Inventory and Economics Research 
Another early project conducted by the southern experi- 
ment stations was the forest survey, which provided informa- 
tion on timber inventories, growth, mortality, and timber 
cut. Initial surveys of timber resources in the early 1930's 
revealed that in spite of widespread timber depletion, recur- 
rent wildfires and widespread grazing of cutover lands, 
enough young-growth forests had regenerated to support a 
sizable pulp and paper industry. Subsequent reinventories at 
roughly 8- to 10-year intervals have provided a continuing 
data base for guiding investments by the pulp, lumber, 
veneer, and other southern forest industries—as well as for 
analyses of the timber situation and outlook such as pre- 
sented in this study of the southern timber situation. 
Federal funding available for renewable resources evalua- 
tion in the 1977-86 period averaged about $3.5 million per 
year (1982 dollars), or 14 percent of the total research 
funds available to the Forest Service’s southern experiment 
stations in this period (app. tables 2.16 and 2.17). Many 
contributions in the form of funds and manpower also were 
received from State agencies and the forest industries to ac- 
celerate and intensify the timber inventory process and tim- 
ber evaluations. 
Investigations in forest economics were also undertaken to 
analyze the costs and returns of growing timber over time, 
problems of forest ownership, logging and plant operations, 
and tax policies of different levels of government. Research- 
ers at the southern stations also studied the influence of for- 
ests on soil erosion, runoff, and watershed improvement, 
very important concerns in many parts of the South. 
Insect and Disease Research 
Research has likewise been significant in the control of 
southern forest diseases and insects. Early work by H.H. 
Chapman of Yale University during the 1920’s and subse- 
quent studies by other southern researchers demonstrated that 
brownspot needle disease in longleaf pine stands can be 
controlled through prescribed burning during seedling stages 
of tree development. Studies of fusiform rust indicated that 
the best way of dealing with this disease is by careful ge- 
netic selection of seed from resistant trees. Studies of 
annosus root rot discovered effective means of controlling 
the spread of that fungus. Practical methods were devel- 
oped for minimizing losses of nursery stock to root diseases. 
Guides were developed for protecting wood products from 
termites, powderpost beetles, and other wood-destroying in- 
sects and fungi. Development of improved techniques to 
Nn 
ms 
In the early 1930’s, the Forest Survey— 
research conducted by the USDA Forest 
Service to develop accurate information on 
timber inventories, growth, mortality, and 
cut— showed that there were large volumes 
of timber in the second forest that had 
regenerated on the cutover and idle cropland 
and pasture in the South. This information 
was critical in the investment decisions that 
led to the rapid expansion of the southern 
pulp and paper industry. 
protect wood products against rot through use of preserva- 
tives has greatly improved wood performance and benefits 
to consumers, as well as reducing demands on timber re- 
sources by extending the useful life of wood products such 
as railroad ties, poles, and piling. 
Tree genetics research by the Tennessee Valley Authority 
and the Forest Service got underway in the late 1930's. Af- 
ter World War IJ, industry and university scientists contin- 
ued to experiment to find disease- and pest-resistant strains 
of fast-growing species. The creation of the Southern Insti- 
tute of Forest Genetics in 1954 at Gulfport, MS, estab- 
lished tree genetics as a continuing research program in the 
South. 
Funding for research on forest insects and diseases aver- 
aged about $5 million per year (1982 dollars) at the south- 
ern experiment stations in 1977-86, or 20 percent of total 
research expenditures. 
Fire-Related Research 
Research in protecting forests against fire, conducted since 
World War II mainly at the Southeastern Forest Experiment 
