9
-FORESTRY LEGISLATION
The recent session of the state legis
lature was extremely sympathetic to the
■state forestry program as was7 evidenced
by the approval o f -14 different-meas
ures, exclusive of t h e appropriation.
Only one proposed measure failed to
come up for consideration.' This dealt
with the control of cutting immature
timber through an amendment to the
state' Conservation' act. This proposal
met with such vigorous opposition that I
it was never introduced by the forestry
committee. Measures meeting approval
?i>cluded land acquisition, protection
and research.
A broad program of state forest land
I acquisition and management was pro
vided th ro u g h ^ measure that appro
priated $10^,00' f°r this purpose and
established a "3'tate forest development
revolving fund,” In addition to the
money appropriated, the fund is made
up from 2 5 per cent of the income from
state fofest lands with the provision,
however, that where funds have been
spent for land acquisition, 100 per cent
jof all income goes to the fund until it
is reimbursed. The balance of the in-
come goes to the counties.
Fern fires' during hazardous, periods
of late winter or early spring have been
a source 'of considerable loss in small
trees. In February of last year'25,000
acres were -burned over I by Jndiscrimi-
nate burning. This situation can now
be controlled by an act which alloys
for an advance of the closed season for
burning up to February-1 through a
proclomation by the governor.
A very serious infestation of the hem
lock looper1 in Clatsop county wherein
40 million board feet of timber has been
killed in the past two years, led the
legislature to revise the state insect con
trol law and give the state-forester,
through the board of forestry, authority
to set up "zones of infestation” and
provide means whereby the insect can
be controlled.
Research in forestry, especially in the
utilization of wood waste, will be con
tinued at Oregon State College through
the reenactment of the act which, estab
lishes the Forest Products Laboratory.
An appropriation of $48,370 has been
made to carry out the work for the
biennium.
Other bills approved included numer
ous .minor/ amendments to the- forest
code;'especially in connection-with pre
cautionary measures w h Era h must be
taken in milling and logging operations
during the fire season.
PLANTING PROGRAM
' Twenty-five Forest Groye high school
students, working under the direction
of- the State Forestry Department and
officials of the Northwest Oregon For
est Protection Association^ completed
the planting of four and one-half miles
of the Wilson River highway on March
11. During -this Activity which carried
ori over two weekends, the planted strip
was extended" over four miles’ of high
way from upper I Gales, eteek to the'
Devils Fork of" the Wilson riyer.
Stock planted was contributed by the
Oregon forési nursery and consisted en
tirely of Port Orford cedar:— 40,000
seedlings in all. This will provide a*
mixed stand since there is a natural
growth of scattered Douglas fir and
western fed cedar. Width of the strips
varied from five to twelve. rows. ,
One of the features of the program
was the dedication of a tree which was
planted near the spot where the Tilla
mook fife started on August 14, 1933,
and devastated 250,00Q acres of Ore-?
gon’s virgin t i m b e r before being
brought under control. The tree, a five-
foot Port Orford cedar, is marked by
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