FOREST SERVICE REVENUE AND ORGANIZATION 



By T. S. WooLSEY, Jr/ 



The conclusions reached in this article do not agree in all respects 

 with my conclusions in "Managing a National Forest from the Business 

 Standpoint," (Proc. Soc. Am. For., Vol. Ill, p. 41) written in January, 

 1908; but it must be realized that the conditions are vastly different. 

 In those days, the problem of publicity and of getting men to fill execu- 

 tive positions was foremost. As in Europe, American foresters will some 

 day come to small one-man units when intensive business justifies such 

 expenditures. Names of Forest Service officials whom I have quoted 

 have been omitted so as to make the article as impersonal as possible. — 

 The author. 



Introduction 



The success of any business depends chiefly on its abihty to pay 

 a satisfactory return on the capital invested. A purely commer- 

 cial undertaking may be faultlessly organized as regards adminis- 

 trative methods, but, if the organization absorbs all the gross 

 revenue after the preparatory and constructive period, then inves- 

 tors are indignant and demand a different form of management. 

 While it is true that the Forest Service is a vast business engaged 

 in renting and selling natural resources, it is self-evident that 

 it is much more. It should provide a recreation ground for 

 millions of people ; it should play an important part in American 

 national life. The conservation of forest resources, whether it 

 pays in money returns or not, is, thanks to a few public-spirited 

 men, permanently welded to American internal policy. Every- 

 one realizes that no great power can afford to sacrifice its forest 

 wealth for present speculation. In the case of some forests, it is 

 highly improbable that they can ever become self-supporting. 

 But who would ask that such a playground and watershed as 

 encircles Los Angeles be abandoned simply because it does not 

 pay in dollars and cents? The indirect value to a community is 

 too great. Nor can "commercial timber" forests yield a net reve- 

 nue until these resources can be conservatively sold. This devel- 

 opment and sale takes time and intelligent preparation. In the 

 meantime, this timber wealth must be protected from fire, insects- 

 and disease. 



'Consulting Forest Engineer, Albuquerque, N. M. 

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