Figure 32. — Overgrazing damages soil and timber. The woodland to the left of the fence has been protected from grazing; the one to the right of 



it has been heavily grazed. {TV A photo.) 



Forest Planting 



Another important way of more fully utilizing the 

 capacity of Tennessee's forest lands is by tree planting. 

 There are 1.2 million acres of commercial forest in 

 Tennessee that are either nonstocked or so poorly 

 stocked with commercial tree species that they must 

 be classed as idle. With protection, some of this area 

 will restock naturally, but it is estimated that about 

 940 thousand acres with insufficient seed source 

 would require planting if it is to be restored to pro- 

 ductivity within a reasonable period. In addition, 

 there are extensive areas in the Highland Rim and 

 Cumberland Plateau stocked with low-valued hard- 

 woods; here interplanting with pine (and yellow- 

 poplar on some sites), if accompanied by hardwood 

 control, would improve the existing timber stand. 



Substantial progress on the planting job has been 

 made within the State — a quarter of a million acres 

 have been planted. In a number of counties, civic 



groups, banks, and industries have purchased mechan- 

 ical tree planters for loan to farmers and other small 

 landowners (fig. 34). The prospects of early income 

 from pine plantations appear assured by an expand- 

 ing pulpwood market resulting from the establish- 

 ment of new pulp mills in the State and bordering 

 areas. A market for treated pine fence post material 

 also is developing within the State. This is a promis- 

 ing outlet for pine timber too small for pulpwood. 

 All of these developments should help to stimulate 

 greater interest in planting. 



Better Utilization 



Wood-using industries have made many adjust- 

 ments over the years to accommodate their production 

 to the changing timber resource. Additional adjust- 

 ments can help extend the resource even further. A 

 striking example is the opportunity of utilizing for 

 pulpwood the tree tops usually left in the woods after 



34 



Forest Resource Report No. 9, U. S. Department of Agriculture 



