the shift of pole-timber areas to the saw-timber classi- 

 fication almost offset the total drain on the saw-timber 

 stands. 



The situation is not nearly so encouraging when only 

 the higher quality saw timber is considered. The 

 growth of saw timber in all condition classes was over- 

 cut by nearly 20 million board feet (table 7). Utiliza- 

 tion of some of the surplus in material unsuited for 

 sawlogs would help relieve this situation. Such an 

 overcut in sawlog material cannot be repeated for 

 many years without seriously jeopardizing industries 

 now dependent upon material of above-average 

 quality. Such cutting, however, was greatly stimu- 

 lated by the war. 



Prospects for the Next 10 Tears 



If the drain for 1943 should continue for the next 10 

 years, operators seeking the larger trees of higher 

 quality would find it more and more difficult to locate 

 them in sufficient numbers to justify logging. How- 



ever, other demands upon the forest could be met, 

 especially those for mine timbers, and the acreage of 

 merchantable pole-timber stands would at the end 

 of 10 years be approximately double that of 1943. 

 This suggests an opportunity for new industries that 

 could utilize some of the smaller growing stock in 

 competition with the mining industry. However, 

 the people of the region should plan eventually to 

 develop extensive areas of high-quality material that 

 will attract those industries requiring a large number 

 of skilled workers and able to contribute most to the 

 region's economy. 



The problem is to find out how to meet the demands 

 of the mines and of the other industries for low-quality 

 material while building up the forests to meet the 

 prospective demands for higher quality timber. This 

 can be done without decreasing the total cut provided 

 forest-management practices are greatly improved. 

 A start has been made; the need is to accelerate 

 progress. 



Table 6. — Inventory change in cubic-foot volume, by condition class, Jan. 1, 1943, to Jan. 1, 1944 



Condition class 



1943 

 inventory 



Total 

 drain 



Gross in- 

 crement 



Net 

 change 



1944 

 inventory 



Merchantable stands: 



Saw timber 



M cu. Jt. 

 295, 400 

 423, 200 

 664, 890 



M cu.Jt. 

 20, 360 

 21,090 

 12,340 



M cu. Jt. 

 17, 379 

 49, 421 

 20, 689 



M cu. Jt. 



—2, 981 



28,331 



8,349 



M cu. Jt. 

 292,419 



Pole timber 



Unmerchantable stands 



451,531 

 673, 239 



All stands 



1, 383, 490 



53, 790 



87, 489 



33, 699 



1,417, 189 



Table 7- 



-Inventory change in board-joot volume, by condition class, Jan. 1, 



1943, to Jan. 1, 1944 





Condition class 



1943 

 inventory 



Total 

 drain 



Gross 

 increment 



Net 

 change 



1944 

 inventory 



Merchantable stands: 



Saw timber 



M bd.Jt. 

 838, 000 

 425, 800 

 871,800 



M bd. Jt. 

 79, 530 

 53,830 

 14, 330 



M bd.Jt. 

 51,570 

 97, 650 



—20, 330 



M bd.Jt. 



—27, 960 



43, 820 



—34, 660 



M bd. Jt. 

 810, 040 



Pole timber 



469, 620 



Unmerchantable stands 



837, 140 









All stands 



2, 135,600 



147, 690 



128,890 



— 18,800 



2, 116,800 







THE FOREST POTENTIAL 



The forests of the Anthracite Forest Region were 

 once fine stands of valuable species, and they still 

 have great potentialities. It would be economically 

 impractical to restore forests to a condition compar- 

 able to the virgin stands, but fully productive forests 



of commercial species can be built up. The intense 

 demand for wood in the Northeast will almost cer- 

 tainly continue to provide a good market for all 

 forest products grown. Well-managed forests will 

 supply more than wood: they will reduce runoff and 



26 



Miscellaneous Publication 648, U. S. Department of Agriculture 



