Table 6.20 — Net annual growth and removals ofsawtimber in the United States, by species 



group and section, 1976 



(Billion board feet, International 1/4-inch log rule) 



Item 



All species 



Softwoods 



Hardwoods 



1952 



1962 



1970 



1976 



1952 



1962 



1970 



1976 



1952 



1962 



1970 



1976 



North: 



























Net growth 



8,126 



10,068 



11.567 



12.637 



2,261 



2,832 



3,401 



3.955 



5,865 



7,236 



8,166 



8,682 



Removals 



5.462 



5,663 



7,812 



1,762 



1,390 



1,976 



2,184 



3,700 



4,273 



4,273 



5,836 



5,511 



Ratio of growth 



























to removals 



1.5 



1.8 



1.5 



1.6 



1.3 



2.0 



1.7 



1.8 



1.6 



1.7 



1.4 



1.6 



South; 



























Net growth 



22,295 



27,421 



33.119 



38,550 



13,699 



18.050 



21,212 



24,266 



8,596 



9,371 



11,907 



14,284 



Removals 



20.996 



19.059 



23.823 



27.623 



11,931 



10,937 



14,934 



18.975 



9.065 



8,122 



8,889 



8,288 



Ratio of growth 



























to removals 



1.1 



1.4 



1.4 



1.4 



1.1 



1.7 



1.4 



1.3 



.9 



1.2 



1.3 



1.7 



Rocky Mountains and 



























Great Plains: 



























Net growth 



4.396 



4,789 



5,390 



6,756 



4,181 



4,560 



5,119 



6,361 



215 



229 



271 



395 



Removals 



3.312 



4,389 



5.076 



4,935 



3,186 



4,290 



4.985 



4,831 



126 



99 



91 



104 



Ratio of growth 



























to removals 



1.3 



1.1 



1.1 



1.4 



1.3 



1.1 



1.0 



1.3 



1.7 



2.3 



3.0 



3.8 



Pacific Coast: 



























Net growth 



11,069 



12,892 



16,165 



16,678 



10,029 



11,534 



14,540 



15,110 



1.040 



1,358 



1,625 



1,568 



Removals 



22,466 



22,356 



25,636 



25,284 



22,299 



22,089 



25.245 



24,858 



167 



267 



391 



426 



Ratio of growth 



























to removals 



.5 



.6 



.6 



.7 



.4 



.5 



.6 



.6 



6.2 



5.1 



4.2 



3.7 



Total, United States: 



























Net growth 



45.886 



55,170 



66.241 



74,621 



30,170 



36,976 



44.272 



49,692 



15.716 



18,194 



21,969 



24.929 



Removals 



52,236 



51,467 



62,347 



65,177 



39,178 



38,706 



47,140 



50,848 



13,058 



12,761 



15,207 



14,329 



Ratio of growth 



























to removals 



.9 



1.1 



1.1 



1.1 



.8 



1.0 



.9 



1.0 



1.2 



1.4 



1.4 



1.7 



Note: Data tor 1952 and 1962 differ from data publisfied in earlier reports 

 because of adjustments based on newer information from remeasured Forest 



Survey plots. Data for all years are "trend level" estimates. 

 Source: See source note table 6 13. 



17.7 cubic feet. This represents an increase of nearly 

 two-thirds since 1952. The averages on the other pub- 

 lic and forest industry ownerships rose by 16.8 and 

 16.0 cubic feet — 68 percent and 38 percent, 

 respectively, 



Net annual per acre growth on National Forests 

 increased by 13.2 cubic feet in the 1952-76 period, a 

 rise of 60 percent. At present, some 35 cubic feet are 

 being produced annually on the average National 

 Forest acre. This is below the other ownerships 

 because of the inclusion of the old-growth stands in 

 the West where mortality is high and net annual 

 growth per acre is low. In the East, where stand and 

 site characteristics are similar, net annual growth per 

 acre on the National Forests is close to or above that 

 of the other major ownerships. 



The rising trends in net annual timber growth illus- 

 trate a striking success story in American forestry. In 



the late 1800's and extending through the early 

 decades of the 1900's, when the Nation's timber 

 resources were being rapidly depleted, concern about 

 future supplies led to the development of a broad 

 array of policies and programs such as fire pro- 

 tection, tree planting, research, and public owner- 

 ship. The large increases in net annual growth since 

 1952 are presumably a result of these policies and 

 programs. 



In spite of recent substantial increases, net growth 

 per acre on all ownerships is only about three-fifths of 

 what can be attained in fully stocked natural stands 

 (table 6.21, fig. 6.3). Growth is far below what could 

 be achieved with the use of genetically improved 

 trees, fertilization, spacing control, and other inten- 

 sive management measures. 



The relatively limited net growth of growing stock 

 and sawtimber in relation to the potential in 1976 



234 



