Million acres 
250° 
200 | 
150 
Pacific Coast 
100 
50 
Rky Mt./Great Plains 
0 
1952 1970 
Figure 14—Area of timberland by region, 1952-87, 
timber from intensively managed 
plantations forms the basis for 
expansion of harvests from current 
levels of some 5 billion cubic feet to 
over 6.5 billion cubic feet. 
Management on private lands other 
than industry-owned lands is assumed 
to continue as reflected in the latest 
inventory remeasurements. Harvests 
from these lands have generally 
increased over the past decade, leading 
to increased landowner interest in 
regeneration of harvested softwood 
stands. Management reflects the 
influence of current government and 
industry programs, market incentives, 
and increasing stumpage prices. 
Harvests from national forest lands are 
assumed to gradually change over time 
14 
oe 
1987 2000 
with projections to 2040. 
and equal the sum of preferred 
alternatives in forest plans by 2000. 
Beyond 2000, harvests are assumed to 
follow the forest plans. Harvest on 
other public lands is assumed to remain 
constant at recent levels. 
Timber Demand-Supply 
Comparisons 
The projected demand-supply situation 
implies rising prices for timber. In the 
U.S. economy, demand and supply for 
market commodities are equated 
through price adjustments and the 
workings of the market. When demand 
increases faster than supply, price 
brings the two together by reducing 
demand and inducing supply increases. 
This type of situation has existed for 
2020 2040 
lumber at least since the early 1800's 
(fig. 15). Although there have been 
long periods when the price of lumber 
did not increase relative to the general 
price level, the trend over the long term 
has continued upward. 
In general, it is expected that the price 
of softwood roundwood will follow the 
historic trend and continue to increase 
throughout the projection period, an 
indicator that demand pressures are 
rising faster than supply responses. For 
example, in the South, the real price for 
softwood sawtimber measured net of 
inflation or deflation is expected to go 
up an average rate of 1.03 percent a 
year during the coming decades. For 
western Oregon and western 
Washington, the price increase is 
projected to be 1.14 percent. 
