FOREST SERVICE. 489 



137,000,000 feet under free use. On the basis of the annual yield 

 this would leave available for sales to supply the general market 

 approximately 5,700,000,000 feet. 



BROAD FEATURES OF MANAGEMENT. 



The work of obtaining a detailed inventory of national forest 

 timber was continued. Areas upon which sales are pending were 

 given first consideration. The work was carried on to a smaller 

 extent on other areas. Its purpose is to enable a more intelligent 

 location of sales and to furnish a more exact basis for efficient man- 

 agement. Expenditures in timber reconnoissance are restricted be- 

 cause of the greater importance and the immediate urgency of pro- 

 tection from fire and the classification and segregation of agricul- 

 tural lands. Intensive recoimoissance covered, however, during the 

 3'ear approximately 5,250,000 acres at an average cost of slightly 

 more than 3 cents per acre. This makes a total area covered inten- 

 sively of approximately 12,850,000 acres. In addition, approxi- 

 mately 8,890,000 acres were covered by extensive methods, bringing 

 the total covered by extensive reconnoissance to about 32,000,000 

 acres. 



The completion of the stock taking upon individual forests makes 

 possible the preparation of forest plans, the object of which is to sys- 

 tematize and control the management of each forest upon a definite 

 basis which shall represent the cumulative experience and informa- 

 tion applicable to the specific task. Furthermore, detailed esti- 

 mates of the standing timber and studies of logging conditions and 

 costs are necessary before sales can be made. The increase in the 

 volume of timber sales must be accompanied by greater expenditures 

 for this essential preliminary work. 



Because of the wide diversity not only in the resources of the forests, 

 but also in the demands for their use, it has been necessary with the 

 limited funds available to provide (1) for preliminarj'^ plans, cover- 

 ing forests where only approximate data are now needed, and con- 

 sisting simply of a systematic statement of the resources of the 

 forests, the conditions governing their use and development, and the 

 administrative measures to be followed in their management; and 

 (2) for working plans, prepared only where the demand for the 

 forest resources as compared with the supply is relatively great. 

 Working plans are more complete and final in character, and are 

 based upon more thorough investigations and more accurate data. 

 They include: A statement of the timber resources, and specific pro- 

 visions for management ; a similar statement of the range resources 

 with an outline of management methods to be followed; provisions 

 for the classification and segregation of agricultural lands and for the 

 reservation of lands needed for administrative and public purposes; 

 provision for the administration of miscellaneous forest uses, includ- 

 ing water power, with as complete a statement of resources under each 

 as is possible and desirable; the most intensive and detailed provision 

 possible for protection of (he forest from fire, based upon a statement 

 of the value and distribution of destructible resources and the hazard 

 or risk by regions within the forest and the methods of control 

 actually necessary for efficient protection; provision against insect 

 infestation or other damaging agencies which may threaten ; a com- 



