PROJECTED TIMBER SUPPLIES — 19 70 LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT 



61 



Table 46. — Roundwood harvests per acre in the South, by owner class and species group, 1952, 1962, and 



1970, with projections to 2020 



[Cubic feet] 



Owner class and species group 



1952 



1962 



1970 



Projections 





1980 



1990 



2000 



2020 



National Forests: 

 Softwoods. 



5.9 

 1. 6 



10.9 

 2.0 



9. 6 

 2. 2 



19. 5 



7. 1 



28.9 

 11. 4 



38. 9 

 15.8 



39. 5 



Hardwoods. 



16. 6 







Total-- .- --- - 



7.5 



12. 9 



11.8 



26. 6 



40. 3 



54. 7 



56. 1 







Other public : 

 Softwoods.. . _ _ 



14. 4 



7.2 



11.3 

 4.9 



13.3 



6.5 



19.8 

 12.5 



26. 1 

 15.8 



32. 1 

 18.9 



32. 4 



Hardwoods . . . .... 



19. 8 







Total . ..._._... 



21. 6 



16. 2 



19. 8 



32.3 



41. 9 



51. 



52. 2 







Forest industry : 

 Softwoods. 



25.9 

 10. 4 



17.5 

 13.3 



27.7 

 9. 3 



33.2 

 10. 7 



37.9 

 12. 



42. 4 

 13. 2 



43. 



Hardwoods 



13. 8 







Total ... 



36.3 



30.8 



37. 



43. 9 



49. 9 



55. 6 



56. 8 







Farm and miscellaneous private: 

 Softwoods _ _ 



14.4 

 10. 7 



12. 7 



7.4 



18. 4 

 9. 1 



22. 4 

 15.3 



24. 7 

 17.2 



26. 7 

 19.0 



27. 



Hardwoods . 



19. 9 







Total 



25. 1 



20. 1 



27.5 



37.7 



41. 9 



45. 7 



46.9 



All owners: 



Softwoods. ... 



15.9 



10. 1 



13.4 



8. 



19.4 



8.7 



24. 2 

 13. 9 



27.5 

 15.9 



30.6 

 17.7 



31. 2 



Hardwoods . .___. 



18. 4 







Total 



26. 



21.4 



28. 1 



38. 1 



43.4 



48. 3 



49. 6 



The relatively low percentage growth rates 

 estimated for National Forest lands mainly 

 reflect heavier volumes per acre. Another factor 

 is the inclusion in natural forests of many moun- 

 tain areas of relatively low site and high propor- 

 tions of hardwoods which have significantly lower 

 growth rates than softwoods. 



Trends in Timber Inventories 



As a result of the sizable increases in timber 

 growth relative to removals, timber inventory 

 volumes increased from an average of 680 cubic 

 feet per acre in 1952 to 829 cubic feet in 1970 (table 

 49). A further buildup of inventory volumes aver- 

 aging about 23 percent by 2000 is estimated under 

 the assumptions of these base projections. 



PROJECTIONS OF TIMBER SUPPLIES IN THE 

 NORTH 



The North is of major importance as a source of 

 hardwood timber, accounting for 44 percent of 

 the total U.S. output of hardwood roundwood 

 products in 1970. Softwood products from this 

 section made up only 6 percent of the Nation's 

 total softwood harvest. 



Trends in Forest Area 



For a number of decades the area of com- 

 mercial timber] and in the North has been increas- 

 ing as a result of widespread abandonment of crop 

 and pasture lands and reversion to forests. A 

 reversal of this long upward trend is anticipated, 

 however, with a continuing decline in forest area 

 throughout the projection period (table 50). The 

 assumed area reductions are judged to be within 

 the range of reasonable possibilities and are used 

 as benchmarks in evaluating future timber 

 supplies. 



Most projected area changes have been as- 

 sumed to occur in the category of farm and miscel- 

 laneous private ownerships. It is expected that 

 urbanization, for example, especially along the 

 Mid-Atlantic corridor, will continue to engulf 

 extensive forested areas. Many areas adjoining 

 lakes throughout the North and areas in the 

 Appalachians are likewise expected to contribute 

 very little to the timber supply. 



Timber Removals and Net Growth 



During the 1952-70 period both softwood and 

 hardwood timber removals from growing stock 



