Cutting for reproduction. The strip method in a I'.S. national fortst. 



CANADA'S FORESTS AS A CROP 



By Clyde Leavilt, Chief Forester, Commission of Conservation. 



Essential Supplies for Industries Not Maintained 



Under Present Methods of Woods 



Management 



Too much emphasis can not be laid upon the extent is now known to be a dangerous myth 

 importance to Canada of her forests, in the dangerous because such an idea tends largely 

 support and development of her commercial and to discourage the effort necessary to the per- 

 industrial life. There is, however, great danger petuation of the forest on cut-over lands, 

 of inadequate attention being paid to the per- In the United States, intelligent citizens are 

 petuation of this great resource, so that it may already becoming seriously alarmed at the grow- 

 always be available, and to an adequate extent, ing shortage of timber supplies, and much dis- 

 for supplying the needs of the home popula- cussion is taking place as to what can be done 

 tion, as well as for further building up the great about it. According to Chief Forester Graves, 

 export trade in forest products which already of the United States Forest Service, the dis- 

 means so much in our business life. sipation of the forests in that country still goes 



The forest is a crop, like other crops, the on with no let-up. He points out that "exhaus- 

 principal difference being the long-time element tion of local forest supplies, the closing of in- 

 involved in growing it. and the fact that it is dustries dependent on them, the embarrassment 

 at home on non-agricultural lands, largely valu- for supplies of the pulp mills and other con- 

 able for no other purpose. Thus far. our for- sumers using special classes of forest products, 

 est industries have largely been supported by the generally mounting prices to consumers, 

 the exploitation of virgin timber stands the are other factors which are calling sharp at- 

 free gift of Nature, grown without man's in- tention to the effect of forest destruction, and 

 tervention or care. The formerly prevalent idea are causing increasing public uneasiness. Lead- 

 that our timber supplies are of inexhaustil)le ers of the southern pine manufacturers state 



