problem was serious and 
that action must be taken to 
regenerate pine stands to 
ensure a future timber supply. 
Virginia’s Regeneration 
Program 
Even before the survey data 
were available, the Virginia 
Division of Forestry was 
aware of the lack of pine 
regeneration and had begun 
to discuss with industry 
leaders and other forestry 
interests ways to solve the 
problem over the long term. 
The idea that seemed most 
feasible was some form of 
financial incentive and 
assistance to the landowner, 
with costs to be supported 
by a severance tax on 
harvested timber (Rodger 
19793). 
Forest industry supported 
the idea, and the State’s 
leaders were willing to provide 
political support as well as 
the financial support through 
the severance tax. Key 
members of the general 
assembly were provided 
special briefings on the 
proposal at an early stage. 
The governor agreed to 
support the proposal if at 
least 50 percent of the cost 
72 
could be covered by the 
new tax. He asked the State 
to match the fund. With this 
general support of the 
proposal, the Virginia Forestry 
Association cooperated in 
holding a series of public 
“meetings to obtain comments 
and to get the reactions of 
key people (Custard pers. 
communication). 
The rationale for the 
proposed program was 
threefold. First, the evidence 
showed a great need for 
increased investments in 
reforestation. Second, 
industry recognized it could 
tax itself, and through the 
incentive get landowners to 
invest in reforestation and 
stand improvement practices 
that would result in a more 
Stable timber supply for the 
future. Third, this would be a 
three-way effort with funding 
by the landowner, the 
severance tax receipts, and 
the State’s general fund. 
When presented to Virginia’s 
general assembly in 1971, 
the Reforestation of 
Timberlands Act passed the 
Senate unanimously and the 
House of Delegates with 
only a single dissenting vote. 
Every 2 years, the general 
assembly appropriates funds 
based on the estimated 
