A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 1581 



of knowledge of how to make these lands yield greater returns. What 

 remains is to get the knowledge into actual practice. That is the 

 mission and the objective of forest extension. 



A 10- YEAR PROGRAM 



It is now proposed to indicate, in general, the program of forestry 

 extension that may be expected within, say, 10 years to accomplish 

 the maximum possible improvement of our deteriorated forest prop- 

 erty and to put it well on the way toward the production of sus- 

 tained and permanent values in our national economy. Such an 

 undertaking is large because our country itself is large. The problem 

 appears difficult because of the many and varied conditions inter- 

 posed by regional, sectional, and local factors affecting forest growth, 

 forest utilization, markets, and transportation, to say nothing of our 

 highly decentralized political system and the marked differences in 

 the customs and viewpoints of our people. But at that, this problem 

 differs little, if any, from those faced in the usual course by all agencies, 

 both governmental and industrial, that undertake country-wide 

 campaigns of any kind. 



On first approach the objectives would seem easiest and best 

 reached through a single closely knit organization directed from Wash- 

 ington that would specialize in forestry extension and that would work 

 through more or less decentralized but coordinated groups operating 

 in the various forest regions of the country irrespective of State lines. 

 If the United States were a small country like France or Italy, with 

 comparatively homogeneous conditions, or had a highly centralized 

 government or a dictatorship, such a plan would probably be most 

 effective. But such is not the case, and any governmental plan or 

 program to be successful must take into account the political and 

 social structure of our country and the relationship of Federal, State, 

 county, and community governments to each other, and adapt itself 

 accordingly. Practical consideration dictates a line of action based 

 upon and blended into the organizations that already exist, the facil- 

 ities at hand and in sight, and methods of approach already developed. 



THE FIELD OF EFFORT 



In the first place, the extension effort must be directed toward 

 three classes of people: (1) The owners of farm woodlands; (2) the 

 owners, managers, and users of industrial forests; (3) the general 

 public. The needs of each class with respect to forestry extension 

 will be taken up in order. 



OWNERS OF FARM WOODLANDS 



The very considerable class of farm timber owners control about 

 25 percent of the forests of the United States. When farmers have 

 learned what their woodland can do under care and are started in 

 the right direction as managers, a great step will have been taken. 

 A promising beginning toward this objective has been made, but the 

 movement needs stimulus and expansion. 



The farmer is to be taught, first, that his woodland is an important 

 source of real and often of major cash income if handled skillfully; 

 second, how to handle it skillfully and to produce the most material, 



