1060 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



A study of table 2, columns 5 and 6, will disclose the striking con- 

 trast between the areas protected in 1915 and in 1931. The per- 

 centage of total coverage increased from 23 to 54. But forecasts 

 based on total or average progress to date mean little. It is more 

 significant to consider what may happen in the particular areas where 

 increases in protection, if any, must occur. Column 7 of table 2 

 indicates by States and groups of States the extent to which forest 

 areas needing protection were covered by some form of systematic 

 protection in the calendar year 1931. * The New England, Middle 

 Atlantic, Lake States, north Rocky Mountain, south Rocky Moun- 

 tain, and Pacific coast regions are shown with already practically 

 complete coverage of all forest areas that need protection. Two 

 important groups, however, are shown to be deficient the Central 

 group, with 31 percent coverage of forest areas classed as in need of 

 protection, and the South, with only 24 percent. 



In these two groups complete coverage will not be secured within 

 20 years under present forms of organized effort unless the average 

 rate of progress for the country as a whole is brought to bear on 

 these groups specifically. This is particularly true in the South. 

 Such organized protection as has been accomplished in that region 

 has been built up around holdings of owners who have aggressive 

 interest in the protection of their properties. To increase or even 

 to sustain the rate of progress, steadily increased support will have 

 to be provided by the States and the Federal Government. This 

 development will take different forms in different States. The effort 

 to obtain greatly increased public participation must be accompanied 

 by intensive study of the effects of fire in different forest types, by 

 clear-cut definition and exposition of the fundamental benefits to be 

 secured by protection, and by education of private owners and of 

 the local public. 



In this connection, however, it should be noted that the 11 States 

 in the Southern region, prior to the advent of Federal cooperation, 

 and even as lately as 1915, had no area under organized protection. 

 For these States to have placed 48 million acres under some form of 

 organized protection within 16 years is a major achievement. The 

 cooperative approach to the protection problem in the South has 

 succeeded admirably in getting the first steps undertaken. The 

 establishment of a satisfactory degree of State-wide protection on 

 the 155 million acres still without it is the task which lies ahead. 



PROGRESS IN FINANCING PROTECTION UNDERTAKING 



FINANCIAL RECORD IN BRIEF 



The curve shown in figure 3 indicates roughly the increase in total 

 funds spent, Federal, State, and private, upon this work from 1911 

 to 1931. The average annual gain over the 21-year period is $345,670. 

 If this same rate of increase in funds spent upon the work were main- 

 tained, the amount of $13,386,273, which was set up by the 1930 

 estimates already referred to, would be reached in 17 years. The 

 contrasts between expenditures of 1915 and 1931 are shown in detail, 

 in table 2, columns 8 and 9. 



1 It is t9 be noted that the number of acres of State and private forest land needing protection is neces- 

 sarily a different figure from the total State and private forest area. In many States there are considerable 

 areas of privately-owned forest land that are not classed as in need of organized protection. These are 

 isolated tracts of low fire hazard on individual farms, estates, or properties, the protection of which logically 

 devolves on the resident owners, caretakers, or operators. 



