A NATIONAL PLAN FOE AMERICAN FORESTRY 1619 



East and 1,350,000 acres in the West. The program includes the 

 purchase within the first 10 years of about 90 billion feet of stumpage 

 in the West primarily as a means to maintain the existing forest 

 capital. 



In addition about 22 million acres of forest land now in the public 

 domain are recommended for immediate addition to the national 

 forests. 



LEGISLATION NEEDED 



1. An authorization act covering a period of not less than 10 years, 

 with an annual authorization of $30,000,000 made available until 

 expended. 



Stumpage purchases it is estimated would require $10,000,000 of 

 the above amount. It is suggested that a plan might be worked out 

 for stumpage purchases whereby the Federal Government would 

 purchase the stumpage but would defer payment for a period not to 

 exceed 20 years, until the stumpage is cut. Such a plan would ease 

 the burden on the Treasury by providing for payment coincident 

 with income from stumpage, would relieve the holders of the stumpage 

 in the interim from excessive carrying charges, and would make 

 possible the speeding up of the land-purchase program. 



2. An act to permit exchanges of private lands within 6 miles of 

 the exterior boundary of any existing national forest. 



3. Legislation providing for the addition to the national forests of 

 about 22,179,000 acres of public domain. 



COSTS OF ACQUISITION 



Some part of the proposed area will no doubt be acquired by dona- 

 tion and part (mostly in the West) will probably be acquired by 

 exchange. Allowing for this, the cost of acquisition for the entire 

 eastern area is estimated at $3.23 per acre, or less than two thirds of 

 the average price paid to date. In the West the cost is estimated at 

 $1.60 per acre exclusive of additions from the public domain which 

 do not involve any costs for land. 



THE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE EXISTING NATIONAL 



FORESTS 



The section entitled " Ownership Responsibilities, Costs, and 

 Returns" deals specifically with additional measures needed ade- 

 quately to administer and manage existing national forests. This 

 program contemplates the intensification and expansion of resource 

 management. It provides for speeding up capital expenditures for 

 physical improvements and cultural operations in order to add value 

 to the resources and to increase returns and services. 



In estimating the average annual expenditures for a 20-year 

 period, a lump-sum allowance has been made for replacement and 

 maintenance of roads and trails and structural improvements, after 

 the completion of the programed construction period. In the case of 

 betterment operations for which increases are programed for less 

 than the 20-year period, such as control of the white-pine blister-rust 

 disease, it is assumed that the amounts that are now being expended 

 for these various operations will be sufficient for necessary continuing 

 work. 



