Lisa Jost, age 10, of Scottsdale, Ariz., for her question:
How can we help to keep our forests green?
Your old nature loving reporter just had to select this thoughtful question. If everyone, old and young, were concerned enough to seek and follow such information, our forests would be a lot safer than they are. And even those who care nothing for nature's beauty should know that the forests near and far are vital to our daily lives.
The young lady who asked this question must be considerate and thoughtful enough to know the ordinary things we can do to help conserve our forest greenery. But summer will soon beckon us outdoors, and many of us need to brush up on the correct manners to use when visiting the wilds. The high, wide, and handsome state and national forests across the land belong to you. They belong to you with the promise that you share them with all other Americans and allow perhaps a few overseas visitors to enjoy them.
This summer you may visit or even camp a while in one of these forests. You will thrive on its fresh, green-scented air and enjoy the calm quiet under its leafy boughs. Chances are the park service will have printed rules of what you are allowed to do to make the best of your visit. If an official tells you not to build a campfire in this spot or not to swim in that creek, do just what the man says. Go a step further and ask him what other things he can tell you about your forest.
Of course you will hide your picnic debris in the trashcans provided because you are a polite person who does not care to have someone else tidy up your mess. You will keep in mind that a forest is always under threat of fire and flood. If you are allowed to light a campfire you will douse the match and break the matchstick. Before leaving, you will douse and bury the ashes of your fire. Many a heartbreaking forest fire has been started by smoldering matches or by embers left for dead. Our oxygen is made by forest greenery, but none comes from trees that are charred or burned.
A forest's trees, shrubs, vines and mosses need each other. Its wild creatures used it and each other. The low plants nestled around the tree roots help to conserve the soil. If everyone tore out samples the gushing rains could cause floods and erosion of topsoil of distant dairy and crop farms. So resist your impulse firmly if you are tempted to snitch a young sapling. The treelet may be needed to replace an older relative, and your beautiful, well organized, useful forest would miss it.
The basic rules of forest courtesy and consideration follow normal coon sense. But when you visit a forest be sure to get the local rules and regulations from the park service. Abide by them and get your friends and family to do the same. Your lone program can do a lot, but with help you can do even more. You can join or form private conservation groups. The forests are owned by either the state or the federal government. The labor departments who manage them are always happy to send advice and information to those civilized citizens interested in keeping our forest green.