EED ALDER OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 
37 
Table 15. — Growth data for 16 even-aged stands of red alder in western Wash- 
ington and western Oregon 1 
For all alder trees in stand 
Alder 8 inch and over 
Average 
age (years) 
Total 
trees 
Base 
area 
Diam- 
eter 
average 
tree 2 
Height 
average 
tree 
Vol- 
ume 3 
Aver- 
age 
annual 
growth 
Total 
trees 
Diam- 
eter 
average 
tree 3 
Vol- 
ume 3 
Aver- 
age 
annual 
growth 
Other 
species, 
trees 
30 
No. 
472 
147 
134 
293 
127 
96 
155 
211 
102 
160 
184 
130 
111 
128 
127 
118 
Sq.ft. 
140.0 
149.9 
124.3 
104.8 
129.5 
82.3 
98.4 
142.5 
115.3 
120.7 
122.3 
162.8 
131.5 
111.5 
128.1 
126.1 
In. 
7.4 
13.7 
13.0 
8.1 
13.7 
12.5 
10.8 
11. 1 
14 4 
11.8 
11.0 
15.2 
14.7 
12.6 
13.6 
14.0 
Ft. 
75 
92 
91 
72 
92 
83 
80 
80 
93 
88 
86 
95 
103 
99 
93 
94 
Cu.ft. 
6,304 
5,355 
4,348 
2,888 
4,373 
2,711 
2,954 
4,202 
4,234 
4,452 
4,236 
6,191 
5,746 
4,986 
4,563 
4,778 
Cu. ft. 
210.1 
162.3 
124.2 
76.0 
112.1 
67.8 
73.8 
105.0 
94. 1 
98.9 
94. 1 
123.8 
104.5 
90.7 
57.0 
59.7 
No. 
176 
130 
110 
139 
115 
86 
133 
163 
94 
135 
154 
128 
101 
114 
127 
116 
In. 
9.1 
14.9 
14.2 
10.0 
14.2 
13.1 
11.6 
12.2 
14.9 
12.6 
11.8 
15.2 
15.3 
13.2 
13.6 
14.1 
Bd.ft. 
10.440 
26. 909 
20,128 
8,656 
23, 186 
12, 343 
14, 462 
28, 292 
23, 582 
21,764 
18, 810 
32, 414 
32, 195 
24, 160 
25, 238 
24, 036 
Bd. ft. 
348 
815 
575 
228 
595 
309 
362 
707 
524 
484 
418 
648 
585 
439 
315 
300 
No. 
12 
33 

35 . 

38 
37 
39 

40- 
39 
40 
24 
40 
41 
45 . ... 
134 
45 
62 
45 
40 
50 
6 
55 
42 
166 
80 
63 
80- 
54 
1 Field study conducted by Forest Examiners Griffin and Wilcox. Total area of sample plots. 13H 
acres. All data presented on a per acre basis. 
2 Diameter at breast height. 
3 The volume in cubic feet includes the contents of the whole stems of all the alder trees to a 2-inch top 
diameter; that in board feet includes the merchantable contents of trees 8 inches and over in diameter at 
breast height, taken to a top diameter of 6 inches inside the bark. To obtain volume in cords divide cubic 
contents by 90. 
PERPETUATION OF THE SUPPLY 
An adequate local supply of suitable hardwoods is unquestion- 
ably essential to the fullest industrial development of the Pacific 
Xorthwest. Several of the wood-using industries of this region owe 
their existence largely, if not entirely, to the presence of such raw 
material. The fairly rapid development of these industries in 
Oregon and Washington has been referred to in this bulletin. Their 
existence or further growth appears to depend in a large measure 
on the perpetuation of the supply of red alder, as the leading hard- 
wood of the region. 
Broadly speaking, two general lines of action will perpetuate the 
supply of red alder: (1) Some form of forest management, includ- 
ing protection, principally from fire; and (2) the utilization of 
the wood in such manner that waste will be reduced to the minimum. 
The increasing use of red alder by the expanding wood-using in- 
dustries within its commercial range and the advance in stumpage 
values suggest that this wood will prove a profitable crop to grow. 
Whether this is so in any given case will depend largely on the 
character and value of the land. Manifestly, mature stands of 
alder or stands approaching maturity should not be needlessly 
destroyed but rather protected until they can be disposed of profit- 
ably. 
MANAGEMENT 
The problem of management of red alder resolves itself princi- 
pally into the question of protecting the stands already started (both 
mature and immature) and of providing favorable conditions for 
