FORESTSSTATISTICS 
60 
Domanial Forests.——Under an act passed by the Quebec Legislature 
in 1924, setting aside certain areas of Crown lands as domanial forests 
for the requirements of forest industries, about 2,500 square miles have 
been reserved during the past two years. All the vacant lands in the 
upper basin of the St. Maurice river have been converted into a perma- 
nent reserve, having an area of about 2,500 square miles. A large portion 
of the unconceded forests located in the basins of the Chamouchouane, 
Mistassini, and Péribonka rivers will also be converted into domanial 
forest reserves. The total area of these three reserves will be nearly 
10,000 square miles, constituting a very important supply of wood for 
the industries established in the lake St. John and Saguenay district. 
Fire Prevention.—The first essential of an effective forest policy 
in a country like Canada, where competent forest engineers have estimated 
that the annual destruction of timber by fire exceeds the annual cut, is 
the establishment of a system of fire prevention. In 1924 by special 
legislation the Forest Protection Service of Quebec was established as a 
branch of the Department of Lands and Forests. The forested area is 
divided into eleven districts under the supervision of district chiefs to 
whom a personnel of inspectors and fire rangers (numbering more than 
2,000) is attached. The work of the Forest Protection Service is aug- 
mented by six Protective Associations partly subsidized by the Govern- 
ment and employing 1,800 inspectors and rangers. Further protection 
is given by about 280 rangers employed by limit-holders, and others 
employed by the Board of Railway Commissioners and by the Public 
Utilities Commission and by certain fish and game clubs. 
In 1927 the forests were patrolled by more than 4,000 inspectors, 
rangers and assistants who travelled more than 700,000 miles by canoes, 
railroads, automobiles, etc. The equipment includes about 350 observ- 
ation towers, about 3,000 miles of telephone, the radio and aviation. 
Permits are issued to burn slashing under certain regulations; circulation 
or travelling permits are given to tourists and others entering the forested 
areas; paths or portages are constructed for the advantage of fire fighting; 
and the preventive organizations of the railroads maintain a constant 
watch. Special propaganda is carried on through the press, by Govern- 
ment publications, and by illustrated public lectures. 
Co-operative Protective Associations.—This system has been 
gradually improved until the province now has one of the best fire pro- 
tection organizations in Canada. It consists of two parts, first, the 
Government Forest Protection Service in charge of the safeguards provided 
by forest fire legislation, and, second, protection by the limit-holders who, 
by the terms of their leases, are required to provide protection on lands 
leased by them.