of the efforts of the State 
forestry organizations over 
the last 50 to 60 years. First 
came fire protection to allow 
the establishment of 
regeneration on cutover 
lands and on abandoned 
agricultural lands. Then came 
assistance with reforestation 
by producing and distributing 
seedlings, educating the 
public to understand the 
importance of forests, 
protecting the forests from 
insects and disease, and 
providing technical 
assistance to landowners, 
loggers, and producers of 
forest products. 7 
State forestry organizations 
have played a very important 
role in the economic revival 
of the South and will continue 
to lead the way through 
programs that encourage 
and assist nonindustrial 
private landowners to 
manage their forest land for 
their own purposes. Those 
same private purposes will 
provide public benefits to 
the region now and into the 
future. 
The State Foresters are 
leaders in the South. As the 
value of the region’s forests 
increases, and as the 
demand on the timber 
increases, protection and 
management must also be 
increased. 
