526 JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



about 15 million cubic meters (3,750 million board feet), whereas the 

 normal annual production of this region is only a little over one million 

 cubic meters. 



Outside of the invaded region there remain the State and Communal 

 forests, somewhat overcut in places, but still containing important 

 reserve stocks of timber available for reconstruction, and the extensive 

 area of private forests, for the most part badly depleted and in need 

 of recuperation. 



The forest problem of today is threefold, involving first, restoration 

 in the invaded region, second, a decision as to the extent to which 

 present needs for timber may be safely met by public forests, and third, 

 promotion of the recuperation of private woodlands. 



The restoration of the forests destroyed and damaged by the in- 

 vasion is a relatively small item in the vast program of rehabilitating 

 the war-torn provinces, and must wait until the more pressing needs 

 of the returning population have been met. An area of about 200,000 

 hectares will have to be planted, the destruction being too complete to 

 permit of natural regeneration. This alone represents a cost under 

 present conditions of 80 million francs. The remaining 300,000 hec- 

 tares of forest in the damaged areas will require many years to reach 

 the point where a normal yield can again be realized. Of course it is 

 expected that an indemnity will be exacted for this damage, but it 

 doubtless will not compensate for the economic loss of greatly reduced 

 local timber supply 'for a long period of years. Furthermore, it is 

 likely to be slow of collection, and still slower of distribution to private 

 claimants. 



The State and Communal forests outside of the invaded region 

 contain the only large amounts of domestic timber that might be avail- 

 able for reconstruction. France cannot afford to import much timber 

 at present on account of high base prices in the countries which have 

 timber for sale and the unfavorable exchange rates. Germany alone, 

 an exception on account of the depreciation of the mark, might be 

 able to supply a limited amount of timber to France at reasonable cost, 

 and may be required to do so as a reparation measure. Large reserve 

 stocks of lumber manufactured for military purposes are also available 

 for reconstruction. Nevertheless it is reasonable to expect that there 

 will be a large demand for timber from French forests for a number 

 of years, and that this will have to be met to a large extent by the 

 public forests. Therefore it is likely that there will be strong pressure 



