MANAGEMENT 01^ HARDWOOD EORESTS 285 



trained forester as supervisor, with the usual National Forest force of 

 rangers and guards. 



It has taken a number of years to acquire the lands and to get them 

 organized and under administration. This necessary preliminary work 

 has now reached a stage of development where the attention of the 

 administration can be given to the big project of working out manage- 

 ment plans for the timber now under control. The need for these 

 plans has been most strongly emphasized by the eager demand for 

 timber sales that has developed during the last two years and by the 

 certainty that the future will see a constantly increasing demand as 

 the depletion of private holdings drives operators to the National 

 Forests for stumpage. 



That a plan of management must be provided not only for each 

 forest but for each working circle on each forest is beyond question. 

 Unless provision is made to regulate the removal of forest products 

 in such a maner as to assure a steady and sustained yield with which 

 to maintain, or to do its share in maintaining, local industry the man- 

 agement must prepare to face violent and just criticism. Not only 

 have the lumber industry and the local working population to be 

 considered; if through a lack of proper management plans the moun- 

 tains are denuded, without due and careful consideration of the 

 stream protective and recreational values of the situation, a great 

 and serious damage will have been done to a much larger portion of 

 the public. 



Before 20 years have passed the exhaustion of the hardwood forests 

 in private hands will direct the attention of the public to the National 

 Forests of the southeast and the Forest Service will be called on 

 for an accounting of its stewardship. The situation, then, will be 

 potent with possibilities which will bear directly upon the future prog- 

 ress of the cause of forestry and conservation in this country. Well 

 thought out management plans are the best assurance that a satisfac- 

 tory accounting will be rendered. 



While the problems of management differ in nearly every one of 

 the working circles on the seven forests of the Southern Appalachians, 

 there are certain essentials common to all of the management plans : 



1. The plan must be simple. It must be kept in mind that ultimately 

 the general public will set itself up as a self-appointed judge of the 

 Tightness of the plan; it must be logical, easily understood, and 

 convincing. 



