Page:Report of the Oregon Conservation Commission to the Governor (1908 - 1914).djvu/261

 , it is an encouragement that each year the number of those who fail to share in the coat of protection grows smaller.

Though accurate figures of cost for 1912 are not at the time of writing this report available the following figures are approximately correct:

The area patrolled by cooperative associations is approximately 6,300,000 acres and the cost per acre varieS from V^c to Sets. This cost, however, includes a considerable amount of trail and telephone line building. The balance of the area is patrolled by the State and individual private owners, the State assisting in the areas covered by the cooperative patrols. The cost to owners maintaining individual patrols was for 1911 a little over 4cts per acre and will be considerably less for 1912 due to a smaller amount of fire fighting.

During the past summer approximately 330 wardens patrolled the area outside the National forests and were paid as follows by state and counties, including men hired from Weeks Law funds, 88; by timber owners, 242; besides this number 82 men served as voluntary wardens at the request of the State Forester. This is a considerable increase over the number of wardens employed under pay during the summer of 1911, and marlts a step forward in forest protection.

The loss of timber in 1911 was the smallest ever recorded in Oregon, though the year was in many ways a trying one. The loss of 1912 will prove small, and but for a few disastrous fires in May, which started before patrolmen were put on, practically no loss would have been sustained.

The opinion that must be reached in reviewing progress made since the last report of this Commission is that the Forest Law has accomplished surprisingly good results. To sum up, it has brought about:

1. More careful observance of the law, and a consequent lessening of destruction of timber.

2. Better public sentiment affecting the forest wealth of the State.

3. Increased protection by private owners.

4. The introduction of system into forest protection, thus increasing eflficiency and reducing the fire hazard.

5. Moral, and in some instances, financial support of county ofllicials in ridding the State of destructive fires.

The State appropriation is, however, woefully inadequate. The Legislature of 1911 was asked to appropriate $100,000 for protection purposes, but only $60,000 was allowed to protect the most vulnerable of Oregon's resources. Each legislature appropriates many times the amount asked for forest protection