1234 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



a single purpose. The needs are summarized as follows from the 

 various sections of the report in which the forest uses are dealt with 

 in full detail. 



THE LAND NEEDED FOR RECREATION 



Recreation is here taken to include not only the use of the forest 

 for camping, hunting, fishing, etc., but its preservation and use for 

 aesthetic or educational purposes as well. This use is increasing, 

 and will demand much larger areas in the future. In many places 

 on well-managed forest areas, recreational use and commercial pro- 

 duction can go hand in hand with only temporary set-backs to recrea- 

 tion as areas are logged. Near population centers, however, almost 

 any forest may be so valuable for recreational purposes as to forbid 

 even the temporary depletion of its aesthetic values that would be 

 involved in cuttings under the best silvicultural practices. Strips 

 of timber along roadsides may be reserved from cutting because their 

 beauty is enjoyed by a much greater number of people than could 

 possibly benefit by any commodity value they may have. Since any 

 sort of cutting impairs or destroys many of the educational and inspi- 

 rational values inherent in the primeval forest, it is also desirable to 

 set aside certain areas to be kept as nearly as possible in their natural 

 condition. 



Altogether, probably 45 million acres of forest land should be with- 

 drawn from commercial timber production and devoted primarily 

 to recreation. Already 11 million acres of this total have been 

 devoted to this use, leaving 34 million as the total net area of com- 

 mercial timberlands which it may still be desirable to set aside. 



Much of the high mountain country included in the noncommercial 

 forest area has high scenic value and will serve recreational purposes. 

 In the West a large part of the commercial area which may be in- 

 cluded in additional recreational reserves lies high in the mountains 

 just below the alpine zone. These lands as well as certain swamp 

 areas of poor timber-producing capacity in the South which are also 

 likely to be included in the proposed recreational reserve, are of 

 doubtful economic availability, and relatively unfavorable for timber 

 production even though classified as commercial forest. Because of 

 their poor growth or relative inaccessibility the reservation of as 

 much as 13 million acres of this sort will have little influence on the 

 timber production situation. The lands set aside primarily for 

 recreation will rarely, if ever, suffer any reduction in their value for 

 protection of streams and soils or for the production of wild life. 



THE LAND NEEDED FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION 



Although the protection of watersheds and the prevention of 

 erosion constitute perhaps the most important use of forest lands as 

 far as public welfare is concerned, it will seldom be necessary to set 

 aside land having other commercial values exclusively for such 

 protective functions. Under proper control, the use of forest land 

 for other purposes will generally be entirely consistent with the 

 conservation of protective values. Steep slopes at the headwaters of 

 important streams and areas especially susceptible to erosion are the 

 most important types of land where restriction of commercial utiliza- 

 tion will be necessary. The noncommercial forest area includes much 



