5 347 030 CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OFJFORESTRY CIRCULAR No. 5 A 0! THE IN CALIFORNIA 1914 CAUFOBNIA STATE PBINTINO OITIOB X NOV181937 STATE BOARD OF FORESTRY. HIRAM W. JOHNSON___ Governor FRANK C. JORDAN Secretary of State U. S. WEBB Attorney General G. MORRIS HOMANS __State Forester OFEICE OF STATE FORESTER. G. MORRIS HOMANS State Forester ALEXANDER W. DODGE Deputy J. DIEHL SCHOELLER Assistant H. E. McKENZIE Forest Engineer E. F. CAREY Secretary J. A. HABNEY __Clerk THE FOREST PROTECTION PROBLEM IN CALIFORNIA. ALIFORNIA stands third in the extent of her forest wealth. Where does she stand in the prac- tice of forest protection? The answer to this question is decidedly inconsistent with the fact that conditions in our State demand special precautionary measures for the protection of forest areas. Many states have developed and are now enjoying effective protective forest policies. California has done practically nothing to insure the conservation of her forests. Is the problem worth solving ? It can not be denied that forests affect, in some way, every industry, and further, produce a marked effect upon the health and happiness of the citizens of the State. What must be accomplished will be accomplished, but not before we as citizens demand that it shall be. We have passed the time beyond which further delay means loss of time, money and, above all, human lives. The prob- lem is neither the discovery of some suitable machine of operation nor the preparation of lengthy, in-need-of- amendment bills; but resolves itself primarily into the hearty support and adoption of measures already intro- duced in our legislature and already passed and in effec- tive operation in other states. A brief historical outline of forest legislation in California will show clearly the situation. The first public sentiment in favor of forestry work in California found expression in an act passed March 3, 1885, creating a state board of forestry. At first this board acted in the capacity of a commission of inquiry with emphasized educational functions. By an amendment police powers were conferred in 1887 for the purpose of making arrests for any violation of any .law applying to forest and brush land within the State, or prohibiting the destruction thereof, with an appropriation of $30,000.00 for the following two years. Two experiment stations were maintained, and the board published three reports on the forest conditions and the forest trees of the State. Little could be accomplished in efficient protective work, and, suffering at the hands of reckless politicians, the act was repealed in 1893. Possession and supervision of the experiment stations passed over to the State University, and the board of forestry was abolished. The act of March 16, 1903 (Stat. 1903, p. 171, Ch. CLV, Cal.), provides as follows: ''The state board of examiners is hereby empowered to enter into contracts * * * with the chief of the bureau of forestry and the department of agriculture for the purpose of studying the forest resources of the State and their proper conservation, and especially with a view of formulating a proper state forest policy, to the extent of fifteen thousand dollars. * * *" The act of March 18, 1905 (Stat. 1905, p. 152, Ch. CLVII, Cal.), provides as follows: "The state board of examiners is hereby empowered to enter into contracts * * * with the chief of the bureau of forestry and the department of agriculture for the purpose of studying the forest resources of the State and their proper conservation, and especially with a view of formulating a proper state forestry policy to the extent of ten thousand dollars. * * * " Cooperation under the provisions of the above acts was secured and field investigations were begun by agents of the Forest Service on July 1, 1903, and the final reports were completed in the spring of 1907. The fire study was finished in time for the 1905 session of the legislature, "and a bill embodying the views of the United States Forest Service" was introduced.* This bill was supported by the Forest Service, the California Water and Forest Association, by other associations and by public-spirited individuals. It aimed toward adequate provision for forest fire protection by the State. The bill was strongly opposed but finally passed as the act of March 18, 1905 (Annual Fire Report, 1913, Cal., p. 77), *Keport of the Fifth National Conservation Congress, "Fire Prevention by States, by the Federal Government and by Private Interests," page 25. after destructive amendments had eliminated practically all of the protective features. This is the law, with a few amendments (Annual Fire Eeport, 1913, Cal., p. 83), under which we are working to-day. THE FOREST LAW NOW IN FORCE. Under the present law the State Forester is limited in his service to the State by the following unfortunate cir- cumstances : 1. No money is set aside for state fire protection. This obviously prevents the execution of essential measures by the State Board of Forestry. 2. The State has no greater working force than the voluntary firewardens who serve willingly and unwillingly without compensation. The system has failed wherever it has been employed. 3. The State owns and maintains no forest reserves. No forest experiment stations or forest nurseries are operated by the State. 4. There is an organized opposition to legislation directed toward the establishment of a strong and effective forest policy. This opposition has found expression in an endeavor to embarrass measures proposed for the pur- pose of actual state activity and state supervision of forest protection. 5. The present law enables the State Board of Forestry to make a few special field investigations, but the scope is not broad enough to include sufficient protective work. When money is spent for fighting fires, it is done at the expense of other departments of the work if such money is not appropriated for fire protection. OPPOSITION TO NEEDFUL FOREST LAWS. The fact remains that California has spent many thou- sand dollars in an endeavor to secure a strong forest policy; and the purpose of this expenditure has been largely defeated by opposition. Opposing factors have failed to present measures and means equally sufficient to meet the requirements. Objection to forest regulation by the State may be expected on the part of individuals who fail to view the fire danger in its true light. If proper restrictions had been voluntarily imposed by a majority of lumbermen and landowners, it is safe to assume that legis- lation directed toward state supervision of forest protec- tion would be generally approved. We believe that there can not be any well directed opposition to a strong state forest protective plan a plan which recognizes the limi- tation of economic conditions; and that private owners should not be required to adopt a practice which entails a financial loss; and that the State should undertake to accomplish protection for the benefit of the public. DURING THE 1913 SESSION. Two forestry bills were introduced during the last session. One, which made provision for an adequate sys- tem of fire patrols, for fire fighting and an appropriation for this purpose, received the hearty support of the Cali- fornia Federation of Women's Clubs. This bill embraced practically all of the essential features contained in the proposed bill of 1905 for which California spent $25,000.00 in cooperation with the Federal Forest Service, in secur- ing data requisite to the preparation of such an adequate state forest policy. The second bill endorsed the method of letting the various associations do the work in coopera- tion with the State, but provided that expenses be paid not by the State. In our opinion, this intermediate step is unnecessary. There are but few protective associations in California and conditions now demand that the State tackle bigger things, plans that will yield results. Neither bill became law. In the general budget $50,000.00 was granted for fire protection, but the defeat of the bill providing for its expenditure rendered this amount inaccessible. IIP SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY FOREST FIRE LOSS IN CAL illlllB A 000 080 856 8 The total area of merchantable .^.LCOU m ^amorma is, approximately, 12,786,306 acres. The total area of timber land burned over in California during 1913 is 61,812 acres. The total forest fire damage amounted to $511,077.00, an amount adequate to maintain an efficient system of pro- tection for several years. Three human lives were sac- rificed, and the lives of many of our wild animals claimed as toll for our neglect. DURING THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION. The State Board of Forestry will present another bill in the next legislature. It will embrace the same general features that were so strongly endorsed by the California Federation of Women's Clubs. Among these features are: 1. The adoption of a system of paid firewardens and patrols. 2. The designation and appropriation of a forest pro- tective fund, and the substance of the proposed bill of 1905. These two features alone will enable the State to lessen the great annual fire loss. Let us, as citizens of California, in addition to our pride of resources and climate, want to'' be proud of our systematic forest protection. Let us do our part in solving the problem by giving our support to legislation directed toward the adoption of the above essential features.