Florida National Forests

HUMAN welfare is the basic aim of conservation, and forests are vital tools in the service of mankind. The United States Forest Service as a large landowner in Florida is obliged to manage its lands so that the forest resources will be converted into direct benefits to society and exert greater beneficial influences upon the economic structure of the State.

The Florida national forests are destined to play an increasingly important part in the future economic life of the State. They are a testing ground where multiple-use management of their resources will help to solve the problem of how forest lands may bring increased stability of employment, sounder communities, and improved standards of living.

Florida has large forested areas, a long and favorable growing season, fast-growing tree species that lend themselves readily to forest management, excellent markets, and good transportation facilities. The State's longleaf and slash pine forests have been the mainstay of naval stores production for the last 30 years. Now they serve as the raw material for the manufacture of pulp. In the early days of Florida men died in the mad search for hidden treasure, and now science and industry have discovered the real treasure in Florida's forest trees. Plants engaged in the manufacture of kraft paper, boxes, and paper pulp are moving to the South because of the abundant supply of pine trees which make good pulpwood material by the time they are 20 to 25 years old. It pays to raise this timber as a crop, and the Forest Service is using the national forests as demonstration plots to show that scientific forestry and methods of conservation pay profits. When industry and private owners realize this, the shift in timber from a mining to a cropping system of utilization will have made a real start.

Since the private timber owner's interest in forestry is principally from the standpoint of cost and profit, an attempt has been made on the national forests to get the costs down to a commercial basis so that private owners can look over these areas and do their own figuring. It is believed that this will have a far-reaching effect in putting under proper forest management the 22,000,000 acres of wooded land in the State.

TOWERS ARE AN IMPORTANT FART OF THE FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM F—131444

THE MENACE OF FIRES

Uncontrolled fires are the greatest problem facing forest conservation in the South, and one of the major jobs in the administration of the national forests is the prevention and suppression of fires. One bad fire may destroy the forest crops for a century.

The forest wealth of the Nation is being destroyed through fire alone at the rate of about $50,000,000 a year. The cost of fighting fires, erosion, floods, and the destruction of wildlife must also be considered in figuring fire losses. Without successful fire protection, forestry cannot restore the American heritage of timberlands, nor can these lands fulfill their role in the control of floods, the maintenance of water supplies, and outdoor recreation.

The United States Forest Service is making every effort to bring the newest scientific developments into forest-fire control in the national forests, and to coordinate the results of experience and fire-control research to effect the desired fire-control objectives. In the preparation of fire plans, prevention has been given special emphasis. Specific plans as to lookout points to be manned, placement of special fire crews, and use of emergency patrols are now based on fire-danger conditions as indicated by wind, humidity, visibility, and rainfall measurements. Fire improvements consist largely of the fire-tower system, telephone lines, radio equipment used in communication, and roads which make the forest accessible. The fire-control organization is primarily headed by the district rangers, aided by a corps of lookout men who detect the fires and report them to the dispatcher, who in turn sends a fire-fighting crew to the fire area.

In the highly inflammable ground cover of Florida forests one spark may expand to a devastating conflagration at almost any season of the year. In no State are the resources of the forests more essential to the continued prosperity of a people than in Florida. The basic materials necessary for supporting the lumber, naval stores, and wood-using industries are far too valuable to be allowed to go up in smoke.

State and Federal foresters and other agencies have organized to secure adequate forest-fire control. Because of this effort, almost 5 million acres of forest land in Florida are now under organized fire protection. But 17-1/4 million acres of privately owned lands in the State are without such protection. One of the first needs is for the State and private owners to bring this huge area under protection, so that it may begin growing a new timber crop. Adequate protection for the total forested area of 22 million acres depends upon the wholehearted cooperation of every citizen in Florida, who, as a property owner and taxpayer, should be vitally concerned.

Much of the progress in fire protection in Florida during the past few years has been made possible by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Under direction of experienced forest officers C. C. C. enrollees have constructed hundreds of miles of roads and trails. They have built towers and put in thousands of man-hours watching for telltale wisps of smoke from these same towers. They have strung thousands of miles of telephone lines over which to send the news of fire outbreaks.

A FOREST SCENE IN OSCEOLA NATIONAL FOREST, IN 1932, BEFORE THE FOREST WAS PLACED UNDER PROTECTION F—266904

THE SAME SPOT EXACTLY 5 YEARS LATER, THE RESULT OF ORGANIZED FIRE PROTECTION F—345196

It is estimated that 25 percent of forest fires on the national forests are caused by smokers—persons who go into the woods for camping, hunting, and recreation. A carelessly discarded burning match, cigar butt, or glowing pipe heel may in a few moments be converted into a disastrous forest fire which, before sufficient man power or equipment can be brought to the scene, results in a desolate, blackened wilderness of smoking ruins.

There are more than a million and a half acres of land in the gross area of the four national forests of Florida. This huge empire is owned by you and your neighbors and the rest of the public, and if protected from fire, can be made to fulfill the highest objectives of forestry. Florida's magnificent forests, of which the lands now in the national forests were a part, withstood the greediness of rival nations and the fury of war, but they cannot with stand uncontrolled fire. When you are in the woods, render a real public service by care with fire. Extinguish lighted matches, cigars and cigarettes, and pipe heels. Do your part in helping to keep fire away from the forests. Cooperate with the forest rangers by reporting small fires promptly. If you discover a forest fire and are unable to extinguish it, report it at the nearest supervisor or ranger station, to State Forest Service rangers, county agents, sheriffs, telephone operators, or any others who are organized to handle such reports.

The headquarters of the forest supervisor for the Florida National Forests are at Tallahassee, and ranger stations and fireguard headquarters are located at the following points:

All the forest officers will gladly give visitors information concerning the resources and attractions of the forests. Additional information is also available at the Forest Service Regional Office, Atlanta, Ga.