1482 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



Forest planting is an important element of intensive forestry, since 

 it is often needed to restore denuded lands or abandoned agricultural 

 lands to timber production. As an adjunct to various methods of 

 cutting, forest planting may be desirable also for the purpose of main- 

 taining complete stocking or modifying the composition of existing 

 forests. 



Intensive forestry presupposes an adequate system of protecting 

 the forest from fire, insects, and disease. It must include protection 

 from injuries which may result from overgrazing by livestock or from 

 activities of deer, rabbits, porcupines, mice,etc. 



Intensive forestry involves reasonably complete utilization of the 

 forest growth. Waste may be avoided in some forest types by selec- 

 tive logging, in others by intensive marketing methods and by in- 

 tegration of wood-using industries. Research in utilization technique 

 and in marketing practices should be of great assitance in reducing 

 waste. 



Finally, intensive forestry requires the development of a perma- 

 nent system of roads serving all parts of the forest. Cultural opera- 

 tions, selective cutting, adequate protection, and close utilization are 

 largely dependent upon the existence of an adequate transportation 

 system. A suitable plan for permanent road development may com- 

 pletely change the financial aspects of logging and forest management. 



Intensive forestry is shown to be needed for the production of the 

 high-quality material required for special uses and also as a means 

 of building up growing stocks, especially in the forests of the East, 

 so that the timber growth may be sufficient in quantity to meet the 

 probable future demands of the Nation. 



Intensive forestry is of interest to the public largely as a means of 

 meeting the national forest-products requirements in respect both to 

 quantity and to quality. Private owners will undertake intensive 

 forestry as a means of increasing and stabilizing the income from their 

 forest properties. 



It is estimated that the area under intensive forestry should be 

 expanded at a rate of about 1 or IK million acres per year until a 

 total of from 70 to 100 million acres is so managed. This should 

 represent a reasonable balance among different types of forest 

 management. 



The areas placed under intensive forestry should as far as possible 

 be concentrated in units favorably situated as to growing conditions 

 and as to markets. The best areas available should be handled first, 

 as they will yield the highest return on the investment involved. The 

 possibilities for volume production and value production, accessi- 

 bility of markets, the cost of the required measures, and the risk of 

 damage by fire, insects, and disease will largely govern the selection 

 of areas. The selection of areas for intensive forestry must be con- 

 sidered from a local and regional as well as a national viewpoint in 

 order that the social and economic benefits of permanent wood-using 

 industries may be well distributed. 



Conditions, with respect to the possibilities for intensive forestry 

 are discussed for seven different forest regions. The New England 

 and Middle Atlantic States are shown to be favorable for intensive 

 forestry because of density of population and concentration of mar- 

 kets. In the Lake States the need for intensive forestry is great 

 because of the large areas of devastated land and low-grade forest, 



