Borings in thousands of stems determine the rate at which 

 trees increase in volume. Through other phases of a growth 

 study the mortality drain is computed and deducted to ar- 

 rive at net growth. Growth rate changes as timber stands 

 change in character. 



A repeated inventory affords a rough check on the 

 growth calculations, provided that commodity drain is 

 known. The Forest Resource Appraisal in North Carolina 

 found 6% less sawtimber than was found in 1938. This 

 compares reasonably with the volume arrived at by project- 

 ing growth and deducting the commodity drain. The Ap- 

 praisal estimates of sawtimber are somewhat lower in the 

 Coastal Plain than would result from the projection of 

 growth and drain. It is believed that drain was heavier 

 than it has been figured. This would account for the dif- 

 ference. 



STATE FORESTS 

 Are more public forests needed in North Carolina? This 

 question raised opinions of approval and disapproval in 

 the various regions of the state. 



People, generally, seem to favor the additional acquisi- 

 tion of public forests in the Mountains. Many individuals 

 have come in contact with the National Forests and 

 National Parks through the medium of recreation. Many 

 are not acquainted with the policies of forest management 

 on either the National Forests or National Parks, but as 

 these areas have a high esthetic value the people are in 

 favor of further acquisition. 



Lumber companies have, in the past, welcomed the idea 

 of selling their cutover lands to the Federal Government. 

 This trend continues and, as a result, more land will likely 

 be acquired in the Mountains for National Forests. 



In the Piedmont, various community leaders did not 

 think that public ownership was feasible due to the absence 

 of large, unbroken timber growing areas. Units large 

 enough for National Forest Ranger Districts are practical- 

 ly nonexistent. However, the opinion was expressed that 

 state forests could well be established in several sections of 

 the Piedmont. These forest areas should be established to 

 show landowners the best methods of managing their 

 timber growing areas. The educational value of these 

 demonstration forests would more than pay for the cost 

 of establishment. There are forest lands in the Piedmont 

 that are suitable for State Demonstration Forests and it 

 is hoped that sentiment will develop for their purchase. 



The Coastal Plain has many areas of variable size that 

 seem suited to public ownership. Here, again, state owner- 

 ship was suggested for all areas with the exception of the 

 Great Dismal Swamp. Lumber and pulp companies are 

 more interested in the "better" types of timber growing 

 land. The state could well afford to acquire lands in the 

 Coastal Section. Certain pocosins, sand ridges, and swamp 

 areas are well suited for public ownership. These areas 

 are not attractive to lumber and pulp companies at present, 

 but do have future value for timber production if placed 

 under protection. Here, again, demonstration of forestry 

 practices would be of untold value in showing landowners 

 what could be done with these unattractive areas. 



It is believed that the State of North Carolina should 

 own and operate State Forests for timber production and 

 demonstration. These State Forests should be located 

 chiefly in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain as it is too late 

 to compete with the Federal Government in much of the 

 Mountain region. 



North Carolina can hardly afford to stand by and al- 

 low more of her potentially good forest lands to be taken 

 up by the Federal Government. There are too many ad- 

 vantages in state ownership. With State Forests go pres- 

 tige, training facilities for personnel, proving grounds for 

 techniques, demonstration and research areas, an influence 

 with personnel which makes the job more interesting to the 

 men, and, last, but not least, financial returns. 



Probably there are few fields in which the Southern 

 States are losing their birthrights so rapidly as in the 

 matter of forest lands. Once the Federal Government ac- 

 quires these lands, there is the danger that the people of 

 the state will have no further responsibility and little in- 

 fluence in connection with them. It is just that much of the 

 state's territory lost. State sovereignty has lost in a field 

 where its manifestations should be strong. 



There are plenty of precedents establishing the wisdom 

 of state forests. Several states have had state forests for 

 more than forty years and are continually expanding. 

 These states realize the value of their forest areas and 

 have acted accordingly. New York owns approximately 3 

 million acres; Michigan owns over 3 million acres; Penn- 

 sylvania owns over 2 million acres ; Minnesota, Oregon and 

 Washington all own over one million acres of state forest 

 lands. Most of the state forests in the United States have 

 been created from cut-over lands and on them are found 

 some of the best forestry practices in the country. These 

 forests have been highly successful and have won public 

 favor. 



EDUCATION OF FOREST LANDOWNERS 



Nearly 17 million acres of North Carolina's forest land 

 are in the hands of private owners. Since, as in agricul- 

 ture, the manner in which the crop is handled affects the 

 yield, it is in the interest of the general welfare to inform 

 these owners regarding good practices, and to assist and 

 encourage them by all suitable means. Cotton farmers have 

 been enabled to double their yields per acre through appli- 

 cation of scientific practices brought to them by agricul- 

 tural teaching, extension service and research. It is not too 

 much to hope that over a long period of years timber 

 owners with reasonably good forest land can be led to 

 double their timber yields. 



In using the term "education" it is intended to include 

 various kinds of assistance which have developed in con- 

 nection with farm programs; not merely giving a talk or 

 handing out a circular, but service in marketing, planning, 

 and other ways. 



STATUS OF FOREST MANAGEMENT 



Public forests. Forest maangement is well developed 

 on the one existing state forest, and beginnings have been 

 made on a large state game refuge near the coast. The 

 84,000 acre forest of N. C. State College is being managed 

 on an intensive basis, and all costs, including purchase 

 price of the land, are being met from income made by the 

 forest. Watershed forests of municipalities are protected 

 from fire, but are usually not under management, the 

 present policy on most of them being to refrain from tim- 

 ber cutting. 



National forests are said to have intensive management 

 and are well protected from fire. It has been difficult to 

 make much progress with scientific forestry on the three- 

 quarters of a million acres of national forests in the 



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