extraction, processing, and transporta tion.'*^ More 

 than eight times this amount of energy would be 

 required to produce the concrete and steel necessary 

 to replace a like quantity of timber prod ucts in home 

 construction. 



Similar significant impacts may occur in relation to 

 environmental quality as a result of substitution of 

 competing materials for timber products. The pro- 

 duction of these substitute materials results in sub- 

 stantially higher emissions of air and water pollu- 

 tants. Implementation of air and water quality 

 legislation will do much to lessen this pollution, but 

 expenditures for controlling it represent substantial 

 costs to society through higher prices, reduced out- 

 put, or diversion of investment capital. 'O-S' In addi- 

 tion, the greater energy demands of the steel, alumi- 

 num, concrete, and plastics industries means that any 

 impairment of environmental quality is accentuated 

 by potential pollution associated with increased 

 power generation. 



The impacts of substitution are not restricted to 

 domestically produced materials. Imports of timber 

 products, especially softwood lumber from Canada, 

 can be expected to rise during the early decades of the 

 projection period along with imports of substitute 

 materials such as steel. Increased domestic produc- 

 tion of energy-demanding substitutes will lead to 

 greater importation of petroleum products. These 

 changes, together with the possibility that exports of 

 many products could be dampened by rising timber 

 prices, means that the United States balances of trade 

 could be significantly affected. 



In summary, it seems that rising relative prices of 

 stumpage and timber products will have far-reaching 

 consequences of a diverse and complex nature. Con- 

 sumer expenditures will increase, timber industry 

 employment and output will decrease, environmental 

 quality will be adversely affected, greater demands 

 for energy will occur, and there may be a significant 

 effect on the balance of payments. The President's 

 Advisory Panel on Timber and the Environment con- 

 cluded that "the long-term needs of the people and 

 the Nation will be better served by increased produc- 

 tion and improved use of timber rather than by 

 increased reliance on nonrenewable minerals. "^^ The 



^' Boyd, C. W., p. Koch, H. B. Mckeen, C. R. Morschauser, S. B. 

 Preston, and F. F. Wangaard. Wood for structural and architec- 

 tural purposes. Report of CORRIM Panel II. Wood and Fiber. 

 8(1)1-72. 1976. 



5° Carpenter, Richard A. op. cit. 



51 LeSourd. D. A., M. E. Fogel, A. R. Schleicher, and T. E. 

 Bingham. Comprehensive study of specific air pollution sources to 

 assess the economic effects of air quality standards. Research Tri- 

 angle Institute. Research Triangle Park. North Carolina. 76 p. 

 1970. 



52 President's Advisory Panel on Timber and the Environment. 

 Arlington, Va. 541 p. April 30, 1973. 



low cost of wood is a major factor in its ability to 

 compete with alternative materials. Restraining fu- 

 ture rises in timber prices through increases in supply 

 presents an opportunity to satisfy future demands for 

 industrial materials at minimal cost to the individual 

 citizen and to society. 



Biological and Research Opportunities 

 for Increasing Timber Supplies 

 and Reducing Losses 



Future supplies of timber can be increased by a 

 variety of measures such as accelerated regeneration; 

 increased use of genetically improved planting stock; 

 changing the species composition and the site condi- 

 tions of some lands; improving the scheduling of 

 harvest cuts and intermediate removals; reducing 

 losses from natural mortality, fire, insects and dis- 

 eases; and harmonizing the production of timber with 

 other benefits. 



Increasing Timber Supplies 



Regeneration. — Much has been done to improve 

 regeneration following logging. Site preparation and 

 planting or seeding of stands and modification of 

 harvesting practices to obtain natural regeneration 

 are examples. For various reasons, the efforts have 

 been inadequate, especially for softwood species. For 

 example, hardwoods are replacing pine types in the 

 South and brush on a number of softwood types in 

 the West. Large increases in softwood timber supplies 

 could result from regenerating these softwood stands 

 after harvest. Shortening the regeneration period 

 could also increase future supplies. The application of 

 mycorrhizal fungi could reduce the time seedlings 

 remain in nursery beds and improve seedling survival 

 after outplanting. 



In addition, softwood timber supplies can be 

 increased by regenerating to conifers the nonstocked 

 lands along the Pacific Coast. In northwestern Cali- 

 fornia, western Oregon, western Washington, and 

 coastal Alaska, more than 75 percent of the non- 

 stocked lands are on highly productive sites. In con- 

 trast, most of the nonstocked commercial timber- 

 lands in other parts of the country offer relatively 

 Httle opportunity to increase timber supplies, because 

 the nonstocked site areas are concentrated on with 

 low productivity. 



In general, adequate hardwood regeneration natu- 

 rally occurs after harvesting. However, harvesting 

 practices that insure adequate openings and preserve 

 soil fertility will greatly increase the growth and qual- 

 ity of the regenerated stands. Adequate hardwood 



256 



