Future Production Goal 



-^ 



To JUDGE the region's need tor timber re- 

 sources and the size of a reasonable growth 

 goal, one must consider not only the demands 

 ol existing industries, but also the current wood 

 consumption of the population, the prospects for 

 future needs, and of course the capacity of the 

 forest to produce. 



Current Consumption 



Industries and consumers in the Lake States use 

 half again as much forest products (more than twice 

 as much saw timber) as is cut from the timberlands 

 of the region. Of 21/9 billion board feet of lumber 

 used in the Lake States in 1943, local industries 

 provided less than half, and less than one-quarter 

 of the softwood lumber used (23). Of the wood 

 fiber used by the pulp, paper, and board industry, 

 local forests provide about two-thirds. The region 

 does not produce all of the veneer and cooperage 

 used, and appreciable quantities of railroad ties, 

 poles, and piling must be imported. Only in such 

 items as fuef wood and fence posts is it self-support- 

 ing. 



^<- 



Total current consumption, translated into terms 

 of standing timber, amounts to about 980 million 

 cubic feet, of which 60U million are softwood. This 

 may be compared with local production (1948 drain) 

 of 675 million cubic feet, including 240 million 

 cubic feet of softwood. 



Current consumption of sawlog products in stand- 

 ing timber equivalents is 3,000 million board feet, 

 with 1,900 million softwood (table 31). This may 

 be compared with local production (1948 drain) of 

 1 ,460 million board feet total, including 500 million 

 softwood. 



Potential Future Requirements 



No one is in a position to forecast accurately how 

 much and what kind of timber will be needed in the 

 Lake States in the future. Anyone who has respon- 

 sibility for managing forest land, however, must 

 make certain assumptions in these matters. He can 

 be guided by studies which have been made of pro- 

 spective national needs, as well as by certain local 

 trends. 



The Forest Service has estimated potential na- 

 tional timber requirements of 15.6 billion cubic feet. 



Table 31.— Estimated current annual consumption of timber products in the Lake States region. 



and Forest Survey equivalents 





.A,nnual 



consumption 



rate 



Saw-timber 

 equivalent 



All-timber 

 equivalent 





All 

 species 



Soft- 

 woods 



Hard- 

 woods 



All 

 species 



Soft- 

 woods 



Hard- 

 woods 



Lumber...- _ 



Pulpwood 



2.5 billion board feet 1 

 3.0 million cords - 

 5.0 million cords ^ 



{') 



Million 

 board feet 



2,380 



250 



124 



218 



28 



Million 

 board feet 



1,670 



210 



6 



1 



13 



Million 

 board feet 



710 



40 



118 



217 



15 



Million 

 cubic feet 



510 



250 



130 



47 



43 



Million 

 cubic feet 



370 



195 



10 



4 



21 



Million 

 cubic feet 



140 



55 





120 



Miscellaneous mill products 



43 





•>7 









i.fino 



1,900 



1,100 



980 



600 



380 













' As of 1943, latest year for which lumber-distribution records were available. 

 - Estimated requirements for domestic paper mills, 1946, including the wood 

 equivalent of imported pulp. 

 ^ 1946 estimate. 



Forest Resources of the Lake States ReQ;io7i 



' Includes veneer, cooperage, excelsior, etc., estimated about 50 percent 

 greater than regional production in 1946. 



5 Includes poles, posts, piling, and mine timbers. 



45 



