A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 141 



forests of high altitudes and northerly latitudes, the hardwood forests 

 of the Appalachians, the mixed forests of the Piedmont region, the 

 open scrubby pinon of the West, the chaparral of the Southwest, and 

 the brushy windbreak stands all possess high protective values. 

 Therefore, the protection value of forest lands is somewhat independ- 

 ent of their value for timber production. Some of the forest lands 

 most valuable for protection are not classed as commercial. 



In the neighborhood of four-fifths of the total 615 million acres of 

 forest land may be classed as valuable for protection. The exceptions 

 are swamp lands and bottom lands at the mouths of rivers, and lands 

 having such sandy or gravelly soil that the presence or absence of 

 forests would have practically no effect on the behavior of streams 

 or the process of erosion. 



The protection-forest lands controlling run-off and erosion are on 

 the whole well located on the headwaters of important streams. 

 From the point of view of protection, however, there is considerable 

 need for additional areas of forested land on many relatively small 

 streams, as well as in strategic locations on the watersheds of several 

 important streams of which the Ohio, Missouri, Hudson, Delaware, 

 and Sacramento are examples. 



With some exceptions, such as municipal watersheds, other forest 

 uses need not be excluded for the sake of the protective function. 

 Timber growing and utilization under systems of practices which will 

 provide for maintenance and protection of a forest cover in conformity 

 with the dictates of good timber management would, generally 

 speaking, prevent serious impairment of forest influences. Under 

 existing practices, however, especially on large areas of both public 

 and private land, the situation is far from satisfactory. From the 

 standpoint of protection, the forest should not be cut so severely that 

 the ground is unnecessarily exposed. Continued absence of coyer 

 will hasten run-off and induce erosion. In many cases partial cutting 

 that would fully maintain the forest influences would be financially 

 advantageous from the standpoint of timber use. 



, The forest should be amply protected against fire, especially 

 following cutting. By destruction of the litter, and in other ways, 

 fire greatly aggravates deterioration in forest influences. The forest 

 land should not be grazed so heavily as to prevent restocking, or to 

 destroy ground cover and leaf litter. Such grazing leads to increased 

 erosion and floods. 



The unsatisfactory protection condition on many private tracts of 

 forest land, the need for additional strategically located areas of public 

 forest, and the present very low percentage, 4 percent, of commercial 

 forest land in public ownership in the East all indicate the advisability 

 of giving consideration to the protective function of forest land, as 

 well as to timber use and other needs, in formulating a program of 

 public acquisition in the East. 



THE USE OF FOREST LAND FOR RECREATION 



Recreation is by far the most direct contact which most Americans 

 have with the forest. The growing and utilization of timber and the 

 protection of watersheds are at best theoretical considerations with 

 the majority of people who have directly experienced the forests' 

 value for relaxation, for play, and for aesthetic enjoyment. 



