A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 43 



For clarity the areas already shown to be available for forestry in 

 the United States are summarized in the following tabulation : 



Acres 



Commercial forest land 494, 900, 000 



Reserves, parks, etc 11, 000, 000 



Noncommercial forest land 108, 700, 000 



Abandoned agricultural land, etc 54, 700, 000 



Total 669,300,000 



Ordinarily in forest management the same area can be used for 

 several purposes. 



By far the largest areas are needed for timber production and 

 watershed protection. The management and protection necessary 

 for timber production will in most cases fully meet watershed and 

 other requirements, although multiple use of the same area may often 

 necessitate coordination. 



The largest reservations needed for exclusive use are for recreation, 

 but even here important services in watershed protection may often 

 be rendered and a home furnished for wild life. 



ADEQUATE PROVISION FOR TIMBER PRODUCTION 

 The area available for timber production is about 509 million acres: 



Acres 



Total area of forest land 669, 300, 000 



Noncommercial forest land 108, 700, 000 



Reserved for recreation, etc 52, 000, 000 



160, 700, 000 



Area available 508, 600, 000 



THE AREA NEEDED AND THAT WHICH COULD BE USED FOR TIMBER 



PRODUCTION 



Because of such factors as fertility, accessibility, and character of 

 ownership, the management for timber production employed will 

 probably vary from intensive practice designed to obtain the largest 

 possible timber crops as a maximum to simple protection against fire 

 as a minimum. 



Full use of the land available for timber production might take 

 about the following form : 



Acres 



Intensive timber management 100, 000, 000 



Extensive timber management 338, 900, 000' 



Simple protection on land relatively unfavorable for timber manage- 

 ment 69, 700, 000 



Total 508, 600, 000 



This full land use, when fully effective 60 or 80 years hence, should 

 be able to produce about 2 1} billion cubic feet of timber in contrast 

 with possible normal requirements of 16K billion. In the large saw- 

 timber class it would produce about 74 billion board feet as compared 

 with possible normal requirements of 55 billion. 



Unless, therefore, American requirements for timber increase, this 

 plan would offer a substantial surplus for export. The existing con- 

 ditions which indicate the probable availability of such a market 

 have already been described. 



