868 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



raw woods material in the important forest regions where these pro- 

 cesses of deterioration are going on. 



It is not enough to "keep the forests green." The scrub oak areas 

 of the southern pinelands, the millions of acres of worthless aspen in 

 the Lake States are "green", but this cover on large areas is worse 

 than none since it prevents regeneration of more valuable species by 

 natural means and increases, sometimes makes prohibitive the cost of 

 planting. 



The extension of organized fire protection and the tendency to 

 leave trees of sizes unprofitable to log offer encouragement that the 

 rate of forest deterioration may have reached its maximum. There is 

 also a tendency, particularly on the Pacific coast, to abandon high- 

 speed power-logging machinery in favor of less destructive and more 

 economical types. These tendencies need to be accelerated. 



Devastation and deterioration are essentially problems of private 

 forest land ownership. Of the 10 million acres estimated to be cut 

 over annually, not more than 175,000 are publicly owned or managed 

 lands. Nearly 90 percent of all cordwood and restocking areas 

 (including nonrestocking areas) are privately owned. Furthermore, 

 public lands are for the most part, and to a continually increasing 

 degree, cut with careful regard to the growth of a new timber crop. 

 The investigation of the present management of private forest land 

 holdings more than 1,000 acres in extent, made in 1930 by the Society 

 of American Foresters and others, developed the outstanding fact 

 that the remaining saw timber and cordwood commercial holdings on 

 which an effort is being made to grow timber commercially compose 

 less than one fifth of the total area of such holdings. The effects of 

 a depleted growing stock on the opportunities of private forestry 

 practice in this country are discussed in considerable detail in the 

 section entitled, "Status and Opportunities of Private Forestry". 

 It is sufficient to record here that the present growth on private 

 forests is only a fraction of possible growth. This condition has been 

 brought about by the management of private forest lands according 

 to the tradition of realizing the maximum immediate return. This is 

 not only inimical to permanent public welfare, but often contrary to 

 the best long-time interests of the owner. 



