SUMMARY 



Some of the more important findings of this study are as 

 f o L lows : 



1. Woodlands comprise about 70 percent of the total land area 

 in the Albemarle Area. This figure includes swamp and bog 

 ( muck) 1 ands . 



2. Commercial forests, which include 98 percent of the total 

 woodlands in the area, are divided almost equally among 

 farmers, pulp and paper companies, and private owners. 



3» About half of the forest land, the portion owned by pulp and 



paper companies, lumber companies, and land holding companies^ 

 is professionally managed. 



4. Less than three percent of the total forest land in the area 

 is in public ownership, the second smallest proportion for 

 any area in the state. 



5. In the area in 1962, softwood growth exceeded the timber cut 

 by about 30 percent and hardwood growth exceeded the cut by 

 about 10 percent. 



6* There is a relatively even distribution in the area between 

 softwoods and hardwoods. In 1963 the figures were: soft- 

 woods - 11 million cords, hardwoods - 11.6 million cords. 



7. There is about twice as much softwood saw timber (trees five 

 inches or more in diameter) available for cutting as hard- 

 wood . 



8. Tree mortality, the loss due to fire, insects, disease and 

 other causes, reduces the net growth each year by 23 percent. 



9. Forestry employment is estimated to provide over 2,000 jobs 

 in the area, accounting for about eight percent of the total 

 emp loyment . 



21 

 North Carolina Stale l.ibr9«^/ 



