36 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



relatively cheap, and can in natural and modified forms be used for 

 innumerable purposes. It has the great advantage of being renewable. 



Regardless of other considerations, it is in the public interest that 

 it be kept in competition with other products. 



Even though it were available from other countries, the advantage 

 of having it at home and near the point of use is very great. But look- 

 ing to the future and considering conifers for chief use, the hope of 

 obtaining adequate supplies by imports is small. The world in general, 

 like the United States, is overcutting its coniferous forests. World 

 growth, may not be more than two thirds of the drain, and consump- 

 tion is increasing or at least holding its own. 



Under many conditions the forest probably offers the best and 

 cheapest method available for erosion control and stream-flow regu- 

 lation. On scores of millions of acres the returns for this purpose alone 

 would probably justify the expenditures required for keeping a forest. 



The restoration of the forest may also be the cheapest and best 

 means for rebuilding impoverished soils on millions of acres against 

 possible future need for agriculture. 



The forest is already one of the great sources of recreation. By 

 taking advantage of improving transportation facilities it can be made 

 to aid materially in solving the problem of how to use the rapidly 

 increasing leisure of all classes of people. 



Forest land is the natural and in many instances the only remaining 

 habitat of many forms of wild life, and the same is true of forest waters 

 for fish. Public hunting and fishing grounds are being more and more 

 closely confined to the public forests. Both economic and social 

 values are involved. 



Forest ranges can be made to support many millions of domestic 

 livestock for at least a part of the year. 



SOLUTION THE ONLY MEANS FOR THE PERPETUATION AND STABILITY 

 OF FOREST INDUSTRIES AND FOR THE FULL DEVELOPMENT OF RE- 

 LATED INDUSTRIES 



The forest industries depend either on the virgin timber resource 

 or new crops. Their present place in our industrial structure is in- 

 dicated by a predepression capital value including forests estimated 

 at $10,000,000,000 and gross products prior to 1929 averaging close 

 to $2,000,000,000. Ultimate dependence on new crops has been 

 masked over 3 centuries by virgin timber supplies, but the end of 

 these supplies is now definitely in sight. New timber crops will then 

 become the sole means of support for these industries. 



Hardly less dependent for full development are the industries based 

 on water derived from forest lands, on forest ranges, forest wild life, 

 and forest recreation. 



Many local industries and innumerable small business enterprises 

 are in turn directly dependent on the forest industries. The forests 

 and forest industries are important adjuncts to agriculture, which 

 could hardly exist in many regions without them. 



The benefits of stability and permanence in communities, in govern- 

 ment, and in social institutions are too obvious to require comment. 

 These can be assured in full measure in forest regions only if the forest 

 and related industries make their proportional contribution. 



