one southern state (North Carolina; two if Maryland is counted)
has state forests. Six of them (eight with Maryland and Virginia)
have state forestry departments. More attention is now being given
to forest preservation and use in the South than these facts
indicate, because of cooperation between state and national
governments, chiefly through the county agents. Such cooperation
also exists in the northern states. The map on page 242 shows
cooperation for fire protection in New Hampshire.

VOLUNTARY PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATIONS

The conservation of our forest resources requires cooperation on
the part of citizens. In many states there are "timberland owners'
fire protective associations," in 1917 about fifty of them. There
is an American Forestry Association that publishes a magazine
devoted to forestry, AMERICAN FORESTRY; a Society of American
Foresters; The Camp Fire Club of America, with a committee on
conservation of forests and wild life. Besides, there is a
considerable number of local associations with similar purposes.

EROSION

It is not always realized how important to our welfare the forests
are, especially from the point of view of agricultural production.
A very large part of the timbered area of the United States is in
small woodlands on privately owned farms. Not only are the timber
resources themselves of great value, but the relation of woodland
to agriculture is very close, especially in its effect upon soil
erosion.