10 



A NATIONAL PLAN FOE AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Federal aid has been a factor of primary importance in initiating 

 or strengthening forestry organizations in practically all of the 42 

 States in which one now exists. Aid to private owners is the chief 

 activity of nearly all State organizations. 



The most conspicuous contribution of private owners has been in 

 fire protection, to which they are devoting more than one fifth of their 

 current expenditures, approximately $5,050,000 for 1932. Consid- 

 erably less than half of the $2,500,000 expenditure for research is 

 designed to add to basic knowledge of forest products. 



The most spectacular advance in American forestry has been the 

 building up of the national forests from the public domain, which 

 culminated in 1910 with a gross area of nearly 195 million acres. 



Since that time the total area of public forests has changed but 

 little, despite the purchase of 4,727,680 acres and other enlargements 



PUBLIC EXPENDITURES 



QUASI-PUBLIC EXPENDITURES 



PRIVATE EXPENDITURES 



10 



2O 



MILLION DOLLARS 



30 



40 



Federal 

 Quasi Public 



State and Other Public 

 Pri vat e 



FIGUEE 1. The most significant features in the American 1932 bill for forestry were its total of nearly 

 $43,500,000, and the public contribution of well toward 90 percent. 



for the national forests and the gradual building up of State forests. 

 The total net area of all public forests, including interspersed non- 

 timbered lands, is now about 175 million acres. 



The period subsequent to 1910 in public administration has largely 

 been devoted to a consolidation of gains. Practically the entire area 

 has been put under more or less intensive sustained-yield management 

 plans for timber, ranges, watershed protection, recreational and other 

 use, and protection against fire. Methods of administration have 

 been developed and perfected. While the need for improvement in 

 technical management and business administration will continue for 

 years to come, much of the most difficult pioneering period has been 

 passed. Public opinion has in general been won over from violent 

 opposition to aggressive support. 



If the public need warrants such action, American forestry is now 

 ready for another great advance. 



