88 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Unless these beliefs are founded on facts, then additional programs 

 and expenditures can hardly be justified. 



WHAT IS FORESTRY? 



Popular discussion of the forest situation and related matters has 

 revealed a great deal of confusion as to just what the term " forestry" 

 means. It is, therefore, necessary here to explain what forestry has 

 come to be in the United States. 



PREVENTION OF DEVASTATION IS PART OF FORESTRY 



Popularly it has been assumed that protection of forests against 

 fire and other destructive agencies is forestry. It always will be 

 essential to prevent deterioration and devastation of forests, if forests 

 are to be grown. Neither forest land nor a factory can function with- 

 out effective protection, but in both instances the protection merely 

 makes it possible to produce useful goods. Prevention of devasta- 

 tion is merely an essential step to leave the way open for forestry; 

 it is not in itself forestry. 



REFORESTATION IS PART OF FORESTRY 



Tree planting is often thought of as forestry. On many millions of 

 idle acres it is, to be sure, the immediate need if the land is to be used. 

 In improving badly deteriorated forest, planting also has a place. 

 The factory must be built or repaired before it can produce goods. 

 But planting is not the whole of forestry, any more than fire 

 control is. On the major portion of our forest area it will not be 

 necessary because the land is already covered with trees which with 

 proper treatment will reproduce themselves. 



SELECTIVE LOGGING IS PART OF FORESTRY 



Similarly, selective logging has sometimes been held as synonymous 

 with forestry. More specifically, it has been asserted that the cut- 

 ting of only those trees which will yield the largest immediate profit 

 is the best forestry. Forestry frequently uses selective logging as an 

 essential tool. In many instances that form of selective logging 

 which is best for the forest will also be most profitable for the operator. 

 However, the production of timber is only one of the objectives of 

 forestry. Even for timber production, the most profitable outcome 

 in the long run may require some sacrifice of immediate profits. 



MANAGEMENT FOR WOOD PRODUCTION IS PART OF FORESTRY 



The volume and value of the wood crop depend on whether there 

 is a full or partial stand, whether more or less valuable species are 

 grown, and how carefully the stand is protected and tended. It has 

 sometimes been supposed that nothing less than intensive care of 

 growing forests should be called forestry. This is an extreme view. 

 Within the limits imposed by economic consideration in the broadest 

 sense, intensive management is an important part of forestry and is 

 characteristic of the best forestry. On much forest land, however, 

 production of wood crops is a relatively minor objective. On some 

 land the necessity of safeguarding other values may even make it 

 contrary to the public interest to utilize the timber crop. 



