62 



SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION. 



it practically valueless for the production of a second 

 crop. In man}' localities serious harm has already been 

 done, which onl}' time and care can remove. A continu- 

 ance of such methods will within the near future destroy 

 this great natural resource of the Southern Appalachians — 

 the lumbering of its valuable hard woods to suppl}' a steady 

 and growing demand. 



APPLICATION OF CONSERVATIVE FOREST METHODS 

 TO THIS REGION BY THE GOVERNMENT PRACTICA- 

 BLE AND PROFITABLE. 



The application of practical forestry to the proposed 

 reserve would not only preserve the productive capacity 

 of the forest within its boundaries, but it would also pro- 

 vide a proof of the results of conservative forest manage- 

 ment which would be of value in inducing private owners 

 of forest land in this region to adopt the same measures. 

 There is no surer or quicker way of convincing the lum- 

 berman of the Southern Appalachians that conservative 

 lumbering pays better than ordinary lumbering than by 

 an experiment on the ground, based upon a thoi'ough 

 study and effectivel}' carried out. 

 mfn^fgement The question of direct returns from the proposed 

 profit! ^^^^ ^ reserve is, from the point of view of the Federal Govern- 

 ment, a secondary one. Its highest benefit will lie in 

 those indirect returns which are of so vital an importance 

 to the best development of this region and its resources. 

 However, that the forests of the Southern Appalachians 

 can under systematic and conservative measures be made 

 to yield a profit from their management is certain. 

 Although local stumpage values are not sufficient!}' good 

 to warrant the application of an elaborate system of forest 

 management, they are high enough to make conservative 

 lumbering a sound business measure. The pecuniary 

 advantage of practical forestry depends naturally upon 

 whether it offers better returns than those to be had from 

 ordinary lumbering. Since it reduces present profits 

 slightly in order to insure a second crop of timber upon 

 the lumbered area, its superiority from a business point 

 of view rests upon the safety and value of the second crop. 

 Serious danger from fires, a poor market, excessive diffi- 

 culties to overcome in logging, or any other adverse con- 

 dition which seriously impairs stumpage values, may 

 render the probable future returns from a forest insuffi- 

 cient to justify conservative measures in lumbering it. 



