CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 325 



Interior Alaska's timber situation 325 



Forests cover more than one-third of Interior 



Alaska 325 



Forty million acres of commercial forest land__ 327 



The forests are chiefly white spruce and birch_ _ 327 

 Timber volume is substantial and net growth is 



good in spite of fire 329 



Thirty-two billion cubic feet await use 329 



Net growth could be much greater 329 



Mortality losses are high 329 



Protection is difficult in a frontier country 329 



Accent must be on fire protection 330 



Three-fourths of the fires are caused by man__ 330 



Education is needed 330 



The forest economy is in a pioneer stage 330 



Canada's timber situation 331 



Forests cover more than two-fifths of Canada 331 



Most forests are publicly owned 333 



Timber volume is chiefly softwood 334 



Information on timber growth and mortality is 



generally lacking 335 



Forest industries contribute substantially to 



Canadian economy 338 



Canada's timber exports are mainly to the United 



States 338 



Timber utilization could be increased 339 



Mexico's timber situation 340 



Forest area is relatively small 340 



Timber volume is small 340 



324 



Page 

 Mexico's timber situation — Continued 



Forest industries are developing 342 



Sawmills are locally important 342 



Pulp and paper mills partially meet national 



needs 342 



Plywood production is increasing 342 



Wood is widely used for fuel 342 



Nonwood forest products are also important. _ 343 



Timber cut is thought to exceed growth 343 



Foreign trade in forest products is chiefly with 



United States 343 



Forest-product exports likely to decline 344 



The world timber situation 344 



Only one-fourth of free world's forests under ex- 

 ploitation 344 



Softwood forests more heavily exploited than 



hardwood forests 345 



Canada, United States, and free Europe dominate 



world timber trade 346 



Free Europe likely to need its own output 346 



United States can continue to import but expan- 

 sion of exports limited bj' domestic needs 347 



Relation of North American forest resources to 



those of the Free World and world 348 



United States resources in relation to those of 



North America 348 



North American resources in relation to those 



of the Free World 348 



North American and Free World resources in 



relation to those of the world 350 





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