100 



TIMBER RESOURCES FOR AMERICAS FUTURE 



demands in 2000 are shown in figure 48 and the 

 following tabulation: 



Sawtimbcr 

 removal needed 



to supply Sustained 



lower tiTnber sawtimber 



demands removal Difference 



(billion bd.-ft.) (biUion bd.-ft.) (percent) 



Softwoods i.r 57.1 47.7 -16 



Eastern hardwoods 22.2 24.5 +10 



Total 79.3 72.2 -9 



' Includes a small volume of western hardwoods. 



Because projected sawtimber growth under 

 lower timber demand is less than needed timber 

 removal after 1975 (table 61 and fig. 46), the level 

 at which timber removal and growth can be sus- 

 tained in balance is necessarily below the timber 

 removal required to meet the lower level demand. 

 In terms of all species, the sawtimber removal 

 that could be sustained in 2000 is 9 percent below 



the timber removal needed to sustain lower timber 

 demand. In terms of softwoods, sustained timber 

 removal is 16 percent below that needed to meet 

 lower timber demands in 2000. 



These projections suggest that if sawtimber 

 removal and growth were kept in balance after 

 1975 there would result a 9-percent decline in per 

 capita consumption of sawtimber in relation to 

 lower demand levels, or a 15-percent decline in 

 per capita consumption in relation to 1952 timber 

 cut. A choice thus becomes evident here: If the 

 American people continue to accelerate forestrj' 

 as they have in recent j'ears, are wUling to dras- 

 tically revise their timber consumption habits 

 from softwoods to hardwoods, and are willing to 

 get along with 15 percent less sawtimber per 

 person than they are now doing, the United States 

 can maintain a balance between timber removal 

 and growth after 1975. 



o 



o 



o 



80 



70 



60 



50 



40 











Removal at lower 

 demand level 







^^-"-""'^ 





Growth and removal 



Projected growth 



at lower demond level 



in approximate balance 

 to 1975 



■X- Growth and removal 

 in balance after 1975 



1952 



1965 



1975 



year 



1985 



2000 



Sustained timber removal as shown by the solid line above brings timber removal and projected growth of both softwoods 

 and hardwoods into balance by 1985. The increased use of hardwoods needed to attain this balance exceeds any trends now 

 in sight. Reduced removal of softwoods needed to reach a balance falls below the removal necessary to supply lower pro- 

 jected demands for softwoods. Moreover, sustained timber removal for all species combined falls below the total removal 

 needed to supply lower projected demands. 



Figure 48 



