outbreaks to cause widespread damage; (c) quicker and more ef- 

 fective control action in the initial stages to prevent a large-scale 

 epidemic. The initial suppression activities would cover about 

 twice the acreage currently being treated. 



2. Continuation of present blister rust control work plus ex- 

 tension of control to 250,000 acres not now protected but which 

 should be managed for white pine production. The objective 

 is to achieve sufficient effectiveness of control on all of the area 

 now under treatment plus the additional acres so that after the 

 initial period only maintenance control will be needed. 



3. Initiating a program to control dwarfmistletoe on several 

 hundred thousand acres of selected better stands of young soft- 

 wood sawtimber on better growing sites. 



4. Coordination of pest control objectives with timber manage- 

 ment activities to reduce losses. 



F-482293 



Serious losses from insects and disease can be reduced by early prevention, detection, and 



control. 



Protection From Fire 



It is proposed that in 10 years all commercial timberlands, all criti- 

 cal watersheds, and other lands in the National Forest System devel- 

 oped or proposed for intensive use will be given protection from fire 

 adequate to meet the fire situation in the worst years and under serious 

 peak loads. This will include 125 million acres compared with 23 

 million acres now receiving such protection. An additional 15 million 



16 



