University of Idaho School of Forestry - Forester Yearbook (Moscow, ID)

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46 The Benehtsand Serdces Rendered By the National Forests of the State of Idaho fContinued from page 101 ber is to provide the material for consumers throughout the nation, nevertheless the bene- fits to the local state and its people are so great and of such vast service to them that, were the federal government not carrying the task, the state itself or its counties would be virtually forced to undertake the effort, to far larger extent than now, to protect the pros- perity of a large portion of its people. MANY DEPEND ON WATERSHEDS The other basic purpose of the national forests is watershed protectiong the stabiliza- tion of waterflow and the prevention of ero- sion. How vital is water in Idaho for irriga- tion is well known and attested to by the fact that of over forty thousand farms in the state about 60 per cent Ccomprising 55 per cent of the improved acreagej are irrigated. Over EB90,000,000,000 has been spent in irrigation works. Idaho's streams are capable of generat- ing 2,000,000 horse power, although it should be borne in mind that not all this horsepower will be developed in the state for a great many years. Virtually all streams of importance for irri- gation or for power have their source among the high forested slopes within the national forests. Despite the fact that no abuse of the mountain watersheds could wholly destroy this resource, the loss of the timber or other plant cover might result in depreciating a large part of a value. Height and duration of Hoods would be accentuated and the much needed water during the irrigation period would be much reduced. Erosion from barren hillsides would result in silting up reservoirs and canals, making their maintenance more ex- pensive. The goVernment's eiorts in the na- tional forests in preventing forest fires, over- grazing, and the thoughtless cutting of timber safeguard these watersheds against the ef- fects of such mistreatment. The farms and the water power developments have indeed a considerable interest in the national forests and are rendered an enormous service through the federal government's safeguarding of their benefits. GRAZING RESOURCES VITAL Intermingled with the forest-producing land and integrally a part of them, particularly in the national forests in the southern part of the state, are lands carrying forage values of con- siderable utility. These forage resources are handled under the same general policies of constructive and conservative use that are ap- plicable to the timber. Thus is insured a per- manent production of range feed upon which THE IDAHO FORESTER the welfare of many a livestock producer is heavily dependent. Furthermore, by the sys- tem of preferences that is established under Forest Service policies the smaller stockmen have equal opportunity with the larger and more powerful, for finding range for their stock. Constancy and stability in the number of stock permitted, based upon the output ca- pacity of the land, is a further benefit to the stockmen so they can plan ahead with rea- sonable conidence on their livestock produc- tion operations. For the convenience and economy of opera- tion of the range users the government is con- tinually improving the range facilities through such activities as driveway construction, water developments, rodent and poison plant eradi- cation, and drift fence construction, things that no individual could undertake but which redound very greatly to those who obtain an- nually in the neighborhood of 3500 permits to use the range. It is commonly agreed among stockmen and land use students that some control of the open range is essential. Experience has shown that not otherwise can the public range be pro- tected from the first-come-first-served scramble for its resources with consequent overgrazing and rapid deterioration of great injury finally to all users. Many of these range lands are of such character that it is very questionable whether they would have gone into private ownership and remained there, interest on in- vestment and tax charges being considered. They would then have remained public domain range subject to all the abuse that the remain- ing public domain range meets in most of the western states. GRAZING FEES Low It is to be noted also that the fees charged by the government for range per head are low compared to the fees very generally charged on private lands of similar range character, and much below the usual cost per head that a stock producer would have to bear in the event he owned his own land, oftentimes the cost per head of government range is less than the cost per head of the taxes alone on pri- vately owned lands. One cannot help but note that in spite of appeals for grazing fee re- ductions from livestock men in many quarters who are using national forest ranges, the fact that they are getting the range at less cost than they would probably through any other ownership, coupled with the marked advan- tages of the government methods of range use control, has resulted in national forest graz- ing users so Well satisfied that they have in many an instance urged the extension of na- tional forest range control to other public do- main range lands. How important an element are the national forest ranges in the livestock-producing busi- ness of the state is evident by the fact that over 60 per cent of the 2,275,000 sheep and

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AN ADDRESS TO THE ASSOCIATED FORESTERS GEORGE M. FISHER, '33 Delivered at the Bonfire Meeting at Price Green, October, 1932 Mr. President and Associated Foresters of the University of Idaho: NO DOUBT everyone here, with the possible exception of the freshmen, knows what an honorary fraternity or society is. Existence of such an organization in our School of Forestry is evident, but some of you know very little more than that. I have recollec- tions of reading in the catalog about such an honor society when I was a freshman in the University. But it was not until my sopho- more year that I fully realized what the or- ganization meant, what the functions of the group were, and how admission was possible. Xi Sigma Pi, National Forestry Honor Fra- ternity, stands for an honor society in every sense of the word. It is a distinct honor to our institution and is based upon the very highest of standards which are recognized in our For- estry School. It is an honor to the profession of forestry because its representation is select- ed with much care in regard to the active for- estry profession and is composed almost 100 per cent of men now engaged and holding high positions in this chosen field. It is an honor to the individual when he is recognized and chosen for membership. I think I am right in stating that no one ever received membership in Xi Sigma Pi who did not earnestly work for it and did not feel that after he had received this honor that it was indeed another victory won. MEMBERSHIP IMPORTANT The organization has grown up with the field of forestry. Established in 1908 at our neighboring institution, the University of Washington, it has now a membership of almost 1000 and has eight chapters represent- ed in the country's finest forestry schools. This membership figure means considerable as there are not very many thousands of men at the present engaged in forest activities. A further comparison is possible when it is known there are roughly 2500 members of the Society of American Foresters, the largest group of pro- fessional foresters in our country. The local chapter at Idaho has been in exist- ence 12 years, the charter having been granted in 1920. It has steadily grown in importance in our school, having one of the strongest alumnae chapters in the fraternity, as well as one of the best represented in the profession. At the end of last year the active resident membership of Idaho Epsilon Chapter was 19. This fall the group is represented by 16 actives. The objects of the fraternity are: 1. To se- cure and maintain a high standard of scholar- ship in forest education. 2. To work for the upbuilding of the profession of forestry. 3. To promote fraternal relations among earnest workers engaged in forest activities. SCHOLARSHIP ESSENTIAL You will see from this that recognition of membership by the group would be based on scholarship, activity in forestry work, and true professional interest. The eligibility re- quirements are high and stand among the top in relation to other existing societies. But they are high for a purpose. It is necessary to maintain forest school standards and pro- fessional forestry on par with the best of other professions. Also an honor difficult to attain and worth working hard for is much more valued and appreciated after such an honor is obtained. Three-fourths of all the grades a student makes during his college course must be B or better or in other words above 80 per cent. Second semester junior standing is necessary except in a few cases where a limited number of students of excep- tional ability may be pledged during their first semester of the junior year. A failure in any forestry subject completely rejects the student from membership. Faculty members and graduate students with the necessary high scholastic records coming from institutions that do not have a chapter of Xi Sigma Pi are eligible for membership. Now this leads up to one thought I wish to get across to the new students tonight. Start right now working toward a member- ship inthe fraternity. It may not seem urgent at this time but it is most important. When you get to be sophomores and juniors and re- alize that you would like to be a member of Xi Sigma Pi, and what it may mean to you, it might be too late. An eligiblity requirement of '75 per cent B and better is hard to make and it is mighty important that you start working for this in your first year of school. Let me give exact Hgures to explain what I mean. HIGH GRADES FIRST YEAR IMPORTANT The average student in the forestry school carries 18 credit hours each semester or 36 a year. If the student completes 20 hours of work B and better the Hrst year, which is above the average, this gives him 5516 per cent above C. But even then the following year this student must make all but two hours of this 36 earned his second year, B and better, to be eligible for Xi Sigma Pi with a '75 per cent. How many do this? The thing to do is work for good grades and get interested in scholarship your first year in school. It is lContinued on page 52l 45

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THE IDAHO FORESTER 47 close to eighteen per cent of the 635,000 cattle in the state find range in the national forests. The livestock-producing operations behind the stock grazed on the national forest ranges, on which they vitally depend, have an estimated value of very close to 320,000,000 FOREST SERVICE DEVELOPS RECREATIONAL USES The recreational resources of the national forests are of considerable benefit to the citi- zens of the state because they lie practically at the back door in most places and at very short distances elsewhere in the state. The Forest Service policy is to encourage the use of the forests for recreation and to develop rec- reational resources and to make them more readily usable. Camping and picnicking, hunt- ing and fishing fexcept for necessary state licensesj, are free of charge. These are the principal recreational uses made of the for- ests by the local people. The seven-year aver- age, from 1925 to 1931 inclusive, for this form of recreational use came to slightly over 135,- 000 people. How rapidly this is growing is evidenced by the fact that the figures for 1932 alone come to slightly over 190,000. Other forms of recreation are also encouraged, for nominal fees tracts for exclusive use for re- sorts or for summer homes can be obtained under a minimum of restrictions designed to protect public interest and other recreational uses. Just how many of these visitors hunt or fish is a number not available but it is known to be large. They are attracted by the over 80,000 head of big game, and the fine fishing streams virtually everywhere in the national forest areas. The Forest Service liberally and whole-heartedly co-operates with the state game authorities in fostering the fish and game and enforcing the game laws. In the formulation of the very essential game man- agement plans, insuring foresight in these matters, the Forest Service has considered its responsibility virtually co-ordinate with that of the state agencies, since it is a Forest land use that is concerned. It is only with such plans that the present and future well-being of the game and fish resources can be soundly assured. GUESTS OF STATE BRING REVENUE What portion of the recreation users come from outside the state it is possible only roughly to estimate. Assuming that 10 per cent would be a conservative figure, the actual recreation occupants of the national forest land, other than Idahoans, come to about 20,- 000 in terms of approximate person days. A great contribution this is to the pleasure, in- spiration, refreshment and health of the state's guests. It is also a source of inflow of outside money, it has been conservatively estimated that every day's recreation use represents a local expenditure of 35.00. Thus results an estimated income of S100,000 annually. And it is to be confidently expected that this use will greatly increase with return to normal conditions in the country and as machine development constantly enables mankind to enjoy greater and greater leisure. The For- est Service recognizes recreation as one of the major uses of the national forests and gives it a prominent place in its land use, protection, and development plans. Very clearly its national forests are of manifold benefit to the people of the State of Idaho, far in excess of any sacrifices that may be considered-chiefly in the form of taxes that may have been collectible on a small part of the lands had they remained open for pri- vate acquisition. It is to be borne in mind, however, that the major reason for the forests as a national enterprise is to insure their benefits for the people of the nation, which could not be attained by any other means than federal ownership and control. The govern- ment in the national forests as with other of its activities, undertakes its burden with the aim of benefit and service to the people of the nation, as well as locally, and not for any profit or other direct financial gain. Funda- mentally that is why the national forests in Idaho are of such great benefit to its people. George Washington Memorial Dedication The members of Epsilon chapter of Xi Sig- ma Pi met in the Arboretum the noon of Cam- pus Day, May 10, 1933 for a luncheon and formal dedication of the George Washington Bicentennial Memorial. After a lunch of coffee, beans, sandwiches, and pie, served at Price Green by Paul Talich, chairman of events, the stage, consist- ing of two chairs and a table, was set for a clever playlet entitled, The Moonshinersf' John McNair and Dr. W. D. Miller composed the cast. The group then adjourned to the memorial planting of 19 Colorado Blue Spruce nearby, established May 3, 1932. Dean F. G. Miller oHicially dedicated the memorial, addressing the members as they gathered around the large granite rock upon which a bronzed plate had been mounted commemorating the plant- ing.-G. M. F. Grin and She Grin Do you remember that November When two budding woodsmen With axes in hand Went for some firewood at Watson's command And then came back With a tamarack? -An Alum.