XXX INTRODUCTION 



stimulate effort, but the limits between the freedom of individual 

 action and governmental control are extremely difficult to draw 

 so as to attain the best results. They must necessarily vary 

 with individual development and the character and condition of 

 the people. 



It is now very generally recognized in all civilized countries that 

 public welfare requires forest conservation. It is also recognized 

 that forest conservation is not attainable when left wholly to indi- 

 viduals. Here, then, is a condition where the government must 

 interfere in order to further the welfare of the community as a 

 whole. In some countries, the government exercises no special 

 control whatever over forest property. In others, as in the 

 United States, it exercises control over national and state forests 

 only. In still other countries, it extends its control over private 

 forest property, but usually only when such property is primarily 

 of protective value. To what extent governmental control over 

 private forest property should be exercised in this country is 

 uncertain. 



It is the judgment of the author that at least 50 per cent of the 

 forests on non-agricultural lands should be publicly owned. It makes 

 little difference whether they are owned by the nation, the states, 

 or by cities and other community organizations. 



8. THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE 



The ultimate scarcity of timber in this country and its resulting 

 effect upon national prosperity will depend very much upon what 

 we, as a nation, do during the next half century to improve forest 

 conditions. If our forest resources are not conserved by the exer- 

 cise of reasonable foresight, they will be used up. This has been 

 the experience of other countries which are now taking care of what 

 they have left and extending the area by seeding and planting. 



The present drain upon our forests can be very materially less- 

 ened by more fully utilizing their products through the elimina- 

 tion of waste and by a more extensive practice of wood preservation. 

 There is no inherent reason why our present forest area should 

 not continue to supply indefinitely the real needs of the nation for 

 forest products. In order to do this, however, millions of dollars 

 must be spent in the next few years in acquiring additional areas 

 as public forest, in fire protection, and in bringing the denuded 

 forests of the country into better condition for later crops. For 



