A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



225 



sumed average drain. The disparity between growth and drain for 

 saw timber in the Lake and Central regions is particularly striking. 

 These estimates indicate that, from the standpoint of saw-timber 

 production, even an average drain of only 50 percent of the 1925-29 

 rate would still further reduce an already severely depleted growing 

 stock in the Lake, Central, and South regions. In the western group 

 the rates of growth in comparison with drain would remain much 

 the same as for 1925-29. 



Of equal importance from the standpoint of the forest situation 

 in 1950 is a consideration of the areas of age classes and of the stands 



NEW JI930 

 ENGLAND [i960 



MIDDLE | 1930 

 ATLANTIC [1950 



LAKE 



CENTRAL 



SOUTH 



JI930 

 [1950 



fl930 

 [i960 



("1930 

 [1950 



PACIFIC f"930 

 COAST JJ950 



N. ROCKY f 1930 

 MOUNTAIN [1950 



S. ROCKY f 1930 

 MOUNTAIN |I950 



100 200 300 400 500 



MILLION ACRES 



50 



Saw Timber 



100 

 MILLION ACRES 



Cordwood 



150 



00 



Restocking 



FIGURE 17. Present distribution of forest areas and their estimated distribution in 1950, by regions. The 

 1950 estimate is based on the 1925-29 average drain in the West, and in the East on half the 1925-29 

 drain. Present devastated areas, estimated at 63 million acres, not included. 



of timber, in comparison with the present. The possible distribution 

 of age-class areas in 1950 in comparison with 1930 is shown in figure 17, 

 excluding 63 million acres that probably will not produce com- 

 mercially valuable saw-timber stands within the period required for 

 existing growth, if any, to mature. Assuming reasonably efficient 

 fire protection, the areas of restocking land might increase nationally 

 from the present 123 million to perhaps 160 million acres. In 

 arriving at this figure prompt restocking of lands cut over was 

 assumed. The cordwood area might increase from 121 to something 

 like 135 million acres, with a more or less proportionate increase in 

 volume. Of greater interest and concern, however, are the estimated 



