TIMBER RESOURCES FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE 



A Summary of the Timber Resource Review 



Edward C. Crafts 



INTRODUCTION 



The report of the Timber Resource Review is 

 in the nature of a "State-of-the-Union" message 

 by the Forest Service on our national timber 

 supphes. This comprehensive appraisal of the 

 timber situation in the United States was started 

 early in 1952. About a year and a half was 

 devoted to planning the project; a year to field 

 surveys and collection of data; a year to compila- 

 tion, interpretation, and preparation of the pre- 

 liminary report; and another year and a half to 

 review and revision of the preliminary report and 

 preparation of this final report. 



The Timber Resource Review is the latest in a 

 series of overall timber appraisals in which the 

 Forest Service has shared. The most recent one 

 prior to this study was in 1945. One of the unique 

 features of the present undertaking is that it was 

 planned and executed in the field with the wide- 

 spread collaboration of a great number of States, 

 forest industries, and individuals. Although this 

 has engendered some delays, they have been more 

 than offset by better planning, by more intensive 

 surveys than the Forest Service could have under- 

 taken by itself, and it is hoped by more widespread 

 understanding and acceptance of the findings. 



Purpose and Scope 



The chief purpose of the Timber Resource 

 Review is to provide a stock-taking of the current 

 timber situation in the United States and a look 

 into the future with respect to prospective timber 

 supplies and needs. Because forestry is a long- 

 time undertaking, the current situation in timber 

 carries perhaps more than the usual implications 

 as to future supplies. The basic facts on forest 

 land areas, timber volumes, growth and utilization, 

 timber quality, forest protection, forest ownership, 

 productivity of land, prospective demand, and 

 related information are essential tools in the 



formation of forest policy on a national, State, and 

 local basis by both public and private institutions. 



In part, the Timber Resource Review may be 

 construed as discharging some of the responsibility 

 delegated by the Congress to the Secretary of 

 Agriculture in connection with the nationwide 

 Forest Survey. The Congress has directed the 

 Secretary, under such plans as he determines to 

 be fair and equitable, to cooperate with the 

 appropriate officials of each State, and either 

 through them or directly with private and other 

 agencies to make a comprehensive survey of the 

 present and prospective requirements for timber 

 and other forest products in the United States, 

 and of timber supplies, including a determination 

 of present and potential productivity of forest 

 land. He is also directed to obtain such other 

 facts as may be necessary in the determination 

 of ways and means to balance the timber budget 

 of the United States.' The Secretary is also 

 directed to acquire and diffuse among the people 

 of the United States useful information on subjects 

 connected with agriculture in the most general 

 and comprehensive sense of that word.^ 



Since its inception the Forest Service has felt 

 the Timber Resource Review to be a timely 

 undertaking. It believes that not only the signifi- 

 cance of the facts that are subsequently presented 

 but also the outlook for the future support that 

 view. 



Among the reasons for undertaking the Timber 

 Resource Review in 1952 were the following: (1) 

 The availability of new postwar information from 

 the nationwide forest survey on forest areas, 

 timber volumes, and growth on about half of the 

 Nation's forest land. This information shows 

 substantial changes and yet the rate of progress 

 of this survey for the remainder of the country 



' McSweeney-McNary Forest Research Act of Mav 22, 

 1928, as amended (16 U. S. C. 581a-i). 



2 Department of Agriculture Organic Act, May 15, 1862 

 5 U. S. C. 511). 



