pendent upon private lands for its timber supplies. The 
public has a vital interest in the proper management of these 
lands not only because we must look to them for the bulk of 
our timber supplies but also because they include nearly two- 
thirds of the forest area where watershed protection prob- 
lems are most critical, and because they are important to 
national welfare in many other ways. 
12. How are our private forest lands being handled? 
In every region a growing number of forest owners are 
putting good forest practice into effect. They protect and 
harvest their timber with an eye to future crops, thus demon- 
strating that such methods are practicable. But all told, only 
8 percent of the cutting on private lands can be classed as 
good or better according to a survey made in 1945. Twenty- 
eight percent rates fair; 64 percent of all cutting on private 
land 1s still poor to destructive. 
This is due partly to lack of knowledge, partly to economic 
pressures, and partly to indifference; but regardless of the 
cause, the country cannot afford to allow poor or destructive 
forest practices to continue. The public values are too great. 
Timber Cutting on Private Lands 
(From the standpoint of keeping the forests adequately productive) 
Character of cutting 
Ownership class a eee 
6 Good | Fair Poor | struc- 
order | : 
tive 
| Percent | Percent | Percent | Percent Percent 
Samal cl he eee ae Se 0 4 25 63 8 
Mediums aie rere eee 1 7 Sil 50 11 
1D Wea Sons ei i segue foley) aM 5 24 39) 28 4 
INU OMMNAT 6's o ob aa ge 6a2 1 i 28 56 8 
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