Section  2.  The  lands  of  the  state,  now  owned  or  hereafter  ac-
quired, constituting  the  forest  preserve  as  now  fixed  by  law,  shall
be  forever  kept  as  wild  forest  lands.  They  shall  not  be  leased,
sold  or  exchanged,  or  be  taken  by  any  corporation,  public  or
private,  nor  shall  the  trees  and  timber  thereon  be  sold,  removed
or  destroyed.  The  department  is,  however,  empowered  to  re-
forest lands  in  the  forest  preserve,  to  construct  fire  trails  thereon,
and  to  remove  dead  trees  and  dead  timber  therefrom  for  purposes


Article  VII  27  Doc.  No.   52

of  reforestation  and  fire  protection  solely,  but  shall  not  sell  the
same.  Nothing  herein  contained  shall  prevent  the  state  from
constructing  a  state  highway  from  Saranac  Lake  in  Franklin
county  to  Long  Lake  in  Hamilton  county  and  thence  to  Old  Forge
in  Herkimer  county  by  way  of  Blue  Mountain  lake  and  Raquette
lake.
