Ownership of Rangeland 



Forest Service 



Other Federal 



control and the use of genetically improved stock and 

 fertilizers. The potential for increasing timber growth 

 exists in all regions and on all ownerships. The largest 

 potential, however, is on the farmer and miscel- 

 laneous private ownerships which collectively contain 

 58 percent of the Nation's commercial timberlands. 

 Most of these lands are advantageously located with 

 respect to markets and are largely composed of the 

 more fertile sites used for timber production. 



In addition to increasing timber growth, there is a 

 large potential for extending timber supplies through 

 improvements in utilization. Logging and primary 

 manufacturing plant residues in 1976 totaled about 2 

 billion cubic feet. About 67 billion cubic feet of wood 

 was represented in rough and rotten and salvable 

 trees, and dead trees. Large additional volumes were 

 in tops, limbs, and stumps and urban wood wastes. 

 Although part of the available residue is in remote 

 locations or occurs in such small volumes as to be 

 unusable, much of the material is potentially suitable 

 for pulp or fuel. 



Increased efficiency in processing, manufacturing, 

 and construction can also significantly extend the 

 available wood supplies. 



There is no quantitative way of comparing present 

 production of outdoor recreation with the potential. 

 However, the 1.7 billion acres of forest and range 

 lands and the associated waters have the physical 

 capacity to supply sites for picnicking, camping, hik- 

 ing, skiing, birdwatching, canoeing, swimming, and 

 most other types of outdoor recreation far in excess 

 of foreseeable increases in demand. 



Forest and range lands and waters also have the 

 potential to support a greater diversity of wildlife 

 species and increased numbers of most wildlife and 

 fish species. Included are species of high recreational 

 and commercial importance and some that are classi- 

 fied as endangered or threatened by the Federal and 

 State governments. Commercial stocks of fish and 

 wildlife can support more jobs and provide protein 

 for human consumption through improvements in 

 habitats, appropriate harvest regulations, and other 

 activities. 



Research has shown that water yields from forest 

 and range lands can be augmented by intensive man- 

 agement. Watershed management can significantly 

 improve water quality and reduce soil erosion includ- 

 ing the associated sedimentation of streams. 



xn 



