50 



A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



qualities. In some cases it is necessary to refrain from cutting in 

 order to build up the forest capital essential to full growth. Plant- 

 ing is necessary where natural reforestation fails. 



PLANTING 



Although logically a part of intensive forestry, the area of barren 

 land requiring planting is so large that a separate program is justified. 



The area which must be considered for planting includes 83 million 

 acres of nonstocked or poorly stocked forest land. It includes also 

 55 million acres of abandoned submarginal agricultural land, making 

 a total of 138 million acres. 



It is estimated that 47 million acres of this total will restock 

 naturally within 20 years and 68 million within 40 years, leaving 

 unstocked balances of 91 and 70 million acres, respectively. 



AREA WHICH MUST BE CONSIDERED FOR PLANTING 



DEVASTATED AND POORLY 

 STOCKED AREA 



AREA THAT WILL NOT 

 RESTOCK IN 40 YEARS 



ABANDONED AGRI- 

 CULTURAL LAND 



20-YEAR 



PLANTING 



PROGRAM 



25 



50 75 IOO 



MILLION ACRES 



125 



150 



FIGURE 23. Maximum planting possibilities are measured by 138 million acres of devastated and poorly- 

 stocked forest and abandoned agricultural land. To provide for the planting, within 20 years, of even a 

 soant fifth of this area represents a great advance in the current rate of planting. This program will, 

 however, account for a substantial portion of the 70 million acres that would otherwise remain waste 

 even after four decades. 



The justifications for planting are those of forestry itself, timber 

 production, erosion control and streamflow regulation, and in general 

 the economic and social benefits of the productive forest. 



Planting to date in the United States has covered 1,892,105 acres, 

 including 153,460 in 1931. Large numbers of private owners, the 

 Federal Government, States, and other public agencies have partici- 

 pated. \\hile not uniformly successful, planting technique has 

 improved steadily. 



The 20-year planting program recommended is based on the most 

 urgent watershed and timber production needs. It provides for 

 25 million acres, figure 23, nine tenths in the East. It would prob- 

 ably cost about $172,000,000, or an average of $8,600,000 for 1,276,000 

 acres annually. 



