FOREST TREE PLAJSfTING 



279 



>• 



400 





300 





O 



I— 



200 



100 





ir 



1926-29 



1930-34 



1935-39 



1940-44 



1945-49 



1950-52 



PERIOD 



Figure 88 



it fails to nullify the desirability of planting. At 

 the rate indicated, it would take 165 years of 

 natural restocking to eliminate plantable area. 

 It seems obvious that restoration of these lands to 

 productivity should be hastened by artificial 

 means. 



Planting Trends 



While the present status of planting as judged 

 by area planted in relation to total area available 

 for planting provides little cause for comfort, an 

 examination of trends in artificial regeneration is 

 more encouraging. The trend toward natural 

 reduction of plantable area has already been dis- 

 cussed. Planting trends and the combined effect 

 of artificial regeneration and natural restocking 

 still must be considered. 



In preparing estimates of future planting in the 

 United States, no attempt was made to project 

 them beyond 1984. Plantations established after 

 that time would be too immature by the year 

 2000 to influence significantly the growth projec- 

 tions of the Timber Resource Review. 



Rate of Planting Has Risen Sharply 



In the 26-y ear-period 1926-52, the annual rate 

 of planting in the United States increased over 5 

 times (table 159 and fig. 88). The rise was not 

 steady, but rather was marked by two rapid 

 spurts. During the 1930's there was a sharp 

 increase in planting under the stimulation of the 

 emergency conservation program. Activity fell 

 off during the war years, but climbed rapidly again 

 after the late 1940's. The rise in the national 

 rate was due primarily to greatly increased plant- 

 ing in the South. 



The cumulative total area of acceptable planta- 

 tions shows the same general pattern (table 159 

 and fig. 89). Here, again, the more rapid accre- 

 tion during the 1930's and post-war years is ap- 

 parent. The acreage of acceptable planting since 

 1926 (4.9 million acres) is almost 14 times the 352 

 thousand acres of acceptable plantations estab- 

 lished prior to 1926. 



4?,!»290 0—58- 



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