358 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



planting of a large area is justified to halt erosion as quickly as pos- 

 sible, if for no other reason than to stop soil wastage. 



Data are lacking as to the extent to which forest areas are eroded 

 as contrasted with areas that have been in agriculture. The survey 

 by the Southern Forest Experiment Station just referred to disclosed 

 no forest areas where serious erosion existed. Undoubtedly some 

 erosion occurs on forest areas, especially after fire and cutting, but in 

 contrast with that on agricultural lands it is so slight as not to call 

 for mention. 



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 



The most critical watershed situation in the East Gulf drainages is 

 in the piedmont and upper coastal plain, where mismanagement of 

 agricultural lands has brought about widespread erosion and changed 

 stream conditions. Abandonment of agricultural land is proceeding 

 on a large scale. Although some of the abandoned lands will restock 

 naturally with forest growth in a few years, it is estimated that about 

 a million acres of watershed land needs artificial reforestation. Plant- 

 ing alone will not be enough; on probably one third and possibly one 

 half of the lands needing planting, special erosion-control measures 

 will be needed. 



In the highland area, land clearing has resulted in so much erosion 

 that it should not be permitted to continue on the steeper slopes. 



On private forest lands, lack of management is reflected in under- 

 stocking due largely to fire and cutting. Fire control probably would 

 bring about better watershed conditions more quickly than any 

 other possible measure. 



Where cutting and pasturage practices have led to watershed deteri- 

 oration they should be modified. If these practices cannot be changed 

 on certain critical areas through education of the timberland owners 

 and operators, these areas should be brought into public ownership. 

 The present condition of unmanaged private lands in the highlands 

 as contrasted with that of managed national-forest lands suggests 

 that there should be a material expansion of the present public forest 

 enterprise. 



In the highland and piedmont sections, where erosion has reached 

 a critical stage on some 4.6 million acres of abandoned agricultural 

 land, there is need for some form of public control or for public owner- 

 ship. The large area of forest land having a major influence on 

 streamflow and erosion, 15.4 million acres, should be similarly handled. 

 Only through good management can the streams wiiose regimen has 

 been so seriously upset by man's activities, be restored to their former 

 condition. Shrinkage of the tax base of the counties, and difficulties 

 experienced by local governments in financing forestry enterprises 

 and bringing about fire control, suggest that local political units can 

 not go far by themselves. 



Investigations are needed locally to determine how watershed con- 

 ditions are affected by the forest cover, to what extent good conditions 

 can be preserved through forestry practices and what special measures 

 are needed. 



WEST GULF DRAINAGES 



The watersheds of the West Gulf drainages comprise, in the aggre- 

 gate, an area of approximately 124 million acres. The basin includes 

 all of the streams in western Louisiana, and, with the exception of 



