ks&s 



F-452141 



Improvement of habitat for fish and game on the National Forests is needed. 



was attributable to disease, 20 percent to insects, 17 percent to fire, 

 and 18 percent to weather, animals, and various other causes. 



These destructive forces also have a seriously adverse effect upon 

 the watersheds and their life-supporting waterflows, and upon the 

 other renewable forest resources. 



The long-range objective is to hold the damage from destructive 

 agencies below^ the level which would seriously interfere with inten- 

 sive management of the National Forest System under principles of 

 multiple use and high-level sustained yield of products and services. 

 This can be accomplished substantially by a continued trend toward 

 better facilities and techniques for fire control and more resources 

 to cope with critical fire periocls ; and a more intensive application of 

 a program of prevention, detection, and control of insect and disease 

 infestations. In addition to direct protection measures, more inten- 

 sive management of timber resources will assist in reduction of losses 

 from insects and disease. 



Protection From Insects and Disease 



In the 10-year period, it is proposed that insect and disease control 

 on the National Forest System be stepped up to a level of prevention, 

 detection, and control of insect and disease infestations that will sub- 

 stantially reduce the occurrence of large infestations toward the end 

 of the initial period. This will require about a 40 percent increase 

 over the present level of protection. The work will consist of : 



1. Intensification of present activities through (a) quicker, 

 more extensive, and more thorough surveys to detect incipient out- 

 breaks; (b) more reliable evaluation of the potential of initial 



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