WORK OF THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE 



15 



RECEIPTS AND THEIR USE 



Receipts from the national forests from timber sales, grazing fees, 

 special land uses, water power, and other sources amount to more 

 than $4,000,000 each year. Normally, receipts from timber sales form 

 the larger part of the total, with receipts from use of forage a close 

 second. 



It could not be expected, of course, that rugged, relatively inacessi- 

 ble mountain lands, such as constitute by far the greater part of the 

 national forests, would soon yield a revenue to the Government over 

 and above the cost of administration. Many of the forests may be 



Figure 10. — Bear-den tree and the tenant himself. 



F-280508 



Monongahela National Forest, W. Va. 



expected to help supply the country's future needs for timber after 

 the more accessible lands have been cut over, rather than its present 

 needs. Others are chiefly valuable for watershed protection, which, 

 though of greatest importance to the people and industries of the 

 country, does not yield the Government direct return in dollars and 

 cents. Moreover, a great deal of money must be spent for roads, 

 trails, bridges, telephone lines, and other improvements before the 

 resources of the forests can be used. 



Since Federal property is not taxable, 25 percent of the total net 

 receipts of the national forests is turned over each year to the States 

 to be apportioned for road and school purposes to the counties in 

 which the national forests are located. An additional 10 percent is 

 used for road and trail building on the national forests, so that 35 

 percent, in all, of the receipts returns directly to benefit the local 

 national-forest communities. Also, many of the expenditures by the 

 Forest Service for national-forest protection and improvements aid 

 in local development. 



