#tate of dnntrfiftttwi PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 60 FIFTEENTH BIENNIAL REPORT OP THE STATE PARK AND FOREST COMMISSION For The Fiscal Years July 1, 1940 to June 30, 1942 , I <, . :•>.:, rnmmMmm: • j •». i Lucius P. Robinson 1863 - 1941 ^ftatc af Conncriitut PUBLIC DOCUMENT No. 60 FIFTEENTH BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE STATE PARK AND FOREST COMMISSION TO THE GOVERNOR For the Fiscal Term ended June 30, 1942 PRINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATUTE HAETFOED PUBLISHED BY TIIE STATE 1942 Printed under authority of Section 142, General Statutes of Connecticut, Revision of 1930. FEED R. ZELI.EE, State Comptroiler. Hartford, Connecticut December 30, 1942 To His Excellency, ROBERT A. HURLEY, Governor of the State of Connecticut, In accordance with Chapter 114, Revised Statutes of 1930, and on behalf of the Commissioners appointed under such statute,.I have the honor to submit for your consideration the biennial report of the State Park and Forest Commission for the two years ended June 30, 1942, including the report of the State Forester for the same period. ITERMAH H. CHAPMAN, Chairman of the Commission. CONNECTICUT STATE PARK AND FOREST COMMISSIONERS Appointed by the Governor John J. Curran, West Haven, Term ends Feb. 10, 1943 Thomas Hewes, Hartford, Term ends Sept. 1, 1943 Arthur L. Peale, Norwich, Term ends Sept, 1, 1945 George C. Waldo, Bridgeport, Term ends Sept. 1, 1945 Herman H. Chapman, New Haven, Term ends Sept. 1, 1947 Julian H. Norton, Bristol, Term ends Sept. 1, 1947 Ex-officio Walter O. Filley, New Haven, Forester, C. A. E. Station Officers, Oct. 1, 1942 Chairman, Herman H. Chapman Vice-Chairman, George C. Waldo Treasurer, Walter O. Filley Secretary, Arthur L. Peale Office 165 Capitol Ave., P. O. Drawer 1558, Hartford, Conn. CONTENTS PAGE Report of the Commissioners 10 State Parks Secretary 13 Acquisition 17 General Superintendent 23 Treasurer 31 Tree Warden Supervisor 29 Recent Legislation affecting State Parks 39 Report of the State Forester Forests and the economic conditions of the State 44 Administration and personnel 46 Acquisition of State Forests 47 Forest working plans and operations in the State Forests 48 The C. C. C. Camps in Connecticut 55 Prevention and Control of Forest Fires 56 State nursery for forest trees 61 Wood utilization 65 Forest investigations 68 Financial statements 78 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS To His Excellency, ROBERT A. HURLEY, Governor of the State of Connecticut. In submitting the fifteenth biennial report of this Commission, we do so with justifiable pride in the progress made during the bien- niuiii. With your Excellency's encouragement and approval, the last session of the General Assembly provided more adequately for the financial needs of both state parks and state forests than any session for more than a decade. As a result, our ten-year program providing for extension and de- velopment of the state parks, and a similar program for extension of the state forests, has been materially advanced. Owing to war con- ditions, extensive development work has not proven practicable or nec- essary but acquisition of land needed for future development plans has been successfully accomplished. This is particularly true at Sherwood Island whei'e all the land necessary for public use of the shore front has been acquired. In only one case was condemnation required. A very limited amount of de- velopment work has been completed for immediate use, and plans are being prepared for further development after the war. These should solve the problem of an adequate entrance to the park, and the un- expended balance of the appropriation should prove sufficient for ac- quisition of all essential land for this purpose. When highway con- struction is again possible, plans for a satisfactory approach to the pax*k can be worked out with the highway commissioner, who was in- structed by the General Assembly to include such an approach in the trunk line system of highways. Other acquisitions for parks are described hereafter in the Report of the Engineer, and for forests in the State Forester's Report. Maintenance problems are proving more and more difficult under war conditions. These problems are described in the report of the General Superintendent. It seems quite probable that the closing of some parks for the duration of the war may become necessary to meet military requirements and because of labor shortage. However, the commission will continue to offer the public all possible opportunity for recreation in natural surroundings, although we anticipate that recreational use of both parks and forests will be greatly reduced by gas and tire rationing. The most important function of the commission during the war period must be the continuance of its acquisition program for both parks and forests. Lands can be acquired now which may never be available again, except at greatly increased cost. With the liquida- tion of government bonds after the war, increasing desire for invest- ment in land by individuals seems inevitable. In the face of this com- REPORT OP STATE PARK AMD FOREST COMMISSION 11 petition, investment in land by the State for the benefit of all its citi- zens will become increasingly difficult. This commission therefore urges ample appropriations for this purpose by the coming General Assembly, in order that essential acquisitions of land may be made with greatest economy. The ten-year program presented for your approval two years ago required a million dollars for the purchase of state forest land and two million dollars for the extension and development of the state parte. It is anticipated that the state forests will eventually become self-sup- porting from the sale of forest products and will meantime furnish op- portunities for healthful recreation, as well as utilize labor, particu- larly during depression periods. The state parks, with development for the primary purpose of recreational use, cannot be made complete- ly self-supporting but the plans for their development would require labor, both skilled and unskilled. The development program would thus serve to give employment to many citizens of the state during the adjustment period after the war. If Federal funds are provided for such purposes, the State's share in the program will largely be deter- mined by the amount of land available for development. While progress in acquisition of park lands during the recent bien- nium was considerable, the completion of the forest program during the current decade will still require almost one million dollars for ac- quisition. It is in this particular field that competition with private individuals will be most acute after the war. To spread this acquisi- tion out over a period of even eight years through budgetary appro- priations would materially increase its cost. Although it is probable that the desired acquisition could not be completed in a two-year period, a special appropriation of one mil- lion dollars, available for four years, would make possible the acqui- sition of most of the land necessary to round out the present state forests. They could then be utilized for any labor program which might prove practicable and desirable at the close of the war. In our last biennial report, this commission urged a bond issue to provide the necessary funds for speeding up the program of acquisition for both parks and forests. Such a bond issue did not meet with the approval of the General Assembly and it is, therefore, not urged at the present time. We feel most strongly, however, that the land for state forests must be acquired within the next few years if the full value of the State's present investment in such lands is to be realized. Following is a summary of the budget for 1943-1945 which has been submitted for your approval: State Parks 1st Year 2nd Year Recurring Expenses $193,000. $197,000. Equipment 10,000. 15,000. Purchase of Land . 160,000. 160,000. Development 20,000. 27,000. $383,000. $399,000. 12 REPORT OP STATE PARK AMD FOREST COMMISSION 12 State Forests and Fire Wardens Recurring Expenses $151,295. $157,135. Equipment 12,700. 12,700. Purchase of Land . 150,000. 150,000. $313,995. $319,835. Our budgetary requests are made by fiscal years to conform with the usual routine but we would respectfully urge the necessity for a special capital outlay appropriation of considerable size as a necessity for the completion of the state forest program. The death of Lucius F. Robinson, June 11, 1941, deprived the commission of its senior member and former chairman. As one of three members of a preliminary commission appointed by Gov. Simeon E. Baldwin in 1911, Mr. Robinson had drafted the legislation provid- ing for a permanent commission and was appointed as one of its orig- inal members in 1913, serving continuously for almost 28 years. He succeeded Edward E. Bradley as chairman of the commission in 1917, serving in this capacity for 20 years until he was relieved in 1937 at his own urgent request. Seldom has the State of Connecticut re- ceived more loyal, whole-hearted and able service from one of its citizens. Edward H. Wilkins retired from state service June 30, 1942, after 28 years as a member of this commission. One of the original advo- cates of state parks for Connecticut, he was appointed a member of the new commission in 1913. He has played a large part in establish- ing its policies and building up the state park system, serving at va- rious times as secretary and vice-chairman of the commission. John J. Curran was appointed to fill out the unexpired term of Mr. Robinson and Julian H. Norton to succeed Mr. Wilkins. These two new commissioners have already justified their appointments by the great interest they show in both state parks and state forests.