Technological and Institutional Change 



Past changes in demands and supplies have reflected the interactions and direct 

 influences of institutional changes. We assume that the stream of institutional and 

 technological changes will continue and that the effects of these changes on de- 

 mands and supplies of renewable resources will be similar to those that have taken 

 place and are included in the historical data base used in making the projections. For 

 some products or processes, however, we identified possible future technological 

 changes and projected specific allowances for them. This is especially the case for 

 recycling paper and paperboard. 



Institutional changes that lead to the reservation of forests and rangelands for desig- 

 nated uses such as wilderness, parks, and wildlife refuges have occurred for a long 

 time. This development was specifically taken into account in the projections of forest 

 and rangeland areas. Assumptions on important technological changes affecting 

 product yields and other uses of the renewable resources are specified in the indi- 

 vidual resource documents as appropriate. 



Issue Highlight- 

 State and Local 

 Regulation of Private 

 Lands 



A growing number of State and local governments have enacted regulatory legislation 

 which — intentionally or incidentally— acts to restrict management of private forest 

 land. These legislative initiatives include State forest practice and water quality acts, 

 county regulations to control stream sedimentation or protect roads from damage by 

 logging trucks, municipal ordinances to protect shade trees or prescribe silvicultural 

 options, and many others. Little is known about the specific nature and extent of State 

 and local enactments or their associated costs. Further, even though the measures 

 clearly have the potential to influence both immediate and long-term availability, their 

 impact on timber supply has not been systematically evaluated. 



We initiated a study with the following objectives: 1) to identify and describe the State 

 and local regulatory policies that apply to private timberland, and 2) to estimate how 

 such regulation is likely to influence both immediate and long-term timber supplies 

 from private forests (Greene and Siegel, 1994). 



Some 117 State and 522 local enactments were enumerated around the country. 

 Particular local measures varied considerably in their stringency and their potential 

 effect on timber supplies. The stated objectives of most, however, fit into one of five 

 categories: 1) to regulate timber harvesting or management, 2) to protect public roads 

 and bridges from damage, 3) to preserve trees or wooded areas in urban areas, 4) to 

 protect the general environment, or 5) to protect an environmentally sensitive area or 

 habitat. 



A delphi-method survey was conducted to estimate the short- and long-term effects of 

 State and local regulation on private timber supply. Eighty-two selected members of 



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