OWNERSHIP OF FOREST LAND AND TIMBER 



321 



future timber-supply picture for a number of the 

 States. In addition, State agencies play a major 

 role in forestry programs on private lands through- 

 out the country. 



As in the case of Federal lands, multiple uses — 

 timber, recreation, game, and water- — are impor- 

 tant on a large part of the State and local public 

 forest lands. Many of these holdings, partic- 

 ularly in the East, have been placed under per- 

 manent administration in organized State or 

 county forests, although other areas are not spe- 

 cifically managed or are available for sale to 

 private owners. Considerable areas of scattered 

 tracts, especially in the West, are administered by 

 State Land Boards. In some cases. State and 

 county lands are too scattered for efficient man- 

 agement and tliere is need to consolidate certain 

 holdings for more effective management. 



KEY PROBLEMS OF OWNERSHIP 



Review of forestry progress clearly indicates 

 that the greatest advances in protection and man- 

 agement of commercial forest land and timber 

 resources have been made on the holdings of the 

 forest industries and public agencies. Together 

 these ownerships represent 39 percent of all com- 

 mercial forest lands. The poorest forest condi- 

 tions and the most difficult problems of ownership 

 are found on the small holdings of farmers and 

 "other" private owners, many of whom hold their 

 lands primarily for purposes other than timber 

 growing. In the aggregate, these farm and 

 "other" private ownerships include 61 percent of 

 the Nation's commercial forests. For many years 

 they have supplied a large proportion of the logs, 

 pulpwood, and other raw material used by forest 

 industries. 



If prospective timber requirements are to be 

 met, it is evident that most private and public 

 forest holdings must yield substantially more tim- 

 ber than is presently grown or cut from these 

 lands. There are various reasons for the lack of 

 management on most forest properties, some of 

 which are technical, some economic, and some 

 psychological in nature. 



In recognition of the complexity of forestry 

 problems, a variety of programs have been de- 

 veloped in the United States aimed at improving 



the protection and management of both private 

 and public forest lands. In developing new or 

 more adequate programs to meet current problems 

 and changing conditions in the future, facts of 

 forest ownership will be of key importance. Land- 

 owners' decisions are influenced by various factors, 

 most of which are of undetermined importance. 

 Difficult policy questions relating to ownership are 

 necessarily involved in appraising the need for 

 program modifications, some of which represent 

 broad issues that extend far beyond the limits of 

 forestry. 



As an illustration of these problems of owner- 

 ship, the question is frequently raised as to what 

 is a desirable balance between public and private 

 ownership, and between various classes of private 

 and public holdings. Part of this question in- 

 volves the extent to which large forest industries 

 should further expand their holdings of commercial 

 forest land through purchase and consolidation of 

 small private ownerships. 



In connection with programs of assistance to 

 landowners, another important question relates to 

 the possible limitation of available funds and man- 

 power to assist selected classes of owners, such as 

 owners of the better forest lands, particular types 

 of owner, or owners of the larger holdings who in 

 general have been more responsive to forestry pro- 

 grams than owners of small holdings. By concen- 

 trating programs on owners of more than 30 acres 

 of commercial forest land, for example, iialf of all 

 farm and miscellaneous "other" private holdings 

 might be eliminated with a loss of coverage of 

 only 6 percent of the total commercial forest land 

 area. 



Another continuing question relates to the de- 

 sirable intensity of management of public forests 

 and the balance that should be maintained be- 

 tween timber and other alternative uses of public 

 lands. 



As a final illustration of the problems of owner- 

 sliip, tlie question is often posed as to the degree 

 of responsibility forest industries should assume 

 for improving the cutting practices of woods op- 

 erators cutting on the lands of fanners and mis- 

 cellaneous "other" private owners. 



These are a few of the questions pertaining to 

 ownership that must be appraised, tentatively 

 answered, and continuously studied in formulating 

 and executing programs for American forestry. 



