Finally, research has a general role in developing 

 the facts of analyses necessary for the formulation 

 and guidance of timber policies and programs — the 

 basic purpose of this Assessment. First, there is a 

 need to intensify the collection of basic data on the 

 timber resource so that it is current and statistically 

 reliable for relatively small resource planning areas 

 such as a county or river basin. Second is the need to 

 expand the collection of data to include information 



on the physical responses of forest land and timber 

 stands to various management practices and the 

 interactions on other resources such as water and 

 wildlife. Third, there is a need to further explore the 

 economic, social, and environmental implications of 

 the growing scarcity of timber. This is a basic need — 

 it is the societal basis for changing policies and pro- 

 grams. The results of this research are thus likely to 

 have major impacts on the future course of forestry in 

 the country. 



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