Report of the State Board of Forestry and of the State Park Committee of the State of Indiana (Volume 9) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910. Excerpt: ... Wood-Lot Conditions and Possibilities. Ry Stanley Coii.tkr, Member Stale Board of Forestry. The problem of the future of the forests of Indiana is merely the problem of securing the proper handling and care of the wood lots and small timbered areas held by individual owners. If such areas are wisely handled and conservatively lumbered there is no reason why they should not for years yield a steady and increasing income and at the same time show a marked increase in quality and value. In other words, the problem of the future timber supply in the State is very largely a problem of education. Owners of timbered tracts must be brought to a realization of the value of such holdings and trained in methods of management which will secure the results indicated. It must be shown also that such methods of management are profitable, for unless this can be done no method, however theoretically desirable it may be shown to be, will ever come into general use. The real peril lies in the fact that this process of education is a very slow one and that existing timber areas may be greatly reduced in value or completely destroyed before a knowledge of the better methods has become common property. It is the purpose in this section of the report to call attention to the conditions prevalent in the wood lot areas of the State and to suggest certain measures for the betterment of these conditions as a first step in the conservation of our timber supply. All of the timber land in Indiana with the exception of the State Forest Reserve tract is held by private owners. As a rule the timber areas, with the exception of certain regions in the southern portion of the State, are small. An examination of a number of such tracts covering many counties of the State indicates fairly wel...