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The primary goal of these silvicultural guides is "controlling the 

 establishment, composition, and growth of forests stands on Champion's 

 timberlands in a manner that will ensure a permanently productive source 

 of goods and benefits". Average annual harvest from Champion's lands 

 for the period 1972-1976 was 186 MMBF. 



Champion's lands are classified as A) intensive culture areas, B) low 

 productivity areas and C) special impact areas. Recommended silvicultural 

 practices vary with each classification. Silvicultural guidelines for 

 Champion's timberlands are found in Appendix A. 



2. Burlington Northern 



Burlington Northern manages its 750,000 acres of commercial forest lands 

 in Montana through five year plans. These plans give management direction 

 to unit foresters who are responsible for implementing the plans (BN has 

 unit headquarters at Kali spell, Seeley Lake, Missoula and Bozeman). BN 

 "does not attempt to issue detailed formal instructions to its managers 

 because continuous flexibility is needed to respond to the local conditions 

 which are never static and are always subject to nature, the public interest 

 and market demand" (Merryman, 1975). 



Long term goals include intensifying forest management practices to maintain 

 a sustained future timber supply. Current annual harvest is 70-75 MMBF/ 

 year (BN, pers. comm. , 12/21/77). Although BN is evaluating various 

 intensive forest management activities such as precommercial thinning, 

 commercial thinning, fertilization and genetic improvement, economic 

 pressures are narrowing the margin between costs and benefits of many 

 intensive management methods (Merryman, 1975). 



