A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 63 



While Federal forest research should be enlarged as previously 

 recommended, it should not be extended beyond the Federal obli- 

 gations already specified. Despite this limitation, the results will 

 have important State and private-aid aspects. 



Until the Federal Government has met its own obligations for 

 research it is somewhat difficult to justify financial contributions for 

 research on State and local problems, and the research required on 

 local problems for the management of Federal lands can best be done 

 by the National Government. All Federal and State work is of 

 great value to private owners as well as in the administration of 

 public forests. Federal expenditures will need to be increased by 

 about $3,000,000 and State expenditures by about $2,100,000 during 

 the next 10 years. The burden on the States will not be heavy, 

 however, considering the number interested. 



Advice in forest management is a form of aid urgently in need of 

 enlargement and one to which both the Federal Government and the 

 States should contribute. 



Present Federal contributions in advice in farm woodland forestry 

 of $69,850 should be increased as rapidly as possible to $250,000, 

 and this should be matched by at least an equal amount by the 

 States. Current State expenditures are $92,718. 



Provision should also be made for similar aid to industrial owners. 

 The Federal contributions should be $375,000, of which $150,000 

 would be available to match State contributions on a 50-50 basis 

 and up to $225,000 for direct expenditure by the Federal Forest 

 Service. 



Forest taxation, a State and local function, should be placed on an 

 equitable basis. The Federal Government should continue to assist 

 in working out sound principles. 



Other forms of possible public aid to private owners include loans, 

 authorizations for mergers, and curtailment of output, which if 

 allowed should be combined with regulatory requirements for sus- 

 tained yield management which will protect the public interest. 

 They will therefore be discussed under Public Regulation. 



The second class of public aid includes possible aid from the Fed- 

 eral Government to States and from States to counties and other 

 political subdivisions. Only the former will be discussed. Senate 

 Resolution 175 asks particular consideration of the possibilities and 

 desirability of Federal aid to States and implies use for the purchase 

 of State forests. 



That State action might be stimulated is recognized. But gifts 

 are not recommended because, under the plan proposed, it is believed 

 that the Federal Government will have about all the financial load 

 it can carry, and because it is believed that the soundest principle is 

 for any public agency 'to undertake only what it can subsequently 

 finance. Efficiency in expenditures will be greater. Wealthy States 

 do not need such aid. The poorer States would probably not be 

 able without further aid to carry the forests thus acquired until self- 

 sustaining. The wealthy States, which in the last analysis would 

 provide the funds, might prefer to build up State forests within their 

 own boundaries and have their contributions to Federal income go 

 into Federally owned and managed lands, for which they would be 

 able to watch expenditures and to demand an accounting. 



