A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 1325 



has reached a figure of 32 million, of whom 24 million are transients. 

 Considering the increased area needed for recreation and which must 

 be provided by further extension of national forests, it is safe to esti- 

 mate that within 20 years the total number of those using the national 

 forests to hunt, fish, or camp will exceed 5 million annually. The 

 possibility of a license fee of $2.00 for adults hunting, fishing, or 

 camping on national forests would provide an annual revenue of 

 $10,000,000. This sum would provide for the necessary skilled 

 administration demanded by increasing public use. Such a fee is 

 not exorbitant, and may well be considered as a possible source of 

 revenue. There are, however, many obstacles, both in public attitude 

 and in difficulties of administration, which may prevent this principle 

 from being applied in the near future. 



WATERSHED RESOURCES 



As shown in the section of this report entitled, "Watershed and 

 Related Forest Influences", watersheds maintained with a suitable 

 coyer of forest and other vegetative growth render special services to 

 irrigation, domestic water supply, power, and navigation projects. 

 The evidence clearly indicates that large expenditures will be required 

 to improve and thereafter maintain watersheds of immediate benefit 

 to these projects. Under the "benefit theory" for the purpose of 

 providing necessary funds for this work, the possibilities of a tax or 

 fee might be considered. For example, a tax of $1.00 per horsepower 

 of water-power development would eventually provide on the basis 

 of 10 million horsepower of development a return of $10,000,000 per 

 annum. Public policy must of course determine whether such a plan 

 for financing is feasible and in best public interest. 



SUMMARY OF POSSIBLE GROSS REVENUE 



The revenues from national forests under a program of full develop- 

 ment may be summarized as follows : 



Revenues at present charged for: 



From 20 million acres intensive timber management $50, 000, 000 



From 90 million acres extensive timber management 80, 000, 000 



From extensive management Alaskan forests 4, 000, 000 



From grazing management 4, 000, 000 



From special uses 2, 000, 000 



Total 140, 000, 000 



Resources now not subject to charge: 



From recreational uses 10, 000, 000 



From water-power revenues 10, 000, 000 



Total. _ 20, 000, 000 



All possible returns . 160,000,000 



Possibly as much as a forest rotation will be required to build up 

 forest revenues to full possibilities. There are, of course, many 

 justifications that can be advanced for the public's undertaking the 

 development and management of forest lands, the social and economic 

 aspects being paramount. To assume that the expenditures made on 

 public forests will be self -liquidating in the sense that for every dollar 

 spent a dollar's worth of goods will be sold to amortize investments 

 may be neither sound economics nor sound social policy. It is 



