by 32 million board feet, lumber tally, per year (26 million 

 board feet, log scale) reduces the community income by 

 ?1, 000,000 annually. 



The management possibilities of the forest resource in 

 northern Idaho very largely determine the whole forest 

 program. The rather low ceiling of sustainable western 

 white pine production absolutely prohibits maintenance 

 ot the lumber industry on its present scale, unless there can 

 be a greater utilization of secondary species. 



The allowable cut ot 140 million board feet of western 

 white pine represents a fixed ceiling, however, only so long 

 as the factors affecting it are unchanged. While the 

 present overcut of western white pine continues, the allow- 

 able cut will tend to go steadily downward. If a large addi- 

 tional area changes from western white pine type to other 

 types following logging, and if the percentage ot western 

 white pine in the young stands on cut-over areas is not so 

 heavy as before logging, the allowable cut will tend to go 

 down still farther. If blister rust is permitted to decimate 

 large areas of western white pine, the result will be the 

 same. 



On the other hand, the possibilities for increasing the 



allowable cut through reduction of fire losses have al- 

 ready been emphasized. There is an equal opportunity 

 in the control of insect infestations. Larger yields would 

 result from intensified management practices of the sort 

 exemplified by the Potlatch Company's selective cutting 

 operations in the Clearwater district. Through still more 

 intensified management, it would be possible to decrease 

 the likelihood of insect infestations, to utilize timber which 

 would otherwise be lost through competition, and to in- 

 crease the utilizable growth. 



Once the effects ot past overcutting are compensated 

 tor, good protection and a higher grade of management 

 practice are required if the allowable cut is to be increased 

 above present levels. 



Obviously, overcutting ot western white pine can be 

 justified if the secondary species improve sufficiently in 

 value to compensate for it later on. If overcutting ot 

 western white pine continues and the hoped-for improve- 

 ment in the values of the other species does not materialize, 

 northern Idaho must eventually pay the piper in the form 

 ot very much lower employment. 



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