California Has Forestry Cooperation

By \ilendell Robie, Auburn Lumber Compony, Auburn, Calif. Vice Choirmon Colifornia State Boord of Forestry

A Report to the \Uestern Forestry ond Conservotion Associotion ot the cnnuol meeting held in Portlond, Oregon forcstry arc selected to reprcsent the public interest and thosc of pine and redood lumber, timbcr, rvater, livestock an<l agriculture. Each is statervide in representation of his intcrest and is r,vithout geographical partisanship.

There are two breeds of Forestry in California: one is the licdcral variety and the other is that of the State of California. Outdoor people and outcloor industries with close interests to frlrcstry carr tell y<lu they lre lllumb different in many ways. This discussion deals only rvith State Forestry, a program rvhich the State of California runs under the brand of COOPERATION.

'I'his rvas a good start for a dorvn to bedrock statc forestry progranr run by thc pcople for the good of all people. 'Ihc old tinrers devekrping this breed of forestry did not know burearrcracy and bureaucratic blood was left out entirely. It is still left out and legislative improvements and ad<litions since have further blazed the trail for public consideration in all of the California forestry program.

Western people know that often a breed, different from existing stock or plants, may develop by evolution for adjustment to certain conditions. Perhaps, for the same reason, California Forestry today is some different from other forestry. It has been called forestry by the people and it is forestry by the people. It was made that way and it works that rvay because, up and down and crosswise the great area of California, outdoor people themselves are given the opportunity to u'ork and provide answers for their own problems of forestry for beneficial and productive use. It is u'ork forestry. It is forestry in overalls. It is not forestry at a flat top desk in front of a French model telephone. It is forestry in the field and not in slick paper magazines.

Wendcll T. Robie

This California breed of forestry is a success, not only because of popularity rvith clear-eyed and practical people everyrvhere, but because of its beneficial accomplishments. Let us see horv it gets that way:

California rvas the first state to provide for state forestry. Since then all governors of California have given support; but two governors, both from Alameda County on San Francisco Bay, have done most to establish the character and scope which California forestry has today. Governor Earl Warren and Governor Pardee are noteworthy for their forestry interest and support. A long time ago in forestry, Governor Pardee put the program on a high level trail for state service. He recognized before most foresters the multiple use values in good forestry and established the essential character of our forestry administration in California. It was then provided that the policy of California state forestry would be directed by the people, through a Board of Forestry appointed by the Governor, with members to represent all multiple use lactors for California forest and watershed lands.

The seven members who make the policy for California

A goorl example is the California Forest Practice Act of 1945 which was voted by the Legislature with the statewide cooperation of lnmber operators and timber owners to work out the answers to better forest management. This shows people's forestry at work so let us take a brief look at this quotation of state policy taken from the law. "The public interest is affected by the management of forests, timberlands, watershed and soil resources of the State, and it is declared to be the policy of the State of California to encourage and promote and require such development, use and management of forests and forest lands as rvill maintain the continuous production of forest products, to the end that adequate supplies of forest products are assured for the needs of the people for their farms, homes and industries. It is declared to be the policy of the State of California to encourage and assist ownership in the management and economic development of privately orvned forest land."

Under this Act, the State forest lands were divided into 4 districts, each with a Forest Practice Committee of 5 members appointed by the Governor to develop and maintain a code of forest practice rvith the force of law after approval by vote of two thirds of the forest land ownership of the district and by approval of the Board of Forestry. Thousands of people were able to express themselves toward the development of our good Code of Forest Practice in California. This cooperation endorsed compliance, and the successful results of this development in California for sound at-home regulation of forest practices can be recommended to every forest land state in this country.

In consequence, do you believe our people want Federal regulation as would be forced on the nation by the proposed Anderson bill S 1820? Here is an answer from California. "The California State Board of Forestry hereby declares to be the policy of the Board of Forestry to favor only State regulation of forest practices on private timberlands in California as are deemed advisable and necessary to assure continuous production of California's forest resources. It opposes Federal influence or control of such forest practices." Similar opinions have lleen expressed opposing the bureaucratic schemes and plans pr<lllosed for the California redwood region by Dervey Anderson and Congressivoman l)ouglas.

1'he biggest job of California statc forestry is firc supprcssion. 2tl million acres :lre directly protected an<l l2 nrillion nlore acres are protected by California State liorestry men rvith the cooperation of the people of 3l counties of the state. Thc state fire control plan enrpkrying 2500 rrren at the height of the fire season and 1000 pieccs of mechanized equipment has been rlevekllled in coopcratiorr rvith the state association <lf Courrty Sultervis<lrs, the statc organization of Fire Chiefs and Fire I\Iarshalls, local Farnr Ilureaus and forestry organizations, and the California Forcst l)rotective Association. .50 organizations coollerate in thc California Fire I'revention Itrogram sponsorerl lly thc I)ivision of Forestry. Again, this shoq's active particillation in the people's lrranrl of forestrv olleraterl in California by the State.

Ilere is just one other examplc of the Califorrria method of cooperation to solve a tough forestry prolllem. California has a tremenclous job in attenrptinfl to return l2 million acres of dry brush to l>eneficial and productive range land use. The brush fields have encroachecl on range and timberlands at the lou'er altitudes since the pionecr days of the Gold Itush, 100 years ago. Thel' n1s n<>rv needed for the food and livelihood of a greatly expanding population. I3y state larvs the solution to this tough proltlem is a forestry job.

The California Board of Forestry has tied on to it rvith the help of hundrecls of stockmen rvho have keenly httempted to learn a method which tvill work on their orvn ranges. After thorough discussion in local ancl state meetings, a representative Range Improvement Advisory Committee u'as formed for cooperation and advice to the Forestry Board. Stateu'ide organizations appointed their orvn merr to the Committee rvhich represents the California Cattlemen, Wor>l Grou'ers, Farm Bureau, the College of Agriculture of the University of California, and the California Forest I)rotective Association. Skilled and determined stockmen all over California are rvorking on the prograrn for clearance of brush and reseeding to establish range grass lands for beneficial and productive use. Again, this

Blendwood Blockr

Factory finished blocks containing pecan, elm, beech, sycamore and hackberry in standard 25/37'thickness are now available fronr I,l. I-. Bruce Co. This nerv product is called Blendwood Blocks. The grade is comparable to Sl Conrmon & IJetter.

Intended for laying in mastic, the blocks are manufactured with two metal splines inserted in the back, with opposing tongues and grooves on the edges.

The appearance of the installed floor is very attractive with an interesting contrast of light and dark colored lvood. These blocks are availal)le prelinished only.

is a picture of Cooperation at rvork to solve, in the California manner, a state forestry problem.

Carefully administered programs are carried on by the California Division of Forestry concerning Forest Insect Control and for tl.re forest management, including recreation, on seven, mostly small, State Forests.

It is apparent the people of California like their part in state administration of their own forestry affairs. This question is frequently heard: "Why freight local rnoney to Washington to do a local job rvhen only a part of it gets back after federal expenses are deducted ?"