the Forestry Board to take any but non-agricultural lands. The following was the language used by him: “‘The proposed act should clearly point out that it is the intention of the state to eventually acquire all the unoccupied and non- agricultural lands suitable for forestry within the boundaries of the forest reserve.”
This will also be seen from the following quota- tions from the reports of the State Forester:
“Tt is one of the tenets of forestry that no land should be held permanently under forests which is more suitable for agriculture, and every parcel of land within the state forest reserve will be examined with this in mind, so that land which is valuable for agriculture may be withdrawn and offered for sale. By such careful selection, the creation of an adequate state forest reserve will in no way retard the devel- opment of northern Wisconsin, but, on the other hand, the state’s forest policy of culting conserva- tively, and so always having something to cut, will
in a few years give to all the settlers near the re- * Report 1911-1912, Page 21.
serve, plenty of good paying work during the winter, when it is most needed. Every state has areas that are not arable, and such, but only such, should be held permanently under forests.’’(*) .
“The best available estimates show that there is approximately 13,000,000 acres of unimproved land in the twenty-two northern counties. Most of this land has a good soil, is free from rocks and is well adapted to farming, so that eventually probably 10,000,000 acres will be used in some form of agri- culture, leaving somé 3,000,000 acres for forest srowth.
‘It should be understood that these figures are mere estimates, based upon the best available figures, but they are probably approximately correct in the proportion of agricultural to non-agricultural land and give some idea of the situation.
“It need not be feared that the State. Board of Forestry will try to class agricultural as forest land, for it is one of the main tenets of forestry that‘ tim- ber should not be held upon land suited to agri- culture, as_there is enough land in every country which is suited only to forest growth. However, although foresters receive some training in soil analy- sis, they are not experts and should not attempt to finally classify lands, where the question is a close one to decide, as it is in so many sections of northern Wisconsin.’’(*)
“Town and county officials and land companies are naturally loath to admit that any of their land is non-agricultural, and they are prone to charge foresters with discouraging settlement. But _ the tenets of forestry are that no land should be kept for forestry that is more valuable for agriculture, and certainly the Forestry Board would be inclined to welcome settlers in the forest reserve as they would usually prove good workmen whose interests would be identical with those of the state.
“But the Forestry Board would be doing a great wrong to encourage any man to locate on an isolated tract of rather doubtful agricultural land in the heart
* Report 1906, Page 7.
t+ Report 1909-’10, Page 59.
of the forest reserve. for though the man might be willing, it would doom his wife and children to a hard, lonely existence without the benefits of good schools of a growing community.” (*)
The people of Northeastern Wisconsin were led to believe that it was the purpose of the Forestry Board to acquire all the lands within this proposed area excepting a few townships adjoining the settle- ments, villages or cities therein. If the language used by the State Forester is carefully studied it can clearly be seen that this was not their purpose. The intention was to restrict future purchases to a given area and to confine those purchases as nearly as possible to lands not suited to agricultural use and unprofitable for farming. This could not be done, of course, without acquiring some agricultural lands, but where the attention of the Board had been called to lands of known agricultural value, these districts had been eliminated and the lands offered for sale by the Suate:
During the session Bill No. 487, A. was enacted unto a law and became chapter 670 of the Laws of 1913. This bill provided for the appointment of three members of the Senate by the President thereof and five members of the Assembly by the Speaker thereof whose duty it was, first, to report at the next regular session what areas of land now held as forest reserve, and those parts proposed to be included within such forest reserve, within the counties of Forest, Iron, Price, Oneida and Vilas are bette adapted to agricultural than to forestry purposes and whether the best interests of all persons con- cerned, and especially the taxpayers of the State will not be better promoted by devoting said lands to other than reforestation purposes. Pursuant to this act the following members were appointed: Senators: A. Pearce Tomkins, Henry A. Huber, W. L. Richards, Assemblymen: Axel Johnson, Ray J. Nye, H. M. Laursen, E.- J. Kneen and: O..F;. Roessien:
* Report 1911-1912, Page 57.
Oy ? a Banas
3. Monaghan Plantation. White Pine 10 years after planting. Mt. Alto, Pa.
e
METHODS OF INVESTIGATION.
On the 20th: day of October; 1913, the members of this Committee together with three practical cruisers of long experience, Messrs. Joseph Stevens of Wash- burn, Wis.; Ernest Dopp of Superior, Wis.; and George Ik Cott of Shell Make, Wis.; met’ at Muinoc- qua in Oneida County and proceeded, first, to the State Forestry Headquarters at Trout Lake.
During a period covering the next nineteen days, from this point and from: Boulder Jct., ‘the Blue Grass Farm, Kraft’s Camp-in 43-7, Star Lake, Say- ner, Eagle River, Tomahawk Lake, Rhinelander, Knapp’s Resort on Sugar Camp Lake in 38-9, Min- ocqua, Hazelhurst, Powell, Manitowish, Mercer,, Winchester and the Ranger’s Cabin at Rest Lake, the Committee under the. guidance of the above named cruisers and with the assistance of different forest rangers furnished by the Department of For- estry spent their time in a personal examination of the following townships or parts of townships: Township 58 noninesrange 6 casts Loe Ny, Re 7s; ir SSuNe eR aerisen i Son N., Ra 9) Bot Ta 38-Ns Re Wane bes OrNiget, Roel oon Nes AO EG) F.3d NGS ier iS 9)aN ane Oo Bee T2739) INo A. 9) JEL;
er ON Gk eke 400. Ney Re 7 Es ds. 407 N., Em ein ere a 0) Beso TAO. ON Rs LO Ee, deel eo deere Ade IN. RecA ls ly AT CIN, neyo wel eel Ne elke wy obese AON) Re Sy Bie; eel NG elt 5M AD ING Re ee 2 IN oy TA: Oe eA Niot ine Gio Wh, A2N2. TA 7) aes. De 42 Nee Ouest. Ni, leno swe ed VN. Ro A ES; ee oN ines ole be Ase Nis Raed, a5 L. 44° IN Feo 1s.
These trips were made on foot except where, by use of horses, railroad speeders, and trains time could be made in going to and from a starting point. Care was at all times taken to know almost the exact location of the different parties into which the Committee was divided. Every effort was made to reach the farms located in the. area visited and to engage the farmers in conversation and get their
14 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
ideas as tothe agricultural possibilities of the lands with which they were familiar. In this way the Com- mittee got most excellent information as to the char- acter of the soil and general topography of the coun- try. The visit was made at a time of the year when a considerable distance could be covered with very little fatigue and when the trees were devoid of fo- liage and the ground bare so that soil conditions could be. plainly seen. This trip was made to cover the wildest part, perhaps, of the forest reserve area and into a region where there were very few settlers, although, of course, on many occasions the Com- mittee visited territories which were quite thickly populated, especially for this Northern country. Notes were made on every section reached, and on the return of the party to headquarters at night one member of each crew dictated a report of the day’s trip with such additions as the other members and cruiser accompanying them might suggest. These were signed by the Committee members and cruisers and have been preserved.
The route covered by each crew was planned by the Chairman of the Committee and an examination of the map showing the area inspected will demon- strate that some of the townships were covered most thoroughly.
The rangers were of great assistance as guides, being familiar with the different roads, section cor- ners, quarter posts, lakes and other land marks and were depended upon to guide the Committee to the places desired to be reached, where, with the assis- tance of the cruisers, no difficulty was had in ascer- taining the exact location.
On February 5 and 6, 1914, pursuant to notices published for several weeks in all of the newspapers printed in Vilas county, a hearing was called at the Court House in Eagle River. Through a misunder- standing upon the part of some of the people inter- ested from that district and a desire to have the meetings held in the summer, an attempt was made to adjourn this meeting by the people of Vilas
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE Ld
county. On arrival at Eagle River, however, it was found that several people desired to be_ heard, so that-the-day. of the oth’ and part of the 6th were occupied in taking testimony as to the character of the soil and the agricultural possibilities of Vilas county in particular and all the lands in the pee reserve area in general.
After this hearing adjournment was had until the 10th ‘ef March; 1914, at Phillips, Wis., where after notice being given as in the case of the Eagle River meeting, a hearing was held and many witnesses appeared and testified.
Like hearings were then held at Hurley in Iron county on the 11th; Crandon, Forest county on the itn and loth: Magle-River-on the 16th and. 17th: Rhinelander, Oneida county, on the 19th and 20th. These hearings were all well attended; many cruisers, lumbermen, real estate men, farmers, and others well acquainted with the lands in these five counties were sworn as witnesses and furnished the Committee with much information.
On June 22d several members of the Committee met at Minocqua, Wis., and by the use of two auto- mobiles made a ‘trip which included Woodruff, Coon’s resort at Trout Lake, the Wright Farm, Blue Grass Harm, Boulder 2ct:( A. “L: Stevenson: Farm in 1. 41-7, State. Headquarters at Trout Lake, High Lake, Porestry Cabin’ in Section 12-42-8, Star Lake, Say- Hele G ot noenmamn wakes hagle River, Sugar--Gamp Lake in T 38-9, Rhinelander, where a morning was Spent company with Senator W. T: Stevens in visiting several farmers, Newbold, McNaughton, Mazelhurst,= and) “back - to ~Minocqua. All. farms within reach were inspected. At this time of the year, though the spring was somewhat backward, opportunity was presented to get a good idea of what could be expected from the soil. Small grain was all up, the hay had most of its growth, and corn and potatoes were above the ground. This trip “covered much of the same area visited by the Com- mittee in the fall. Mr. John Bolger, a farmer and
16 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
heavy land owner of Minocqua and Mr. E. M. Weaver, Chief Forest Ranger, were with the party. The reason for covering substantially the same area as examined in the fall was to see the territory at a time when everything was in bloom and _ growing,’ because the former trip was made at a period when practically all vegetation was dead. - While it might be said that in both of these trips the territory covered was, some of the wildest and poorest in the proposed forest reserve, still, visits were made to some of the very best kind of land. Members of the Committee at all times went out of their way to visit the fields of farmers and into their granaries and cellars to see what crops had been harvested.
Prior to this last trip an attempt was made to have the Executive Committee of which Mr. A. W. Brown is the Chairman and Mr. B. N. Moran the Secretary, and known as the ‘“‘Executive Committee Representing the Counties of Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price and Vilas,’ plan: a trip and accompany the party, but this was refused, they stating that the trip should be made at a later date.
In the latter part of. July the Chairman jor-this Forestry Committee wrote to the Secretary of the above mentioned Executive Committee asking that they fix a date or dates for the Committee to make another tour of inspection in their company and under their guidance, but no- reply was had to this letier.
On July 23, 1914, the following members of the Committee met at Buffalo, N. Y.; Senators: A. Pearce Tomkins, and H. A. Huber; Assemblymen: R. J. Nye, E. Je -Kneen, and HixM. Laursenyiror-tite purpose of making a tour of inspection of the forest reserves of Pennsylvania, New York and Connecti- cut and with the further idea of visiting as many private plantings of white and norway pine as could be conveniently reached and of seeing as much as possible of the natural reproduction of these two specie where they had been protected from fire and otherwise.
4. Monaghan Plantation. White Pine. Twelve Years After Planting. Mt. Alto, Pa. Gruhn, Photo.
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE By
On the afternoon of the 24th the members were meteat Galeton, Potter County; Pa., by Hon.. Robert Se Conkhnswkon.41. (Ge. Wallvams, : Hon.-Simon: .B. Eiliou.s andwiton. J. Linn Harris, iof the. State For- estry Conservation Commission, together with several other foresters and parties interested in forestry work. Visits were made to the State Nursery.at Asaph in Tioga county, plantings of trees about Cross Fork in Potter county, and an inspection made of their ranger cabins, telephone lines, roads, and fire lines in what is known as the Stewardson Township dis- trict. Every courtesy possible was extended by Mr. Conklin and the other gentlemen of Pennsylvania and much valuable information ‘received as to the practical work in forestry and an ample opportunity given to compare the work .of the Pennsylvania for- estry department with that of our own State.
On, July 27: the party was taken in charge by Hon. Clifford R. Pettis, State Supt. of Forests, of New York State; at Saranac Lake, N. Y¥. -Fhis is in. the Adirondack Forest Reserve. Visits were made to Raybrook and Chub Hill p#antations, Saranac Inn Nursery, Lake Clear Nursery, ‘and the Carley Nur- Sery, and: *to*-the State. plantings at .,.uake Clear Junction and Paul Smiths. The plantings in New York are more extensive than in Pennsylvania -and the work has been carried on since 1901 so that plantings of trees up to thirteen years were seen. The oldest growth was of scotch pine near Lake Clear Junction. These trees averaged eighteen feet in height. Several plantings of white and norway pine were also seen. These, without exception, were doing well, illustrating that the planting, cultivation and growing of pine trees from nursery stock is feasible. Nowhere was there any failure or sign of failure.
Mr. Pettis also accompanied the Committee to Warrensburg and Chestertown, N. Y., in the terri- tory. West and North of Lake George. Here many thousands of acres of natural, second growth of white pine were seen ranging in age up to sixty years. The
18 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
soil in this territory is sandy by reason of which it seems that the white pine seed has a much better opportunity to germinate, and, therefore, the very best results were obtained from natural seeding. Many stands of pine were here seen which would be coveted by the lumbermen of Northern Wisconsin. In fact, the growth is such now that some of it is being cut.
Considerable of the lands upon which were found this second growth of white pine were old abandoned farms which had been cultivated for many years and given up because of their light sandy nature making them unprofitable for farming.
No better opportunity could possibly be had for studying the attempts of nature to reforest cut-over and abandoned farm lands. Everywhere that any seed trees had been left, excellent growths were found; and where the fire had been kept out the second growth stand was fully as good as the virgin timber. There is no reason why, with the proper fire protection, much of Northern Wisconsin will not in time become rehabilitated with a growth of white and norway pine of great commercial value.
Mr. Charles Faxon of the Faxon Estate at Ches- tertown imparted much valuable information to the Committee, showed them over his holdings and ac- companied them on a visit to his private plantings, one of which was white pine planted in 1884. This planting adjoined a natural second growth forest so that a very good opportunity was afforded for a com- parison of natural and artificial forest growths.
At Warrensburg the Committee visited a_ planta- tation of white pine thirty years old. This planting was made by an Episcopal Congregation, was two acres in extent, and showed a fine growth.
On the 3lst day of July the Committee was met by Hon. Walter O. Filley, Chief Forester for the State of Connecticut, at Hartford, Conn. Under his direction the Rainbow plantations conducted by the Forestry “Department and consisting of many dif- ferent varieties in all ages of growth up to fourteen
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 15)
years, were visited. We next saw the planting of white and norway pine owned by Mr. Amos Bridge of Hazardville, Conn., planted by the Shakers some forty or forty-five years ago. The next day in com- pany with Mr. Filley and Professor J. W. Toumey, Dean of the Yale Forestry School, plantings of the New Haven Water Company adjacent to the City of New Haven, and two private plantings at Greenfield Hill near Bridgeport were examined. Not only from the work seen and the plantations visited but from the opportunity afforded in coming in contact with men thoroughly versed in the work of the forestry departments of these three great States did the Com- mittee gain much valuable knowledge.
On Aus..3; in company, with -Hon. Robert. Ss. Conklin=4 trip was. made to the Mt. Alto Forestry School at Mt. Alto., Pa, and here the Old Forge, Irishtown, Monaghan and South Mountain planta- tions were seen. The plantings were older than in the North Central part of Pennsylvania and the re- sults obtained covered a longer period of time. Pennsylvania has planted 6,000 acres principally to white and norway pine averaging 2,000 trees to the acre. ._ This planting has cost on an average, $9 per acre, exclusive of cost of land and interest on the investment.
On all the tours of inspection many growths of white, scotch,.norway and western yellow . pine, European larch and norway spruce were seen. These plantations covered hundreds of acres and all stages of. growth from one year to twelve years. Every- where the results were the same. Nowhere had the attempt to grow trees proved unsuccessful. The stock all appeared thrifty and showed wonderful growths each year. Some of these were measured by the Committee and reached a growth of thirty-five inches for this year, and it ‘was stated that they would probably grow another three inches before the season was over.
The Committee held a meeting with the members of the Forestry Commission of Pennsylvania and
20 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Hon. I. C. Williams, Deputy Commissioner of For- estry, Hon. Simon B. Elliott and other gentlemen present went into detail and described the work done by the Forestry Department of Pennsylvania from its nceeption. .
Both Mr. Pettis of the New York Department and Mr. Filley and Prof. Toumey of Connecticut were most kind in furnishing every bit of information pos- sible and answering the many questions of the Com- mittee.
Careful observations were made of the soil, cli- matic and other conditions with the idea of ascer- taining just how far conditions in the States visited compared with those of our own.
The people of Wisconsin will, no doubt, be inter- ested in the comparison of the work of our own State with that of the East. While we have been at work a very few years only, what has been done measures up in every way with the work of our sis- ter States. .The nursery beds at Trout Lake com- pare very favorably with Eastern nurseries and are fully as good as any the Committee saw elsewhere. Our plantings of pine, while much younger, are doing fully as well. These plantings have all been made from stock grown in our own nurseries with the exception of a few thousand Western Yellow pine purchased from the State of Michigan before our own nurseries were turning out any planting stock. When it comes to results obtained in the construction of fire lines, telephone systems and rangers’ cabins and the gen- eral work of maintenance, we believe the results we have accomplished are as good, if not better, than. those of the three eastern States visited.
The State Forester is to be congratulated on the field force under him. We found them all to be very thorough and much interested in their work.
On Nov. 12, 13, and 14, 1914, a general hearing was held at the Hotel Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Notices were sent out to a great number who had signified a desire to express their views as to the kind of a forestry policy Wisconsin should engage in.
Natural Reproduction.
White and Norway Pine on Cut-Over Lands
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE PA The meeting was well attended, considerable interest shown, and much. valuable inforamtion was elicited. Oni Dec, jlsaa, meeting was held at.the City of Rhinelander in Oneida county for a conference with members of the Legislature from that territory and with others from the district affected by the plan for a proposed permanent forest reserve.
pp, REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
SUMMARY OF WORK AND FINANCIAL HISTORY OF THE STATE BOARD
OF FORESTRY
(Furnished by Mr. E. M., Griffith, State Forester, upon questions submitted by the Committee.)
Office Force.
Salary Stale Ones ten ae ss a IRs oe Ss Pee oe $3,600 Ghief(Glenk:: (5-22. 38 .8s8268, let ee oe 1,500 NCONOBTADMON. 2a. = sence ee © ee ee rn 900, Dotala te oa ae Oe $6,000 Field Force. Number. Salaries. OT CSERUQGASSTSLOIILS meee eee ee ee 5 $3,600 1 at $85 per month. 2 at $60 per month. 2 at $50 per month. NOTE. ‘Two of the forestry assistants devote almost their entire time to the forest nurseries and planting work. eOrests ARG G Eh See ee ee 12 $11,200 1 at $130 per month, Head Ranger, (furn- ishes two horses) 3 at $100 per month (each furnish one horse) 3 at $85 per month. 5 at $50 per month. NOTE. Where it is necessary for a ranger to purchase and keep a horse he is allowed $15 per month. Number. Salaries Dumber: Grutser a eee 1 $1,500 1 at $5 per day for time he actually works. Locomotive Inspector_....__.__-_______________- 1 $1,500 1 at $5 per day for time he actually works. Laborers at Headquarters Camp____--------__- ~~~ 2 780 Laborers on forest reserve, variable ( approx.) —__—_- 10,000
Crews building roads, fire lines, nursery work, planting, etc.
Totelics 22. sco o- 323th oye ee $28,660
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Buildings.
The following buildings have been erected on the state forest serve, VIZ:
Big Trout Lake Cost. Feaaquantersa Camp. esos see oe 2 eee 2 20,968 TSE ge ep 5 es as Oe Ne PR Of pe eas Boathouse and, Pumping: Station= 2222.22 770 licewlousesands Woodshedses: 220 25c2ee0 seer = 576 (CRE OE) OI RRS OY 0) ayers hah Ng se Ss ya ne ed ee [285 Ghickentand =RoolsHOUSe S822 ae ee ee oe 85
nO tales Sea erator ees. ee oe © doe ee $8,829
Rest Lake Ven Oe me Ain taareyae ene See 2 oe = Oe ee on en $1,600 (Baleares Pceienat. omen nem OR a Sat RN mk wc By Coert ees NS 540 Mens? wGabin= 2227. 225.1 BP nel ae eee a a he Re ae 520 Wroodshed ands lee: Housess 22222222 ee eee PES: Wasonshed and: ool JElouse.222-..2°-8 422 ode 8 165
GING (oll eee oR eyes ote Wire ee eee ere ee yt $3,100
Oxley an cers Galbine es we aed Ee Se ee ee ee $1,500 [BE eh 0 eS JS, eee Pp agp eR ee PS eee Cay 157 IWrensce Cal ir tsetse Ait eer aoe tee ree pr 502 Wioodshedandelcesouseies22- Se es ee 300
[Ray eg lee SESS conto ll G Belep oe a ab RC rE ee $3,059
Plum Lake ranger Galylae. sarees eee fa) hie fla ie $1,614 INTen ste Gab ieee een naa yy A ei Gee Ka BL 560 IES TFT Reena es Sy eam CUNT em 6 per See ae ea Rae's eee ee 484. licesElousevands Woodshed=-22-" 24). fea si See 287 Wasonshed wand) *roolalouse 27s 5.2.3 22. ee Se 124
GO Cale Sere ae eA eee Cha: Oe 72) eRe Me ad $3,069
Star Lake Ranpens@albin= 268. oft 2 eee So ee eee $2,108 EAT eee AN eye a eT a Wipe Ot aS Dente oh 863 IN Tem say @,ally mae ee ee Nes ee Sn een 472 ces Elouset andmWoodshed. 2-8 —- = a a 266
ko tal’ 2S ee ume reece! FA nf ay a 8 ed be $3,709
Wildcat Lake ANG er se Cabit sree Ree eee. Te Se Sos Sea $2,414 Bet gO be ae rents aie PERN ay BSA cophvr Sg ea Oiees scree aeeed “ns ae 731 ITT Spa Grailby TT ste Ss crea a ey epee ety te Ue 475 WWoodshedmand see. Houses. 2222 oe eee Mo ee 342
23
Lee
24 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Tomahawk Lake
Hanger Cabin...2-. - -. 5 255 ee ee $1,987 Barn and. Wagon’ Shedi__..422. eae eee 802 Mens’ Cabme 2. = eee. 425 Ice House and Woodshed_______-_____________________ 305
Total... | 222212 + a ee Os Ns ee 3,519
Carroll Lake Mens” Cabin=.. a eee $52 37
Buildings Purchased by State for Use of Forest Rangers
and Patrolmen
Vilas County Value Cabin “in ‘Sec: 23. -44-/ _- = a ee oe eee $ 50 Cabin in Sec: 12, 42-3 Eo ee 300 Cabin in Sec:14, 43-7 F_... ©... 2 eee 100
Total --€ =." 782 ote a Oa a ee ee ee $450
Tron County Value
Cab. im Secsa2e 4 Ve $100
Forest Nurseries
Two forest nurseries are maintained, one at Big Trout Lake, Vilas county, and the other at Toma- hawk Lake, Oneida county. The nursery at Big Trout Lake contains approximately 8 acres, and has an annual average output of 1,000,000 trees. The average cost of raising the young trees of all species including everything—value land, clearing, fencing, seed, salaries, labor, depreciation, etc., is as follows:
i year. seedlings...2.1 2s. 2 ee $ .78 per thousand 2 year seedlings_____.___________-______- .90 per thousand 2 year transplants. 322. eae ee 1.72 per thousand
The Tomahawk Lake nursery was started in the spring of 1914, and will produce its first planting stock in 1916. It contains 3 acres and the annual output will be between 400,000 and 500,000 trees. It is expected that the cost of producing the trees will be approximately the same as at the Trout Lake nursery.
a
6 Second Growth White and Norway Pine. Mt. Alto, Pa. Tomkins Photo.
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Forest Plantations
Approximately 1,000 acres of land in the forest reserve which had been cut and burned over before it was acquired by the State and which was not re- stocking naturally, have been replanted with the fol- lowing species, viz: White pine, Norway pine, Nor- way spruce, Scotch pine, and Western yellow pine, the first two species largely predominating. Some 1,110,200 trees were used in the planting operations, and it is estimated that at least 85.per cent of all the trees are growing and are in a fine healthy con- dition, and this is more than sufficient to assure a good, heavy stand of timber. The average cost of the plantations, including everything—cost of trees, transportation, salaries, wages, etc., has been $4.98 per acre.
Sale of Nursery Stock
In order to encourage the reforestation of lands from which the timber has been cut and which are not suitable for farming, the policy has been adopted of selling planting material to citizens of the State, ava small cost... During ,.1914 ‘there were sold. to citizens of the State for reforestation in Wisconsin 24,000 trees at an average price of $3.50 per thou- sand trees. It is expected .that this demand for state nursery stock will increase rapidly.
Surveying Island and Lake Lots
Congress granted to Wisconsin as additions to the forest reserves, all unsurveyed islands in inland lakes North of town 33. In this way 637 islands have been added to the forest reserve, and nearly the entire time of one of the forest rangers is taken in surveying these islands and the lake frontages which are being laid off in lake lots. The forest ranger detailed to this work receives $85 a month.
Locomotive Inspection
ihe passage of Chapter )494, Laws 1911. gave Wisconsin one of the strongest and most practical
26 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
laws in the country for reducing the number of for- est fires set by railway locomotives, donkey, traction and portable engines. One inspector is employed and each season he inspects between 600 and 700 locomotives, and sees that the railroad rights of way are kept clean and free of inflammable material. The inspector is paid $5 a day and his traveling expenses.
Cruiser and Trespass Agent
One timber cruiser is employed and this man also acts as trespass agent. His duties are to look after the 88,822 acres of land owned by the State outside of the forest reserve, to prevent timber trespass and to report on all sales of land or timber. He receives $5 a day and his traveling expenses.
Care of State Parks
The Legislature in 1913 gave the care and super- vision of the State Parks to the State Board of For- estry and made the following appropriations for their maintenance and improvement for two years:
Park Acreage Appropriation Peninsula State Park___________~ 3,700 acres $18,000 Marquette State Park_____-_----1,671 acres 8,000 Devil’s*ake State: Parke 22225322 1,040 acres 10,000 Interstate State Park_._..___.__._- 550 acres 2,000 AO Galas = ee See Se ae 6,961 acres $38,000
Camp for Convalescent Consumptives The State Board of Forestry is co-operating with the State Board of Control in establishing a camp for convalescent consumptives on the shores. of Tomahawk Lake, in Oneida county. The patients will be given work both in the forest nursery at Tomahawk Lake and in forest planting.
Forest Ranger School
The State Board of Forestry is co-operating with the University in conducting a course which trains
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE Aik
men for the work'of forest rangers. From January 6 Hos April 14 the instruction is at the University. From April 16 to August 1 the students are given instruction and work on the forest reserves, and when working for the State they are allowed $40 per month and board.
Game Preserve
In co-operation with the Game Warden’s depart- ment 218. acres of forest reserve. land near Big Trout Lake, Vilas County, have been enclosed in a same. proof fence and stocked with deer. The Government has offered to give Wisconsin 50 elk and it is expected that these will be received early in 1915,-and placed in the game preserve. By liberat- ing the deer and elk as their number increases the forest reserve will be kept stocked.
Study of Farm Woodlots
In cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service, a study of farm woodlots is being made in order to assist farmers in the better management of their woodlands, including the cooperative marketing of their timber. Sixteen counties have been com- pleted, and within two years it is hoped to com- plete the work for the entire State. Two of the forestry assistants are now devoting their entire time to the work. They receive $50 per month and their traveling expenses.
Study of the Taxation of Timberlands
In cooperation with the U. S. Forest ‘Service, a report has been issued on “‘The Taxation of Forest Lands in Wisconsin.” The main purpose of the study was to determine the extent of the burden now carried by timberlands as a result of the pres- ent methods of taxation, and what influence, if any, such methods of taxation have or will have on the practice of forestry by private owners. The U. S. Forest Service paid the salaries of the foresters in
28 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
charge of the work and Wisconsin paid their travel- ing expenses. The cost to Wisconsin of this study was $612.54.
Study of the Wood-Using Industries
In cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service a re- port has been issued on the ‘*Wisconsin Wood-Using Industries.” The study was made with the idea that by gaining a knowledge of the needs of the manu- facturers and of the timber resources of the State, a rational forestry policy could be outlined so that the producing and consuming industries dependent on wood may be perpetuated and enlarged.
The U. S. Forest Service paid the salaries of the foresters in charge of the work, and Wisconsin paid a portion. of. their traveling expenses... The cost ito Wisconsin of this study was $107.25.
Federal and State Fire Protective Work
Congress under the provisions of the Weeks Law, authorized the U. S. Forest Service to cooperate with the various states in protecting timberlands upon the headwaters of navigable streams from forest fires. The act provides, however, that no part of the ap- propriation shall be used in any state that has not established a forest fire patrol system of its own, and therefore only a few states were able to qualify.
Wisconsin’s application for assistance in protecting the headwaters of the Wisconsin and Chippewa rivers was approved, and for the last four years the Wis- consin State Board of Forestry has been allowed $5,000 each year to employ Federal - patrolmen. From about May 1 to December 1, twelve Federal patrolmen are employed to assist an equal number of state forest rangers in protecting all lands from fire within the forest reserve. During the last two seasons the Chicago & Northwestern Railway has contributed over $900 each year to employ forest patrolmen, and lumber companies and private indi- viduals have also cooperated in this all-important work of prevention.
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 29
Lookout Towers
For forest fire protect on, four 55-foot steel look- out towers have been built on some of the highest hills within the forest reserve. From all the towers the country can be seen for 10 miles in almost any direction, and during dangerously dry weather the observers report immediately by telephone any fire or smoke that may be seen. The average cost of the towers has been $136.90.
Cutting Stubs
Old dead stubs are one of the most prolific means of spreading forest fires, as the fire quickly runs up the dead bark to the top of the tree, and a slight wind will carry the burning bark for long distances. Such old stubs have been cut back for six rods on each side of over 125 miles of roads and fire lines at an average cost of less than $6 per mile.
Slash Burning
Where the slash from old lumbering operations is heavy, and especially where it adjoins timber or other valuable property,-it is necessary to pile and burn it so that rt shall not be a.constant meance to the forest reserve. Over 1500 acres of dangerous slashings have been destroyed at an average cost of bo per acre.
Roads
In order to make the forest reserve easily acces- sible to the forestry force, to. the few settlers who live in this region, and to the thousands of tourists, and also to serve as fire lines, there have been con- structed 248 miles of dirt roads, at a cost of $32,734, or an average cost of $131.58 per mile.
; Fire Lines
ioscontrol the spread of forest fires, the forest re- serves have been gridironed with a system of roads
30 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
and fire lines. In this way the reserves have been split up into blocks and through this system it is comparatively easy to confine a forest fire to a small area. There have been built 141 miles of fire lines at a cost of $11,939, or an average cost of $84.67 per mile.
Telephone Lines
The telephone is the most important aid in forest fire prevention and fire fighting, as the headquarters camp and all the ranger cabins and lookout towers are connected, and help can be promptly secured as soon as a forest fire starts. There have been built 76 miles of telephone lines at a cost of $2,731, or an average cost of $35.93 per mile.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE ail
SUMMARY OF THE FINANCIAL HISTORY OF THE STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO DATE.
Appropriations for Administration Purposes:
HS) (OS eA ter te 8 ie oe eer ys eens aS A se $4,045 IRS eg ge pls fal oS a Ae ne LO a 5,500 MOOG Ft Oe see at earn weer eee ss be Sec J EE 9,800 OO Gane eae eee apm cel ew ee eS eS 9,800 GS 8 oa jet i Pee eee eo, 9,800 TG OS— 1 Oke ees ey Fe oh Re AU er ahh es I oe Se 9,800 TS 8 dK) ce Sc gpl 29 ea ea 9,800 LO LOS Ties os 2 se pete Wate Wes aan ed ot feet ae ae WOLO00 LIROYT ET 52) 2 See ge Sl EE Fy EB EN EU 2 Og ee 35,000 Lie) genie Ste Shee net Cage tra Sey ote SNS 3 Sy att 1912-13 I ee ra ee SE or ee el ae et es Rohe 35,000
5h D2 GS ge fe eo ee $173,345
Gifts of Land to the Forest Reserve:
Nebagamon Lumber .Co., 4,321.07 ac. at $10.00____- $ 43,210
Federal Government, 19,950.57 ac. at $5.00 _________ 99,752 Federal Government, 637 islands__________________~ 204,566 fRotaleValic ote Donations. 6] =. 2 = Bes Pees $347,528 Total Value of Donations to the Forest Reserve_____$347,528 Total Appropriations for Administrative Purposes____ 173,345 Excess Donations over Appropriations__________- $174,183
Purchases of Forest Reserve Lands:
Acreage purchased from $2.00 or less to $2.56 60,217.62 acres
Acreage purchased from 2.68 to 3.50 56,972.54 acres Acreage purchased from 3.75 to 4.60 38,451.95 acres Acreage purchased from 5.00 to” 6.50 3,270.67 acres Acreage purchased over 6.50 90.77 acres
‘otaly AcreasesPurchasedz eres] sae nn = =o See 1595003255
Acreage of Lands Purchased and Donated:
dotalpacneage, purchased 02.2 ae eee 159,003.55 Movalwactease donated: 9.2 2228s sao Sess 2 Soe 24,271.64
Total ee ey et Gags ete obs el § 2 Vers 183,275.19
ae, REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
From the above it will be noted that the donations of land comprise over 134 per cent of the total acreage of all lands acquired.
Reforestation Fund.
Congress in 1906 granted to Wisconsin 20,000 acres of land as an addition to the state forest reserve and the act provided that the scattering and agricultural land can be sold, but that all income from the lands ‘an only be used for reforesting the forest reserve. Out of the ‘“‘Government ‘Reforestation Fund’’ is being paid the cost of the reforestation work in Wis- consin, and there now is a balance of $16,000, which will pay for the work for several years, and there will be more income from the same source in the future.
Conditions of Gifts
The above act of Congress provides that if the forestry work is ever abandoned in Wisconsin the state must return to the Federal government the balance of the 20,000 acres remaining unsold, and must also refund to the government all moneys re- ceived under the grant and not used in reforestation and the interest which has accrued on the fund. This would mean that at the present time we would lose some 14,000 acres of land and would have to pay back to the government approximately $15,000.
The gift of land from the Nebagamon Lumber Company and also the gift of 637 islands from the government have the same conditions attached, namely, that they must be returned to the donor in case the state gives up its forestry work.
Therefore, as will be seen from this statement, Wisconsin would lose by abandoning its forestry work all donations or $347,538.00.
The total appropriations for administrative pur- poses have been $173,345.00; the purchases of forest reserve lands amounting to 159,000 acres at an average price per acre of $3.32 makes a total of approximately $528,000.00; all of which makes a
8. Shaker Plantation. White and Norway Pine About 45 Years After Planting. Hazardville, Conn. Gruhn, Photo.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE op:
total expenditure of approximately $700,000.00. De- ducting therefrom the value of donations, $347,- 000.00, leaves a total investment of about $353,- 000.00.
To off-set) this the State-owns 327,450 acres of land and 637 islands donated by the National Gov- ernment, and in addition, the value of all forestry improvements. Certainly, the investment to date has proved most satisfactory.
Since the large purchases by the State during the last few years the claim has been made that a great part of the lands so acquired for forestry purposes are good agricultural lands, some even placing the proportion as high as seventy or eighty per cent. If this be true, certainly the investment has been a good one, the average price which the State has paid being only $3.32 per acre. It is well known that lands of agricultural worth cannot be purchased in Northern Wisconsin at even double that figure, so certainly the State has lost nothing on account of these purchases, but must have made a good invest- ment.
J4 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
REPORT AND FINDINGS OF COMMITTEE
Two questions upon which the Committee were to report to the 1915 session of the Legislature are pre- sented in the law creating it: First, what areas of land now held as forest reserve and those parts pro- posed to be included within such reserve within the counties of Forest, Iron, Oneida, Price and _ Vilas are better adapted to agricultural than to forestry purposes. Second, whether the best interests of all persons concerned, especially the taxpayers of the State, will not be better promoted by devoting State lands to other than reforestation purposes.
Having this in view the Committee have deemed it one of their duties to make a general study of the subject of forestry and to submit their views upon this subject. To many this will seem strange when all of the leading countries of the world and nearly all of the older states of the Union—in fact, all of those in the northeastern part of our country—have been for many years and are now engaged in the re- forestation of those lands located within their bor- ders which are not suited to agriculture. We cannot believe it necessary that the people of Wisconsin be shown that the general policy or idea of forestry is sound and a success commercially.
Mr. Simon B. Elliott, member of the Pennsyl- vania Forestry Reservation Commission, and author of “The Important Timber Trees of the United States,’’ in the latter. work, says: “‘All will agree that lands suitable for agriculture should be reserved for that purpose; but it is equally true that land not so suited, and which has borne a crop of trees, can and should once more be devoted to that use; and there is a large area of that kind of land in this country.”
He also added in an interview:
“Tt is not good policy to permit attempts to be made to induce settlers, with a view to home-mak- ing, to go on lands not suited to agriculture. Aside from the moral feature involved there inevitably
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 513)
comes failure and the desertion of such regions, all tending to the injury -and discredit ‘of the State. No State has ever profited by attempts to induce settlers to go on land for the purpose of home-mak- ing where the region is not adapted to profitable agriculture... To avoid this the State would best secure such land and, where practicable, devote it to tree growing, thus converting what otherwise would be practically a barren waste into a productive one.”
The only question pertinent to this matter would seem to be whether any of the lands within the pro- posed forest reserve can be better and more profit- ably. usedfor_the benefit-of the people of the State by planting to trees and by encouraging the growth of the natural reproduction thereon.
Oftentimes in discussing the general forestry ques- tion with the average citizen he is prone to say, “yes; -such. conditions-*might .apply to (Germany; such conditions might apply to the mountainous regions of Pennsylvania or New York; such condi- tions might apply to the Southern States where the growing season Is long; but in Northern Wisconsin where the growing season is short, the lands and conditions are different—forestry cannot be carried on success- fully.”’ Authorities on the subject, however, claim an entirely different state of affairs. Wisconsin con- ditions are ideal for the growing of trees. We do not labor under the handicap of the European for- ests which have been restored and made productive. And we have one great advantage over them; we are not-lmited to a few inferior kinds or species of trees. Wisconsin can grow white and norway pine, and these are recognized as the most productive and most profitable trees of forest growth.
When we speak of reforestation we have in mind both the natural reproduction: and the artificial planting or growing of trees. In the first, nature is simply encouraged in her effort to re-establish the native species of timber. This is too well known to need much explanation. By the establishment of a forestry protection system, consisting of foresters,
36 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
with forest rangers, telephone lines, lookout towers, fire lines and roads, the young and growing timber is protected from the onslaughts and ravages of fire.
By artificial reforestation we mean the growing of the young trees in the nurseries, the transplanting of the same on the cut-over lands and their protection by the methods heretofore mentioned.
That artificial reforestation will become a source of profit to the State has been proven beyond doubt, not only in such countries as Germany, the Scandi- navian Peninsula, Denmark and France, but also by experimental plantations carried on in the United States. The Germans claim an average annual net revenue of $3.50 per acre from their planted forests. There can be no question of ultimate profit if prop- erly managed for the manifest reason that by the time a forest planted now becomes mature, our present naturally grown ones will have become so exhausted that the market price of all forest products must be that of the cost of growing trees from the seed plus a fair profit, justyas the price ‘ot wheat: corn or any other product of the soil is and must be that of its cost with reasonable profit added. De- mand and supply will regulate price here as well as elsewhere.
The Monaghan plantations near Mount Alto in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, afforded one of the best opportunities for the Committee to see results obtained from the planting of white pine. This plantation was made on an old cultivated field. The best results cannot be obtained from such planting. Foresters all agree that where there is a growth of other varieties for protection such as aspen, pin cherry and the like, the pine growth is much more sturdy. This planting was made in April, 1902,. for experiment -only. The. young trees were two years old when set out, at a distance of four feet. A photograph taken in 1904, two. years after planting, shows them less than six inches in height. A later photograph, taken in December, 1906, shows a maximum height of 31.50 inches with
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 2
practically every tree growing. Measurements were made in October,: 1906, and prior thereto which show the following facts: Number of .trees measured, o,006:., Average .srowth in the. year 1906,° inches 12.085; average growth in the year 1905, inches 6.9; average growth in the year 1904, inches 5.8; average total height year 1906, inches 33.5.
At the time of the Committee’s visit in August, 1914, the average height of these trees was about twelve feet and the highest exceeded fifteen feet. Photographs are shown herein of this plantation in L904. 1900, 1912 -and. 1914.
While many: other plantings of white and norway pine equally as promising were visited. by the Com- mittee, we believe them to be the best illustration of what can be expected along these lines because we were able to secure photographs of them at various stages of their growth.
Figures in the office of the State Forester show that the cost of planting in Wisconsin has averaged $4.98 per acre while members of the Pennsylvania Forestry Commission stated that it had cost them about $9 per acre. Wisconsin plantings have been made with about’ a thousand trees to the acre while the Pennsylvania foresters have used almost double this amount. A further item of cost in the latter State is by reason of the added expense of growing nursery. stock. “On the “heavy soils. where their nurseries are located the planting, care, and cultiva- tion of the seedlings is much more difficult and ex- pensive, and the setting out of the. trees in the for- ests on the heavier soils makes- necessary a great deal more work.
Another thing of interest in connection with this is that the work now being done and which it will be possible to do in the next few years with just the two Wisconsin nurseries—the one at Big Trout Lake, the other at Tomahawk Lake—in the way of artifi- cial reforestation is being paid for by, the Federal Government and, therefore, imposes no burden on the people of Wisconsin. The Government. in mak-
38 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
ing its grant of 20,000 acres provided that the money received from the sale of scattering lands or from the sale of timber, or from, in fact, any source connected with the handling of the said gift, could be used only for reforesting the permanent forest reserve—that is, in the up-keep of the nurseries and the cost of plant- ing. At the present time, as has been stated, the nurseries are turning out approximately one million trees per year. This is sufficient to plant about one thousand acres. At a cost of $4.98 per acre, which includes the cost, of the seed, cost of raising the plants, and cost of transplanting, this means a total expenditure of about $5,000 a year. The depart- ment now has on hand in this Federal fund over $16,000, sufficient to carry on the work and take care of the out-put from the nurseries for three years, and it is stated that by that time considerably more than this amount will again be in their hands. So, the cost of artificial reforestation in Wisconsin will be borne by .the Federal government for many years to come, and as much as a thousand acres a year can be planted, making the only cost of such work to the people of the State their initial investment in acquiring the land and the expense of fire protection.
Even on the very poorest lands in Connecticut, hight sandy soil which has been farmed for genera- tions, both the white and norway pine plantings were doing well. This was true everywhere, even on the very poorest soils, and from their observations the Committee is well satisfied that there is no reason for attempting to plant scotch or western yellow pine any more than for experimentation on the lands in the forest reserve. White and norway pine will grow on any of it.
In the. cut-over- territory in the -forest' reserve quicker and cheaper results can be had by the en- couragement of natural second growth. By the arti- ficial planting under the improved methods of to- day no inconsiderable areas can be replanted with white .and norway pine which in the end will be profitable to the people of the State and serve as
9
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 39
an encouragement to the owners of private lands and educate them so that they will become inter- ested in the replanting of their lands. In the East- ern States the demand is already taking the output of the State nurseries, and in New York the Fores- try Department complain because they have too little left for the replanting of their own lands. Millions of small trees are now being purchased from their nurseries and planted upon private es- tates. From 1908 to 1913 their total sales aggre- gated 12,014,635 trees, sufficient to reforest approxi- mately. 12,000 acres.
Thiss work is’ only: in-its infancy;, Each year as the people become educated as to the returns which may be expected from such work the demand will increase and it will require hundreds of acres of nursery beds to keep up with the advancement.
Already demands have been made upon the Wisconsin Forestry Board for nursery stock. The Dupont Powder Co., operating in Bayfield county, attempted to procure white and norway transplants for the replanting of their cut-over lands. On account of our output of only one million trees for 1914 and by reason of the necessity for planting State hold- ings; this request! was, refused.
There is::no intention on the part of the State Board of Horestryof- Wisconsin, or, in fact, of ‘the Forestry Departments of any of the States, to enter into competition “with’- commercial nurseries. At the present time, however, these nurseries have been unable to supply the millions of trees required for private planting, but as soon as they are able to do so and furnish the stock at a reasonable price, the States will be glad enough to retire from this side of- the work and devote their planting stock to reforesting State lands. The commercial nurseries up to date have only been: able to keep up with the demand for the ornamental stock, whereas in Germany: they can supply planting stock by the tens of millions. It will only be a few years when private individuals in Wisconsin will take up this
40 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
work and many thousands of acres of our cut-over lands, unprofitable for agriculture, will be devoted to the growth of pine. Nothing -will so stimulate and encourage this interprise as the example the State Forestry Board expects to set forth in plant- ing State lands. -In the last few years a number of private owners have expressed a desire to reforest their lands—large holders who have waited until the soil survey of their district was completed, so they would know upon expert advice which lands were non-agricultural.
In a way, the task given this Committee. to- de- cide which of these lands are best adapted to agri- cultural use is an impossible one. The, only way this can be determined in detail is by a soil survey and a thorough cruising of these lands, forty by forty, by competent. judges of “farm’ lands. This would demand many months of hard labor and could not be undertaken by the members of this Com- mittee. All we could do was to visit as much of the territory as possible, getting a general idea as to whether any of the lands were unfit for farming and whether the agricultural development of Wis- consin might be hindered by the taking of some of these lands from the market’ and by their use for reforestation purposes.
The question as to just what lands are available for reforestation is a debatable one. It is hard in this day and age to specify what are. agricultural and what are non-agricultural lands. In the wild unsettled areas of Northern Wisconsin one is lable to be greatly deceived, and while at this time he might say that. some of the lands were non-agri- cultural, or might better say not profitable from an agricultural standpoint, a few years may work a mighty change—a wonderful change—and the demand be such that practically all of these lands would be required for agricultural purposes.
Nevertheless, the lesson as learned in some of our sister States of the East may be a guide to us in this. In the Blue Mountains of Potter County,
10. White Pine Plantation. Planted in 1910. Photo in 1914. Near Crossfork, Potter County Pa. Gruhn, Photo.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 4]
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin’s famous’ violinist, Ole Bull, conceived the: idea of ‘establishing a colony of Norwegian immigrants. He attempted to _ pur- chase several thousand acres, went so far as to build himself a castle, and many of the families moved upon the land with the intention of carving out farmnomes. True,-on account of a defect in title he became discouraged and gave up. the-idea. But nows., attern= fifty-two years, these lands are still unoccupied and vacant with no prospect whatever of their ever being used for farming. The soil in the valleys is a rich red and yellow shale; the cli- mate much the, same. as..in.the Northern part .of . Wisconsin, and still, in thickly settled Pennsyl- vania this land is really of less value and can be purchased at a lower price than some of the poorest cut-over lands in our State.
During. the~last. «half; dozen -years-:the’ State ..of Pennsylvania has started a forest reserve in this county, bought up these lands at prices under $5 per sacre--ands 1s now replanting them. . While this is a mountainous region, there is much of the land in the broad valleys which could be profitably used for- farming i there was a demand for it. It has -stood for many years since the removal of.the tim- ber: p blackened) and ‘barrem., Now, by, artificial planting and the protection of the natural growth Pennsylvania expects to make it bear timber with profit to the commonwealth.
The soil in this county is heavier than anything in our proposed forest reserve, and by reason of that they cannot expect as good results from the natural second growth of pine. On account of the heavy nature of the soil the pine seed has no op- portunity to germinate and the hardwoods get such a start that only in a few places is there any show- ing of pine whatsoever.
This condition does not apply in Warren county, New York. In the territory adjacent to Chester- town where the soil is of a light sandy character, which soil largely predominates in all parts of the
42 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Adirondack Forest Reserve, the natural reprodcu-. tion of white pine is wonderful. Here vast areas have reforested themselves with as fine a growth as ever stood on these lands.
If Wisconsin is to continue its Forestry work and have a forest reserve, the question of its location is first to be considered. There are millions of acres of undeveloped land in Northern Wisconsin. Just what percentage of these will ultimately be used for agricultural purposes cannot at this time be determined. Many things must be taken into consideration in determining this. Even the very poorest of lands if located adjacent to good tillable soil can be profitably used for grazing and _ pastur- age, but where there are large areas of poor or un- profitable agricultural lands it would seem that these might best be used for forestry.
In the lands held by the State there are, of course, some good agricultural lands. Generally speaking, however, the average State holding does not com- pare favorably with the land that is held by specu- lators or by those who are engaged in farming. In- variably, in their investigations, the members of the Committee found the State lands about the poorest in the locality inspected. We _ believe the report of the soils survey now being made will bear out the opinion of the Committee in this regard. The Forestry Department has refused to make a num- ber of purchases by reason of the agricultural value of the lands. In fact, they have had several farms offered at very low prices. So it is not altogether an accident that the State owns the poorer lands. Naturally, the better lands have gone into the hands of the actual settler more rapidly and the owners have not been so anxious to dispose of them at low prices.
The eye of the State and Nation for many years has been turned to that aréa in the Northeastern part of the State situated in the counties of Forest, Iron; Price, Oneida and. Vilas, having. in’ view “1s adaptation to forestry purposes. All the State
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 43
and National soil surveys for many years have shown a considerable area of light sandy soil of inferior agricultural quality in this district. While there are other places in Wisconsin with soil of this nature which could, no doubt, be better used for forestry than for farming, if we are to have a forest reserve at all the selection in a general way has been well made.
There is no section of the state where so large an area of sparsely: settled lands can be found. The State Forester’s records show that in a district equal to twenty-two townships within the reserve, an area of five hundred square miles, there are now but twenty-one farmer settlers. And this report from the office of the State Forester the Committee found upon investigation to be true; that while there were other people living within this district, they were either resorters, shackers, or trappers— at least, not. making their living at farming.
Certain: 1 -1s, “that an “carrying ‘on .the work “of reforestation by the encouragement and _ protection of the natural second growth, in order to make it profitable. the land must be held in considerable areas by reason of the expense of maintaining the roads, fire lines, telephone system, and other things necessary to the conduct of the work. Still, if the poorer lands in some of the better settled portions which are surrounded by farms and improved lands could be used for this purpose, the aid of the set- tler in keeping back the fires and protecting the tim- ber would be of no little help. For that reason it would seem that the poorer lands in all parts of Wisconsin which will grow white and norway pine should be acquired for this purpose and every effort made to have them replanted to trees, whether in the hands of the State or of private owners.
Future commercial interests of the State may de- mand its extension into other sections.
While chmatic conditions may be discouraging to settlement—a hindrance in growing certain crops— we do not consider them germane to the question
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here submitted. On the better lands of this terri- tory farming can be engaged in with profit so that such conditions simply limit the field of operation and confine the farmer to the growth of particular crops, yet with the opportunity for fairly good re- turns.
In their investigation the Committee saw many different kinds of land; some of the very lightest sand; some sandy loam; and some clay loam. They also found large areas which were very rough, . covered with gravel, stone and huge boulders, yet anyone who would condemn ail the lands in the pro- posed forest reserve by reason of these observations would be unfair to this section of the State. Never- theless, there are large areas—in fact, a major por- tion of the lands which the Committee have had an opportunity to investigate—which théy believe to ‘be better. adapted’to forestry “than. to; farming. Most of these lands will not be called into use by tillers of the soil for many years to come.
There can be no good reason why, if these lands are. used by the Forestry Department, it will-in any way interfere with the agricultural development of Northern Wisconsin. Neither is there any reason why the settlement of the good agricultural lands should interfere with the forestry policy. Divere is ample room for both, and the development of the one should but assist in the development of the other. Wherever forestry is being carried on, in other States or in other countries, it is conducted hand in hand with the agricultural advancement. The farmers of Pennsylvania are ardent supporters of the Forestry Commission.
There should be no dispute between those - inter- ested in the general welfare of Northern Wisconsin, whether interested in making it a rich’ agricultural region or interested in the reforesation of its poorer soils and rough lands such as cannot be profitably used for farming. Agricultural writers, even those who are interested in the agricultural development say that twenty-five per cent of all the lands in
11. Irishtown Plantation. Scotch Pine. Planted in 1909. Near Mt. Alto, Pa. Photo in 1914. Gruhn, Photo.
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‘REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 45
the Northern half of the State are unsuitable for ther sorowine 7 of #crops., Lf there are, as jis said, 13,000,000 acres in the Northern part of the State still undeveloped, and twenty-five per cent of it is non-agricultural, then we have three and one quarter millions of acres: upon: part.-of which,. at least,. the State can conduct. this. work.
Large areas are covered with swamp, some of which cannot even be used for tree planting, while others naturally reproduce themselves with such species as tamarack and spruce. Certainly so large an area as this should satisfy the most ardent ad- vocate of silva-culture, yet it shows that a few hundred thousands of acres devoted thereto will create no dearth of lands left to farm.
Why anyone should feel that the statement that twenty-five per cent of the lands of any section of the State are non-profitable for agriculture is detri- mental to its best interests is inconceivable. We have but to turn to Germany with her 208,000 square miles to find that 54,000, an amount equal to al- most the total area of the State of Wisconsin, is in’ forests. . ‘Certainly in a country: which has, been developed to almost the last degree, the fact that one-fourth of its area is in forests does not detract from its standings: as-a nation and an example to others in intense development.
There are thousands of acres of land in Northern Wisconsin which, on account of the poor character of the soil and its rough nature, will not be used for farming either in this generation or several to come. This can be said without detracting from the agricultural possibilities of the section in which they are located.
There is no section in the State where an attempt at reforestation can show as rapid results and quick illustration of its possibilities as the beautiful lake region of Northeastern Wisconsin. Most of the soil is-or alight sandy nature. On this a rapid natural reproduction may be expected. There are now large areas where beautiful young growths of white and
46 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
norway pine are springing up. If these can be kept free from fire and protected from the other natural ravages of the elements it will not be many years before the covetous eye of the woodsman will again turn to this district. It is well known that in a few years these little stands of natural repro- duction will reseed the other areas. This is especi- ally true on the light sandy soils where the white and norway pine seed have such a splendid oppor- tunity to germinate. Where some of the smaller pine were left by the loggers, they have scattered seed over large areas. Where fire has not reached some of the growths are beautiful. A few years of fire protection and the results will be worth while.
In addition, too, this territory was logged by rail. Miles and miles of railroad grade have been con- structed through the territory. These can be quickly converted into most excellent roads and fire lines. There is no place where a cheaper system of fire protection can be inaugurated.
Furthermore by reason of the hundreds of lakes the opportunity for the construction of fire lines between them, a most unusual opportunity is afforded in the blocking out of forest areas and the confining of fires to lhmited districts.
The system of protection from forest fires in Wis- consin is not new or untried. The methods are those found to be most effective by National and State organizations. The Western Forestry Conserva- tion Association, the States of New York, Pennsyl- vania and Minnesota, and the National government protect their standing timber by the. same methods. It has proven successful and is in operation by many private associations holding timber land. Wisconsin’s system was established in 1911 and no areas of any extent in the district covered have been burned. The largest area under immediate super- vision and protection which has been burned over since this system of protection was inaugurated does not exceed ten acres.
The forestry holdings now consist of 327,450 acres
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 47
to which should be added, however, the acreage of 637 islands donated by the National government on which surveys have not been fully completed. The holdings in the proposed permanent reserve are as follows:
Onesie. GOLMIN Lyne eek ee te rs AOS ie Orie COU ye ore aint he lene pea 21,102 OmerdaxsGo wmv ry 0s ene 48,488 PTT CS aa OMNIA Way cored vse Waa tng ed a ey eto 5300.7 Wheater Grom Uys eve eeen mastas es Vege eli 2 128,010
Making a total within the proposed forest reserve of 186,537 acres exclusive of the islands. In addi- tion to this there are 5,086 acres in the Brule River Reserve and 47,003 acres of Indian’ Reservation lands, which make. a total of -:238,62/- acres. of lands which the Forestry Board now propose to hold for permanent forestry. purposes. That is, these lands are located within the area where the future work is proposed to be conducted.
Whatever of these lands may be of agricultural value lying in sufficient tracts to warrant settle- ment will be placed upon the market for sale to actual settlers.
Ii it were certain that the holdings outside of the State lands were to be-used by actual settlers, the whole problem would be easy of solution. There would be no real reason for blocking up State lands. There would be no danger from fire—in fact, the settlers would assist in protecting the timber growth.
The great danger hes in the large private holdings of unimproved lands which are not protected and where the opportunity is given for fires to originate by the lack of an adequate protective system.
The State owns 88,822:49 acres of land in the following counties outside of the proposed permanent forest reserve area. The holding in each county is herewith given.
AS REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Acres Ashland) a2: 4x. hy See ee setae eae 3,966.20 Bay tielid Sa o0 eee a epee ia 1,188.60 Burnett Serre ne AY ey ea ee ca 3,649.21 VOUS IAS see, ASO 5 ae eee 79725 PlORENCE Ss. 2 7s poke ea fe eee eee Oooo POrest. tt CO eae WA thet meet dT 11,460.60 LV OM Se ae eh a on ee 1,639.07 langlades: 2.052 sae 2 RRS Sees sd 1058242 Lincoltis 22 2 2. S20 es eee Se Oe WManitettes: i: 3 ee eae Onmerdan 2 ie: 2 Le ge ee, te ET OS om PG le ee ee ee ye oe oa) PriGéas so sigoe, 28) SNe Sie a ee a ad BRS ares Se he ee ai, SAW! oe 2k ee ly 2 Wiles 2 os Se AS ee OE Ose: Wash Ditties: -.c. ee oe FO eee FEO ese "TOs A Tes ss ee a OG eee ey)
These lands are scattering, some of them of agri- cultural value, and so located that it is reeommended that they be sold and the proceeds applied to the purchase of lands in the proposed permanent reserve.
The first work should be confined to this district.
No matter where the forest reserve 1s located, the same cry of opposition would go up. The question is, ““Are we to have a forest reserve at all?” If so, it must be somewhere. And no tract can be found that is more suitable than the one selected.
There should be no misunderstanding, however. There is no intention when we say that the present work should be confined to this proposed area, to take “all. of: «thes-lands- “therein: Every safeguard should be provided so that the agricultural lands shall be devoted to that use and only those unprofi- table for farming used for forestry. The intention is simply to limit the field of operation for the reason that -quicker and better results will follow, there being no desire to acquire lands of even possible agricultural worth.
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12. Old Forge Plantation. White Pine. Planted 1908. Near Mt. Alto, Pa. Gruhn, Photo.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 49
The plan has been proposed that the State have small forest reserves in several counties. This plan would not be practicable. Supervision would be expensive; fire protection would be expensive; and either more nurseries would have to be established, the expense of maintaining them being correspond- ingly greater, or plants would have to be transported and planting crews moved from point to point. The whole expense would be increased, and the main object of forest reserves would be defeated if they were not located on the headwaters of the important rivers.
The present holdings are ample upon which to demonstrate what Wisconsin can accomplish in this work. The claim is made that if these lands are not fit for agricultural purposes the State cannot lose by reason of delaying their purchase; that certainly they will not increase in value unless they have some agricultural worth. This however, is not true. This beautiful lake region is bound to become the mecca for sportsmen, health seekers and _ resorters. The lake frontages are now eagerly sought, and much of the opposition to the present forestry policy is occas- ioned by the demand for sites upon these beautiful bodies of water. This alone is bound to increase the value of these lands.
Another thing that will add to their value is the srowth of timber “upon them... While the modern lumberman scoffs at the idea that there is any value in the timber that has been left, it will only take a few years to demonstrate otherwise. Looking back over the last few years of lumbering one finds that species of timber considered practically valueless twenty-five years ago are now in great demand and that prices for the so-called inferior grades of all timber have increased while the better grades have no more than held their own. The demand for pulp- wood, ties and other products of a like nature will make all of the growing timber in this district of inestimable value; so that the Forestry Board’s opportunity for purchasing lands is now at its very
Ee) REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
best. It would be a mistake, however, to attempt to carry on this work over too large an area with the funds at hand. The next few years will demonstrate its practicability. Then the people of Wisconsin will willingly contribute more money toward the purchase of lands and more towards the protection and plant- ime ‘of trees.
The claim is oftentimes made that it is too late to start forestry in Wisconsin; that this work should have been done while the State still owned or could have purchased some of the virgin and growing timber. An _ investigation will prove that this is not true, that wherever forestry is being carried on it consists in the protection of the natural repro- duction of timber and of artificial planting. An exception to this, however, is in the work being conducted by the National government where the field of operation is confined to large holdings of virgin timber. In all of our Eastern States and in the foreign countries this is not the case.
The State is the owner within’ the proposed permanent forest reserve of approximately 50,000 acres of virgin timber. None of this timber should be sold unless mature or there is real demand for the land for agricultural purposes. The State has some large bodies of timber in Forest County near the railroad. If these are offered for sale it should only be in such a way as will secure the agricultural development of the land itself.
Twenty years ago lumbermen made a _ successful plea to have the State Park lands in Iron and Vilas Counties put on the market so that the lands could be put on the tax roll and the country would de- velop. The lands were offered for sale, the lumber- men getting the timber, but the country did not profit thereby in the way of development.
In the light of history and experience. we believe these timberlands should be conserved.
The more recent investigations tend to substan- tiate the claim that in order to secure a uniform stream flow and the best results from our vast
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE ay
waterpowers, the headwaters of our rivers should be protected with a forest growth. The following ex- tract from Page 30 of the report of the “U. S. Geo- logical Survey: No: 1357 by Hon: George Otis Smith, Director, shows the result of recent investigation: “The results of the Burnt Brook-Shoal Pond Brook studies are held to show that throughout the White Mountains the removal of forest growth must be expected to decrease the natural steadiness of de- pendent streams during the spring months at least. The. foregoing conclusion. forms a ‘strong basis for arguing the. desirability of painstaking methods of administration. in respect to forest lands in the White Mountain region. Deforestation followed by fires as in the Burnt Brook basin results in condi- tions unfavorable to natural spring storage because conducive to rapid snow melting and stream run-off. Control of White Mountain lands that would reduce fires to a minimum and promote normal refore- station must result in a great inprovement over present tendencies and this improvement in forest cover can logically be expected to favorably affect stream regulation to the extent quantitatively indi- cated in the comparison of the forested Shoal Pond Brook with the deforested Burnt Brook.”
In the mountainous countries of Europe some governments do not allow private land owners to cut timber on watersheds, except under strict regu- lations, and the land must be reforested within a prescribed period.
Under’ the Weeks law which provided for the purchase of the Appalachian-White Mountain forest reserve, no lands-=can be purchased: until the: U.S. Geological Survey has certified that the presence of forests upon such lands will affect the stream flow. The Geological Survey made a careful examination of two areas in the White mountains and compared conditions where there was forest cover and where the forest had been removed. They found that on the cut-over areas the snow began to disappear in patches, first from the lower elevation and then
a2 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
extending back to the drainage lines. In the forest, however, the disappearance of the snow was uniform and, with the exception of small cut-over or exposed areas, the depth “remained... quite ~unitorme. Sima report of the examination, it 1s stated: that-1t- “es- tablishes the general conclusion that a direct rela- tion exists between forest cover and stream regula- tion. The results... are held to show that through- out the White mountains the removal of forest srowth must be expected to decrease the natural steadiness of dependent streams during the spring months at least... Deforestation followed by fires
results in conditions unfavorable’ to natural spring storage because conducive to rapid snow melting and stream run-off.”
The securing of conditions favorable to uniform stream flow is of the highest importance in Wis- consin because this state has so many rivers and so much. water power.. The state has no coal, and its water powers are the great source of energy for manufacturing, heating, lighting and_ transporting. The highest usefulness of the water powers is de- pendent on regularity of stream flow. Floods in the spring and low water in the summer and fall are injurious. Reforestation on the headwaters of the rivers and the storage of excess water in natural and artificial reservoirs will result in great benefits to the public.
It has been claimed by the opponents of forestry that, because the forest reserve in Wisconsin was in a comparatively level country, the effects of de- forestation would not be as serious as in a mountain- ous country. This is unquestionably true as far as erosion is concerned, but the rapidity with which snow will melt on cut-over lands is the same, and this is the chief point to be considered in protecting the headwaters of our ‘rivers in. Wisconsin.
This is but another reason for the retention of the present. State forest. lands... They are located at: the headwaters of our most important rivers. Wiscon- sin, in addition to the recognized reasons for main-
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE DO
Winingisa, forest reserve, namely, to secure a future supply of timber and regulate the flow of streams, has a beautiful natural lake and park region, already patronized by thousands of people, to preserve for posterity.
We recommend the retention by the State of its holdings in the proposed forest reserve area; and further recommend the sale of all scattering holdings outsidé thereof. We consider it advisable that future purchases be limited to the said area and as nearly as possible to lands not now suited to agriculture. Upon the ‘sale ‘of . the good agricultural’ lands the money should be reinvested in non-agricultural lands.
In acquiring lands in. the future, which must be boucht:.an: large «tracts in order-to.get them at -a low price, the Forestry Board will obtain many acres of good farm lands. This cannot work harm in the settlement of the community if a proper method of disposing of them to actual settlers shall be found. In fact, one of the great hindrances to the settlement of all of Northern Wisconsin is the high “price and hard conditions under which-~ the actual settler purchases. Some plan must be de- vised. by. which these agricultural’ lands can be placed upon the market in such a way that the actual settler may .be able to secure them at some- where near the price now paid by the State. That settlers should be obliged to pay ten and fifteen dollars when lands equally as good can be purchased by: the State in large tracts at as low an average as $3.32 an acre is unreasonable. If farmers in some of our older communities could buy farm lands in Northern Wisconsin for $4 an acre on long-time payments at a low rate of interest the increase. in settlement would be manyfold. Some _ limitation, however, must be put upon the sales to be made by the State Board of Forestry and such conditions annexed that only the actual settler can buy these lands; otherwise, they will simply get back into the hands of speculators and the price will be the same as for which other lands are now held.
54 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
It is admitted that. the development of Northern Wisconsin should be stimulated and every effort made to encourage settlement. It takes persistent advertising and a large amount of money and work to accomplish this. <A feasible plan would be for the Forestry Board working in cooperation with the soil survey to release lands of agricultural value which are in sufficiently large tracts so that a com- munity can be established and to place these upon the market for sale to actual settlers. Then the Forestry Board should lst all such tracts with the State Board of Immigration or some like organiza- tion so that they could advise prospective settlers of these tracts of agricultural lands. The forestry policy to date has not hindered this development by taking lands from the market. Of 400 acres of the best lands held by the State in Oneida County and offered for sale since September, 1912, at from $8.00 to $10.00 per acre, none have been purchased. This price was fixed upon these lands for the reason that it was believed to be about their actual cash value. It could not be expected that the State should pick from all of its lands these few hundred acres classed as agricultural and offer them at as low a price as the average price paid in all of their purchases.
In order that the development of Northern Wis- consin be not interfered with we suggest and will later offer to the Legislature a bill which provides for the sale of all agricultural lands where located in sufficiently large tracts in the forest reserve; these lands to be sold to actual settlers in amounts not to exceed one hundred and sixty acres, upon prac- tically the same terms as those now offered and available under the United States Homestead Law. Such a price as will attract settlers to purchase these lands should be fixed and every effort made to get them into the hands of farmers. This should not be done unless a settlement large enough to support a school district and carry on its own affairs may be expected. Where there are tracts of 1,000
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 5D
acres or more of good farm lands which will accom- modate twelve families and upwards, they might well be opened to settlement. Where communities already exist smaller areas within a reasonable dis- tance of any of them should be offered for sale by the State. Then the danger of isolating settlers would be avoided and they would not be deprived of the advantages of community life, schools, roads, churches, accessible markets, etc. We believe, how- ever, that such settlements should be directed so far as possible toward communities already establish- ed until the lands so available are disposed of.
We don’t want to be understood as advising that thea Stave “make: turther “purchases ol “acricultural lands with the idea of disposing of them upon such terms:to-the Settler;; other than. those which may: be unavoidably obtained in the purchase of large tracts. We feel that the competition which would be caused thereby might be injurious -to private interests. This plan is recommended solely for the purpose of placing agricultural lands in the hands of actual settlers and encouraging the development of North- eastern Wisconsin—making provision so that the forestry policy will be a help and not a hindrance.
We feel that every effort should be made to retain forthe cuse of the: people.-of the State as much of the lake frontage as possible and that in no event should “the-<State «dispose of .more than fifty per cent of such lake frontage, meaning thereby that the State should itself retain this percentage on the shore of each lake.
Where such lands adjoin the lakes, we advise the retention of 500 feet in depth of frontage upon said shores to be held by the State for forestry purposes and such other use as. the Forestry Board may re- commend. We don’t believe, ‘ however, that. any sales of lake frontage should be made except where the same is classified as good agricultural land and is within the districts which have been opened for ' settlement.
In the vicinity of the permanent forest reserve
56 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
area there are a good many public summer resorts, the main attraction of which has been the wildness of the surroundings, with the:attendant supply of fish and game. This attraction has been growing steadily less because of the extensive lumbering operations and the accompanying forest fires.
The establishment’ of the forest: réserve ‘has’ in- sured the permanent attractiveness of this region for public recreation purposes, and in time it will even increase the beauty and desirability of the re- gion and result in a largely increased summer resort business. The money expended by tourists will go to resort owners, stage drivers, guides, boat liveries, dealers in food supplhes, and to the railroads.
There are already 91 public resorts in the forest reserve region, with 639 buildings. These can ac- commodate 4,372 -suests at one time, and®an’ im- vestigation has shown that the number of guests accommodated in a year is’ approximately “13,131 and the actual gross receipts in a year are $356,025. The hotels in the small towns within the forest reserve area, which get a large share of their busi- ness from the summer tourists, together with the livery stables and boat liveries, report a gross an- nual business of $59,057. It is probably safe to estimate that 50% of this amount, or $29,537, is paid by summer tourists.
There are hundreds of lakes within the forest reserve area, and when these and the forests are protected, with consequent improvement in the hunt- ing and fishing, the resort business should increase to. avery Jarse ‘figure.
The people living in and near the forest reserve should be most interested in this project, and if they were fully advised as to the great benefit which will inure therefrom both to themselves and the people of Wisconsin, they would not hesitate to aid in the furthering and advancement of the present forestry work. We venture to say that in years to come when this territory adapted to the growth of trees has been carefully protected from fire and replanted
14. White Pine Plantation, Chestertown, Warren County, N. Y. Twenty-eight years Old. 24,000 Feet Lumber per Acre.
1 ; : . ' ' Wag ; ¥= ‘ ' ; i , d ' u 7 Sie” Bo. ' ' i 1 ‘ ; . “ah, Meine take ; i” 1 @ j 7 Le : 2 a4 * i a : y os & J ’ A a e
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 57
to native white and norway pine it will become the resort of thousands of sportsmen, health and pleas- ure seekers; that the revenue from this source will equal, if *not surpass, the ‘benefits to be derived frome-tarmime: that at wil not only prove. of great commercial value to the people of that section from astorestry standpoint; but will assist’ and aid in its agricultural development. If thousands of people visit this place in a season, the farmers and people living there will be the ones to profit thereby. There is no’ class of people better able or more willing to pay high prices for. good farm ‘products than the tourist... Another: source. ‘of “profit is, that the’ srow- ing and harvesting of a crop of trees and replanting when cut furnishes an opportunity tor the employ- ment of laboring men. Forestry will aid in making the whole area productive, something which cannot be if non-agricultural land is not planted to trees. A well-established and continually maintained forest wil! give employment through planting, care, har- vesting and manufacture to-a great number of people..: The opportunity’ for a splendid forest re- serve, for a State Park where the people from all parts of Wisconsin can journey and enjoy out-of- door life coupled with the farm development of the good agricultural lands and the natural beauties of this region, should make it the finest in Wisconsin ands.one jor the best-in the. United. States.
58 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
CHANGE IN THE FIRE LAW
In cases of emergency where forest fires are so badjthat the local fire wardens are unable to control them without the assistance of residents, and where special fire wardens appointed on recommendation of the town chairman by the State Forester, have to take charge and call out helpers, it 1s important that the men who fight fire be paid {more promptly than is possible under the presentglaw which re- quires the approval of claims by county boards which do not meet at all frequently. Many of the men who are available to fight fires in forested regions are only temporarily in the vicinity, or, if there for longer time, are unwilling to fight fire unless they are paid promptly.
Therefore, it seems best to have such men _ paid in the first instance by the State, which will then collect one-half the expense from the county, instead of having the payment made first by the county, which then collects one-half from the State. The State can make prompt payment and the county cannot, if the approval of the county board is first to be obtained.
The following amendment does not make any change in the amount of payment allowed or in the ultimate source of such payment; it merely re- verses the order of procedure, so as to secure prompt payment, aud substitutes the joint approval of the fire warden under whom service was performed and of the state forester for the approval of the county board.
AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1494-48a.
2. The fire wardens appointed by the state fire warden shall prepare itemized accounts for their own services and the services of their assistants, and no account shall be paid until it has been approved by the state fire warden, or assistant state fire war-
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 59
den. . Phe Secretary of state shall then issue a war- rant upon the general fund of the state treasury for athe s-amounts--ol- such’, account;. and the. state treasurer shall pay the same. Under. the provisions Of; this: act the secretary .of- state’ shall not issue warrants for more than ten thousand dollars for fighting, forest .fires:in: any one county’ in any ‘one year, and one half of the amount paid by the state shall be: retunded to ,the- state by , the county: in which the fires were fought. In case the work of fighting fires covers a portion of two or more coun- ties, the amount‘ to be paid by each county shall be decided by the. state fire warden.
3. As soon as each account has been approved by the state fire warden and paid by the state treas- urer, the state fire warden shall send to the county treasurer aa bill ftor-the:.county s~ share’. of the. ex- pense and a copy of the bill shall be filed with the secretary, Ol; state. “The. county shall’ “have sixty days within which to pay any bill but if not paid within sixty days the county shall be liable for interest at the rate of six per centum per annum. However, if the sixty days shall have elapsed be- fore the time .provided: by law. for the secretary of state to certify to the counties the levy for state taxes, then the secretary of state shall include the bill or bills against the county for fighting fire which remain unpaid in the levy against the county for state taxes.
NOTE:—The above amendment is to replace sub- sections 2 and 3 of section 1494—48a.
60 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
TAXATION
A serious mistake was made when the present forestry work was begun in not making some pro- vision for the relief of the taxing districts by reason of their being deprived of the tax revenue from the State lands. 7
During the time that the State has been acquiring 184,314 acres, it. has disposed of -79,974 acres;“stll, in the effort of the forestry board to block up and consolidate the reserve the State’s holdings have become confined to a much smaller territory. Hence, the loss of taxable property by some of the assess- ment districts has become very noticeable and in some instances a considerable hardship. The earlier Legislatures should have made some _ provision for this. In spite of the fact that the forestry depart- ment has recommended some relief, nothing was done, however, until the session of 19138.
At that time a bill was passed which provided for the payment by the State of a tax upon all lands within the forest reserve area for all except State purposes at a rate of taxation not to exceed 14 per centum of the assessed value. By reason of this having been limited to the forest reserve area the question of its constitutionality has been raised and the matter is now before the State Su preme Court.
That this act will, if constitutional, afford relief has not been questioned.
The total assessed value of all the State lands in the forest reserve amounts to $1,249,521 for the year 1913, the tax upon which, as certified by the Wisconsin Tax Commission to the Secretary of State, amounted 10. $15,619-05.
Pennsylvania has a system by which each town- ship or assessment district is paid two cents per acre towards the maintenance of schools and an additional two cents per acre toward the up-keep of its roads— this making in all four cents per acre. Taking the
15. Same as Photo No. 14. Thirty Years After Planting. Photo 1914. Gruhn, Photo
ie
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 61
State holdings at 400,000 acres at four cents per acre would make $16,000, or approximately the same amount which would have been paid by the State under Chapter 740 of the Laws of 1913 had not the constitutional question been raised.
Should this law be found unconstitutional it will be necessary for the state to provide adequate relief.
62 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
TAXATION OF PRIVATE TIMBER LANDS
Many of the States of the Union have enacted various tax laws to encourage the planting and culti- ration of trees. None of them have solved the prob- lem of forest taxation. Practically no results have been obtained under them, although many have been in force for years. In most instances these. laws apply strictly to plantations of timber or woodlots, making no provision for the exemption of natural growths of timber and, therefore, not encouraging protection of natural reproduction.
That taxation had much to do in hurrying the cutting of timber and in discouraging its growth and preservation are too well-known to be _ questioned. Some effort should be made along these lines in Wisconsin. The present laws exempting from taxa- tion for thirty years are inadequate. Mature timber cannot be expected in that time, and if a full assess- ment is made after that period the result will be to practically confiscate the property before the timber is ready for the market.
In Pennsylvania the lands are classified and imma- ture timber is placed in a class called an “‘Auxiliary Forest Reserve.’’ The acceptance of these lands is left with the Forestry Commission. When placed in the above class they are not assessed for more than one dollar per acre until the trees are mature and cut, and when cut they are then taxed ten per centum upon the stumpage value of the timber.
This exemption from taxation if in any considerable amount works the same injury to the local assess- ment district as the exemption of state forest hold- ings. By reason of that the aforementioned State made a further provision that wherever such Auxili- ary Forest Reserve lands are located that township or county should be paid out of the state treasury the sum of two cents an acre for roads and two cents an acre for schools. That has made it possible for individuals to engage in forestry in that State. The
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 63
members of the Pennsylvania Forestry Commission seem to feel that. the law is working satisfactorily and encouraging private attempts at reforestation.
We herewith present the following bill for your consideration:
A Bill relating to the taxation of timberlands:
Section 1. In consideration of the public benefit to be derived from forestry management upon a consid- erable area of the timberlands within the state, the owner of any timberland may apply to the State Board of Forestry for an examination of his lands and timber. Such application shall be accompanied by a plat and description of such timberland and a guar- antee to pay the reasonable expense of such exami- nation and report.
Section 2. In case the state board of forestry finds upon examination that the management of such tim- berland under forestry regulations would be a public benefit, it shall submit a report for the management of such lands-to the owner thereof, clearly stating the regulations in regard to the cutting of the timber, and in case the owner shall accept the same, a con- tract covering the regulations for the cutting of the timber shall be entered into between the owner and the state; but no such contract shall be entered into in case of matured timber held for speculative pur- poses.
Section 3. Upon the execution of the above con- tract. they state board: of forestry ‘shall file a ‘plat and description of the lands with the local assessors, and after such plat and description have been filed with them, the assessors when making the annual assessment shall assess only the value of the land and no tax shall be paid upon the timber until it is cut. In no case shall the land be assessed at a higher gate than cut-over land in the same town.
Section 4. When the owner of such timberlands cuts therefrom any timber, cord wood, poles, posts, or any other forest products for any purposes what- soever, he shall make, or cause to be made, an accu-
64 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
rate measure of all such products and file a sworn copy of such measurement with the assessors, and such sworn statement shall be the basis of the tax valuation.
Section 5. Before any such products are sold or re- moved the owner of the timberland from which they have been cut, shall pay in lieu of the usual annual tax upon the timber the following percentages of the stumpage value of such products as determined by the assessors, according to the number of. years the timberland has been managed according to the pro- visions of the above contract, viz.:
« ~
years 10 per cent of tthe stumpage value. years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. years 10 per. cent of the stumpage value. 8 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 9 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value. 10 years 10 per cent of the stumpage value.
Ore wt
“I o&
From ten to forty years the timber or forest prod- ucts shall not be assessed over ten per cent of the stumpage value, as above provided, and the state shall not enter into any contract for a longer period than forty years.
Section 6. The state board of forestry or the local assessors shall have the right at any time to make, or cause to be made, a check scale or measurement of any products for which a sworn statement has been filed with the assessors under the provisions of section 4 of this act.
Section 7. All timberlands affected by any on “the foregoing sections and assessed in the usual manner shall be subject to the same rules and regulations as to correction and review by local board of review as now pi°.ided by law. The same right of appeal shall apply as affects any other property in the same district.
16. Scotch Pine Plantation on State Land, Near Lake Clear Jet., N. Y. Four Years After Planting
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 65
Section 8. The owner of any timberland who shall have entered into a contract with the state to man- age the forests under such regulations as the state may prescribe and who shall then fail to file a sworn statement as to the measurement of such products as he may cut, or who shall remove such products without notifying the local assessors, or who shall swear falsely as to the measurements of such _ pro- ducts, shall: pay ten per cent of the value of such products as determined by the assessors, and in addi- tion thereto, shall be liable to a fine of not less than $1.00 nor more than $10.00 for each tree so cut and removed.
Section 9. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent or in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.
section. 10; This vact’- shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication.
66 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
CONSOLIDATION OF THE STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS
We believe that the time is ripe for the consolida- tion of several of the boards which are working along the lines of conservation into one department to be known as the State Conservation Commission. In this way a great deal of the duplication and ex- pense of maintenance and operation may be elimi- nated. More effective work could be done and at the same time be placed in the hands of competent, trained officials.
The work of many of the different departments is conducted, or at least, supervised, by _ ex-officio boards, acting without other compensation than their actual traveling expenses. By the consolida- tion of this work much better results can be ac- complished and men employed who would devote all of their time and energy to the work.
We suggest that this commission be made to em- brace the following now existing departments:
1. Fish and Game Department.
2.- Fish: Commussion.
3. State Board of Forestry.
4. State: Park Board:
5. State Conservation Commission.
This work could then be placed in the hands of three men and at a much less expense than is now necessary. We would recommend that one of the Commissioners be a man with a thorough knowledge of the propagation, protection and care of fish and game; the second be a technically trained forester, and the third a technically trained engineer, and that all these appointments be made by the Governor in the same manner as the members of the Railroad Commission.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 67
A Bill
To -ereate: sections. (4941-7 and. 1494t-8. of the statutes; to amend subsection 1 of section 1498, section 1494-42, and section 1498x, of the statutes, and to repeal subsections 2, 3 and 4 of section 1498, and sections 1494-46, 1495, 1496 and 1494t-1 of the statutes, abolishing the offices of state fish and game warden, state board of forestry, state conservation commission, commissioners of fisheries and the state park board, and providing for the appointment of a state conservation commission of Wisconsin.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
section 1. There ‘are added to ‘the: statutes two new sections .to. read: Section: 1494t-7.:1. A state conservation commission is hereby created to be com- posed of three commissioners. Immediately after the passage of this act the Governor shall, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint such commissioners, but no caqmmissioner so ap- pointed shall be qualified to act until so confirmed. One of the commissioners shall be a man with a thorough knowledge of the propagation, protection and care of fish and game; the second shall be a technically trained forester; and the third a tech- nically trained engineer. The term of one_ such appointee shall terminate on the first Monday in February, 1919; the term of the second such appoin- tee shall terminate on the first Monday in February, 1921;.and the term of the third such appointee shall terminate on the. first Monday in February, 1923. In January, 1919 and biennially thereafter there shall be appointed, and comfirmed in _ the same manner, one commissioner for the term of six years “irom the “first Monday “inm~ February of such year. Each such commissioner so appointed shall hold his office until his successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the unexpired
68 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
term subject to confirmation by the senate, but no such appointment shall be in full force until acted upon by the senate. Each such commission- er shall receive an annual salary of three thousand five hundred dollars.
2. The governor may at any time remove any commissioner for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in _ office. Before such removal he shall give such commissioner a copy of the charges against him and shall fix a time when he can be heard in his own defense, which shall. not be less than ten days thereafter, and such hearing shall be open to the public. If he shall be removed the governor shall file in the office of the secretary of state a complete statement of all charges made against such commissioner, and his findings thereon, with a record of all proceedings.
3. No commissioner, nor the secretary, shall hold any other office, or position of profit, or pursue any other business or vocation, or serve on or under any committee of any _ political party, but shall devote his entire time to the duties of his office.
4. Before entering upon the duties of his office, each of said commissioners shall take and_ sub- scribe a constitutional oath of office, and shall in addition thereto swear (or affirm) that he holds no other office of profit, nor any position under any political committee or party; such oath (or. affir- mation) shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state.
5. The commissioners appointed under this sec- tion shall within twenty days after their appoint- ment and affirmation meet at the state capitol and organize by electing one of their number chairman, who shall serve until the second Monday of Febru- ary 1917. On the second Monday of February in each odd numbered year the commissioners shall meet at the office of the commission and elect a chairman who shall serve for two years and until his succes- sor is elected. A majority of said commissioners shall constitute a quorum to transact business, and any
17. Scotch Pine Plantation on State Land Near Lake Clear Jct., N. Y. Six Years After Planting.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE 69
vacancy shall not impair the right of the remaining commissioners to exorcise all the powess of the commission.
6. Said commission shall appoint a secretary who shall keep sa full and correct account of all trans- actions and ‘proceedings of said commission and shall perform such other duties as may be required by ‘said commission and shall receive an annual salary not exceeding fifteen hundred dollars. Said commission may employ the necessary clerks and stenographers to perform the clerical work of the office, and appoint and employ such foresters, ward- ens, experts, agents, superintendents, assistants and employes as may be necessary to carry out the pro- visions of this section, and shall fix the compensa- tion for such clerks, stenographers, foresters, ward- ens, experts, agents, superintendents, assistants and employes. The experts and temporary employes shall be exempt from the operation of chapter 44a or the ‘statutes.
7. The commissioners shall be known collectively as the ‘“‘state conservation commission of Wiscon- Sim arand: ine thal name "may swe and’ be sued. It shall have a seal with the words “state conserva- tion commission of Wisconsin,’’ and such other design as the commission may prescribe engraved thereon, by which it shall authenticate its proceed- ings and “of which. the -court (shall take judicial notice.
8. Said commission shall keep its office at the state capitol and the superintendent of public prop- erty is directed to provide suitable rooms for that purpose, also the necessary office furniture, supplies, postage and stationery. Said commission is author- ized to purchase the necessary supplies, equipment and instruments, to procure printed forms and not- ices and to issue special publications pertaining to its work, the cost of which shall be audited and paid the same as other expenses of the state are audited and paid. Said commission may hold meetings at other places than the capitol whenever in its judg-
70 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY GCOMMITTEE
ment the interests of the state can best be served by so doing.
Section 1494t-8. 1. All duties, liabilities, authority, powers, and privileges imposed or conferred by law upon the state fish and game warden, the state board of forestry, the state forester, the assistant state forester, the state fire warden, the assistant state fire warden, the state trespass agent and the assistant state trespass agent, the state conservation commission, the commissioners of fisheries, the super- intendent of fisheries, the assistant superintendent of fisheries and the state park board are conferred and imposed upon the state conservation commission of Wisconsin.
2. All provisions of the statutes relating to the state fish and game warden, all deputies, special and county game wardens, to the state board of forestry to the state forester, to the assistant state forester, to the state, county and town fire wardens, to tres- pass agents, to the state conservalion commission, to the commissioners of fisheries, to the superintend- ent of fisheries, to the assistant superintendent of fisheries and to the state park board shall apply to and be deemed to relate to the said state conserva- tion commission of Wisconsin, and the officers pro- vided for by this section, so far as the said laws are applicable.
3. All funds, appropriations and moneys made available by law for carrying out the purposes set forth in the laws creating, regulating, providing for and relating to such fish and game warden, such state board of forestry, such commissioners of .fish- eries, the state conservation commission, and such state park board, and any laws creating, regulating, providing for and relating to all clerks, employes, assistants, deputies, wardens, special and additional wardens, county wardens, county or town fire wardens, trespass agents and superintendents, and all funds, appropriations and moneys under the con- trol of any state fish and game warden, such state board of forestry, of such commissioners of fisheries,
REPORT.OF SPECIAL FORESERY COMMITTEE Val
of the state conservation commission, and such state park board, and all clerks,. employes, assistants, deputies, wardens, special and additional wardens, county wardens, county or town fire wardens, tres- pass agents, and superintendents, shall be available to and under the control of the state conservation commission of Wisconsin herein created.
Aven laws --relatins to, the collection,: carrying; transfer, custody and disbursement of said funds, appropriations and moneys, or relating to any cler- ical or ministerial act ‘involved in such. collection, carrying, transfer, custody and disbursement thereof shall’ japply<. tox the .collection;. carrying, - transfer, custody and disbursement of said funds when under the control of the said state conservation commission of Wisconsin.
5. Any amendment made to sections of the stat- utes relating to» the duties, jJiabilities, authorities, powers and privileges of or relating to funds, ap- propriations and moneys available to or under the control of any of the commissioners or officers named in this section shall be deemed to relate to the duties, liabilities, authority, powers, and_ privileges imposed and conferred upon the said conservation commission and to the funds, appropriations and moneys available to or under the control of such commission.
Section 2. _ Subsection 1. of section 1498, subsec- tions 3 and 4 of section 1494-42, and section 1498x of the statutes are amended to read: (Section 1498) 4. the governor shall appett a state fish and game avarden by and with the advice and consent ef the senate, who shal held his effee for the term of twe years from the date ef his appemt ment and untH his stueeesser is appointed and queahed, untess removed by the sexerner for miscondiet, trefficienes, of Hesleet ef duty; and ery waeaney eeetrrixe durine said term shall be filed by the governor for the residue of the term. It shall be the duty of said searden the stale con- servation commission of Wisconsin to secure the
ve REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
enforcement of the law for the preservation of fish and game and to bring or cause to be brought actions and proceedings in the name of the state to recover any and all fines and penalties provided for. He shal atse perform the same duties as ave in seetion t6356e presertbed for fre aardens, and shalt Hitther report te the tend eomuissieHers apy tiHtermeter retetine te the state tands as shall from time to time be reqtired and eoreern- we any trespasses thereon aehich may eome toe his tHostedee.
Section 1494-42. 4. Fhetre shall be a state for- ester, whe shal be a technically traimed forester, apperited by the state beard of forestry, and whether any candidate fer this pesittion is a teeh- peal trained forester shal be determined b¥ eertifeates from the secretary of the Lnted States
2. He shalt tecebre a satary of three thetsand six hundred deHars per sear, and the aetial and Heeessary traveline and field expenses, inetrred wm the econduet ef his etierat business, be em- powered te appeHHt a elerk ahese salary shal net exceed Htteen hindered dolers per et) tae
neeessary printed forms and netiees and the pub- Heations heretpatter provided, and shal aet as seeretary of the state beard of forestry.
3. Ne.4. The state conservation commission of Wis- consin shall, wader the supervision of the state bered ot forestry, execute all matters pertaining to forestry within the jurisdiction of the state, direct the management of the state forest reserve, depute ene ef his assistants te aet dtvime his absence oF disability, collect data relative to forest destruc- tion and conditions, take such action as is author-
18. Same as Nos. 16 and 17. Photo 1914. Gruhn, Photo.
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE TS
ized by law to prevent and extinguish forest fires and to prevent forest trespass; cooperate in for- estry as provided under Section 1494-45 of the statutes; and advance as He may deem be deemed wise by the issuing of publications and by lectures, the cause of forestry within the state; and may cooperate with the university of Wisconsin in the instruction and training of forest rangers. He Such commission shall prepare brenntath: a report te the state beard of forestry biennially on the progress and condition of state forest work, and recommend therein plans for improving the state system of forest protection, management, replace- ment, and taxation. he state board of ferestey shalt report biennialy a summary of sueh faets to the governor.
4. 2—The care and protection of all lands that have been, or may hereafter be acquired by the state for public park purposes, shall be under the direction of the state board of ferestes con- servation commission of Wisconsin, and all moneys appropriated for the purposes of the protection and improvement of such parks shall be expended under the supervision of such beard ef ferestasy commis- sion.
Section 1498x. +here is hereby created a eom- mission te be known as the state conservation eommisston of the state ef Wiseorsin, the same te eoersist of seven members, to be appetmted by the soverner. the term of effee of the commis- sieners shall be from duly 4 4944. a5 follows: Fue for a perted of tre years, te fer a perted of feur sears, and three fer a period of six ears: AS their terms expire al appeimtments shalt be for Stx svears and tatH thet steeessers are appetHted. Fhe ditttes of the The state conservation commis- sion of Wisconsin shall be te consider the natural resources of the state of Wisconsin with reference to their remaining unimpaired so far as this is practicable. The commission shall present a frst report to the governor en eF before Fine 39, 4948,
74 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
and biennially thereaHer, steh repert te eoentain on or before June 30, of each odd numbered year, the results of investigations and recommendations as to measures to be taken to conserve the natural resources of the state, and, if such recommenda- tions embody legislation, drafts of bills to accom-_ plish the same. The governor is authorized to have such reports printed by the state printer.
Section 3. Subsections 2, 3 and 4 of section 1498, and sections 1494-46, 1495, 1496 and 1494t-1 of the statutes are repealed from and after September i Pee oo Be ea
Section 4. This act shall take effect upon passage and publication.
~l or
REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
Summary
The Committee Found:
1. That Wisconsin conditions are ideal for the growing of trees, particularly white and norway pine.
2. That artificial reforestation will ultimately become a source of
profit to the State.
3. That such planting should be confined to principally white and norway pine.
4. That quicker and cheaper results can be had by the encourage- ment of natural second growth—that is, natural reproduction.
5. That it will only be a few years before owners of private estates will engage in the reforestation. of. their non-agricultural lands.
6. That the task given the committee to decide which of the lands in the proposed Forest Reserve are best adapted to agriculture is an - impossible one; it would require a soil survey and cruising by experts. That all the committee could do was to make general observations.
7. That the question as to which of the lands are available for agri- culture is a debatable one. That the demand in a few years may be such that some of the land now really considered non-profitable for
farming may be cultivated.
8. That the State lands now owned do not compare favorably with other lands in the proposed reserve.
9. That the selection of the lands in the proposed reserve was well made and no better place could be found in the State.
10. That lands should be held in large areas in order to lessen the cost of fire protection and other expense of reforestation.
11. That there are large areas in other parts of the State only fit for forestry, which future commercial interests may demand the use of for this purpose.
12. That climatic conditions, while a hindrance in growing certain crops, do no more than limit the field of operation, yet with oppor- tunity for fairly good returns.
13. That the committee found large areas which were very rough, covered with gravel, stone and huge boulders. That large areas—in fact, a major portion of the lands which the committee had an oppor- tunity to investigate are better adapted to forestry than to farming.
14. That if these areas are used for forestry it will not interfere in any way with the agricultural development, neither should farming interfere with forestry. The one should assist the other.
76 REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE
15. With 13,000,000 acres undeveloped in Northern Wisconsin, and three and a quarter million non-agricultural—that is 25 per cent—there is sufficient land for forestry and yet no dearth of land left to farm.
16. That there are thousands of acres of lands in Northern Wis- consin which on account of the poor soil and rough nature will not be used for farming in this generation or several to come.
17. That there is no section of the State where an attempt at re- forestation can produce a quicker illustration of its possibilities. That soil conditions are the very best for a natural reproduction of pine.
18. That by reason of the miles of old logging grades and the hundreds of lakes an excellent opportunity is afforded for the estab- lishment of a cheap and good fire protection system.
19. That scattering state lands should be sold and money used to ward the purchase of lands in the proposed permanent reserve.
20. That the present work of the department be confined to the proposed permanent reserve.
21. That small forest reserves In several districts are not practical on account of expense of operation.
22. That the present state lands in the proposed reserve are ample upon which to demonstrate what can be expected in this work.
23. That much of the present opposition to forestry is occasioned by the demand for lake frontages.
24. That by reason of the increased demand the inferior species of timber now growing on the state lands will be of inestimable value.
25. That none of the timber owned by the state be sold until mature or unless there be a real demand for the land for agriculture. That all timber lands should be conserved.
26. That more recent investigations tend to substantiate the claim that in order to secure a uniform stream flow, the head-waters of our rivers should be protected with a forest growth. That deforestation is conductive to rapid snow melting and stream run-off.
27. That the lands in the proposed reserve be retained and future purchases be limited to that area.
28. That agricultural lands, in areas of 1,000 acres or more, now owned by the state be classified and immediately offered for sale to actual settlers. That said lands be sold cheaply, on long terms, at a low rate of interest. Sold under some such provisions as to their occupancy and improvements as now required under the United States Homestead law. In tracts not to exceed 160 acres. In accordance with a bill to be presented.
29. That fifty per cent of all the frontage on each lake in the proposed reserve be held by the State; that no lake frontage be sold unless classified as of agricultural value and then only to actual settlers.
19. Same as Photos 16, 17 and 18. Twelve Years After Planting. Photo in 1914. Gruhn, Photo.
ce
0
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REPORT OF SPECIAL FORESTRY COMMITTEE yi
30. That the establishment of the forest reserve has insured the permanent attractiveness of this region for public recreation pur- poses.
31. That the present taxation law, if constitutional, provides ade- quate relief to the assessment districts for the loss of taxes on state lands.
32. That a new law for the taxation of private timber lands be enacted along the lines of a bill herewith presented.
33. That the following departments be consolidated under the head of a board of three members to be known as the State Conservation Commission: 1. Fish & Game Department; 2. Fish Commission; 3. State Board of Forestry; 4. State Park Board; 5. State Conserva- ion Commission; for which a bill is herewith presented.
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