259.0 CONSERVATION COMMISSION To Forest Rangers: Albany, N. Y., August 26, 1914. We require reliable information along the following lines in regard to the State Forest Preserve: 1. Amount and kinds of timber. 2. Value of the material. 3. Quantity of camp sites, and their location. 4. General description of the land and timber. Your careful assistance is necessary in preparing this data. In order to secure uniform information, a blank has been prepared. We require a separate report upon each lot or lots situated together. Will you be careful in securing the information and preparation of your reports? We require a report upon all state lands in your district. In preparing the report give attention to the following points: 1. Lot number, tract or patent, township, etc. 2. All facts in regard to lumbering operations on the parcel. State whether hard or soft wood was cut, or both. Approximate year of last lumbering. Size to which trees, generally, were cut on stumps. 3. Full report as to fires. Year they occurred. If light or severe burn. 4. If various parts of the lot are of different character, make separate or complete reports. 5. Make a diagram of lot and character of forest growth. 6. If the lot is covered with brush, give name of principal kinds of trees. 7. If land is open plains, marsh, blueberry plains, barren rock, water, so state. 8. If the lot contains a cut of timber, give best estimate of quantity and value as required. 9. The value required is the worth of the material on the stump. 10. Be sure to say if price is per thousand feet, cords, markets, standards, etc. 11. The matter of camp sites is important because there is the possibility of the Constitution being changed and permitting their leasing. 12. Give your estimate of what camp sites of one acre ought to lease for per year, these figures separate for different lakes and ponds. 13. If there is anything in these instructions which you do not fully understand, please write us at once. This work is of great importance. It must be done carefully and conscientiously. A forester will be detailed to take charge of the matter and your work will be checked. We hope that you will be able to complete all your reports by October 1. We will expect you to send them to us, as fast as completed, every week. We inclose blanks for your use. If you need additional supply advise us. Very truly yours, CONSERVATION COMMISSION, By C. R. PETTIS, Supt. State Forests. Estimated miles of shores of lakes, ponds and large rivers.. Miles of good camp sites.... Annual rental value of camp sites $. Miles to nearest highway.... Area bearing merchantable timber... per year (camp site 1 acre) Area bearing only trees too small to be merchantable. Area bearing no timber whatever (exclusive of water). Total area. . acres acres . acres . acres . acres Remarks The rangers were, generally speaking, men who were experienced in lumbering and log scaling, and familiar with the tracts they were asked to examine. They examined these lands, interviewed competent people who were familiar with the lands and timber; secured knowledge of past operations; consulted maps showing the burned areas and otherwise secured important and helpful information. It must be borne in mind that this data is based upon ocular estimates of timber except in rare cases where more accurate figures were available, together with other reliable information. They incorporated the results of their work on the report blanks. These blanks were again checked by men familiar with the lands and the results compiled by a forester. We do not claim that the figures are absolutely correct, but that they represent the best that could be done under the circumstances and will be very useful. CLASSIFICATION The information secured has been compiled in three ways. We have computed the area of lands of different character; the quantity of timber by species and location; and finally the extent of shore front suitable for camp sites. The Preserves are situated in the Adirondack and Catskill regions; form parts of sixteen counties; consist of nearly seven thousand parcels; are bounded by approximately nine thousand miles of lines; and are intermixed with several times their area of private holdings. The area in its entirety is technically called the "Forest Preserve." The portions which lie within the Adirondack or Catskill counties are more particularly referred to as either the Adirondack or Catskill Preserve. There has been established by statute* in each of these sections a park which includes the more central portions of these territories. The park boundaries are indicated on our published maps by a heavy blue line. They include both State and private owned property. The idea of a park line has been to define an area within which the State should, as a matter of policy, confine its acquisition of lands † The author wishes to acknowledge the services of Arthur S. Hopkins, a forester of this Commission, who carefully compiled data secured by the several rangers. * Conservation Law, sections 51 and 52. |