The Conservation Reserve 
Program in the 1985 act is 
specific in its objective to 
reduce erosion; therefore, 
lands placed in the 
Conservation Reserve will be 
different from those in the 
Soil Bank. Trees are included 
in the 1985 bill as a 
recommended cover for 
Conservation 
Reserve-diverted lands. 
The Soil Bank Program 
peaked in 1959—60 (tables 
2 and 3) and was phased 
out in 1964. Subsequently, 
State nursery production 
dropped until various State 
and Federal incentives 
programs began. Since then, 
nursery production 
increased, and it has barely 
been able to keep up with 
demand in several States. A 
number of forest industry 
companies have also built 
their own nurseries. Some, 
such as Weyerhaeuser 
Company, are supplying 
seedlings to cooperators 
who formerly purchased 
from the States. Prior to 
building their own nurseries, 
many companies contracted 
with the States to produce 
seedlings for them. In fiscal 
year 1984, the Nation’s top 
eight State forestry 
58 
organizations in nursery 
production were all in the 
South. They produced from 
49 million to 107 million 
seedlings shipped (USDA 
Forest Service 1985). 
‘The Agricultural Conservation 
Program, authorized under 
the Soil Conservation and 
Domestic Allotment Act in 
1936, was a broad effort to 
aid in the control of soil 
erosion and the rehabilitation 
of mistreated agricultural 
lands. Tree planting was 
only one of many activities 
the act encouraged in the 
conservation area. Though 
the total acreage planted to 
forest trees was not large, 
the acres treated were some 
of the most critically in need 
of protection. During the 
period 1979—83, an average 
of 29,000 acres were planted 
annually under the program 
in the South. 
Congress’s recognizing the 
imperative to step up 
reforestation in the South in 
the late 1960’s and early 
1970’s led to enactment of 
the Forestry Incentives 
3 Data provided by USDA Forest 
Service. 
