Encouraging natural reforestation.— V>-^ maintain- 

 ing seed trees, preparing suitable seedbeds at time 

 of logging, scattering cone-bearing slash, judicious 

 release cutting, and other practicable forestry meas- 

 ures Nature can be assisted in establishing a de- 

 sirable forest cover on many areas which otherwise 

 might remain unproductive lor long jjcriods (fig. 

 46). 



4. Measures to stabilize ownership and promote 

 sustained yields. Certain adjustments in organiza- 

 tion and Jiandling of individual forest properties 

 obviously must accompany the proposed changes 

 in forest management. 



BritniiniT forest lands into stabilized ownersliih.— 

 Either through action of present owners or by trans- 

 fer of ownership, a large part of the forest land 



Figure A&.— Large areas need reforesting. In this case, leaving mor 

 have insured fnompt reforestation. As it is, the land probably 

 sloclied condition. 



Planting.— Protection and good management will 

 insure restocking many areas but cannot be expected 

 to restore pine and spruce sufficiently soon or on a 

 s-.illiciently large scale. They will not provide all 

 the farm requirements. A lOO.OOO-acre-per-year 

 planting program (21/9 times the 1946 rate) is 

 needed. 



Areas chosen for planting with softwoods should 

 consist of the better sites, well located with respect 

 to probable future markets, relatively easy to plant, 

 and in ownerships where sustained care ^vill be 

 assured. 



The hardwood plantings, presimiably mostly on 

 farms, will serve in many cases as shelter belts, ero- 

 sion control devices, home beautification projects, 

 etc., as well as to augment the farmers' wood sup- 

 plies. 



Forest Resources of the Lake States Region 



F — 431326 



e and better seed trees and some preparation of a seedbed might 

 will Ijax'e to be planted or remain many years in a very poorly 



must come under such control that it can be dedi- 

 cated to continuous long-range forest management. 

 This has been accomplished on large areas of pul)lic 

 land and some industrial holdings. It is still a Aveak 

 point in the program in the case of (1) a number of 

 minor Federal holdings, (2) undedicated State lands, 

 (o) many county-controlled areas, (4) lands in process 

 of tax-forfeiture, (5) hundreds of thousands of farm 

 woods, and (6) millions of acres of private holdings. 



The situation seems to call for iioth landowner 

 education and further land acquisition by those 

 owners capable of managing forests constructively. 



Consolidating holdings for better administralioti. 

 —Progress is being inade in consolidating State and 

 Federal forests through a program of land ex- 

 changes, but much more remains to be done. Coun- 

 ties have done relatively little toward blocking up 



51 



