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<br />U')' f..'.:~ --
<br />fare. Water ror....vifaf agricultural, domestic, indus~
<br />trial and municipal uses, wood for lumber, paper
<br />and kindred products, forage for livestock, habitat
<br />for wildlife, mine~als for basic industries .and space
<br />for outdoor recreation are in growing demand.. This
<br />trend provides many opportunities. It also poses in-
<br />creasingly complex problems in correlating these
<br />products and uses with each other.
<br />
<br />The ma~imum benefits to - the economy and to
<br />society can be realized if forest and related lands
<br />are administereq under a multiple use concept of
<br />mqnagement. This concept requires that all com-
<br />patible uses for wbich the land is suited be combined
<br />in a manner that meets the economic and social ob-
<br />jectives of the owner.
<br />
<br />Most types of use can be accommodated on for-
<br />est lands and waters because of their complementary
<br />or compatible nature. Some uses, however, are
<br />strongly competitive. In such instances, land man-
<br />agers should - consider long-range projections of con-
<br />sumer needs_ when they prepare plans for optimum
<br />combinations of land use._ The priorities and plans
<br />they establish' should be reviewed periodicalIy as
<br />changing conditions and public needs require.
<br />
<br />The _assignment of some areas to special or .exw
<br />clusive use, such as military reservations, national
<br />parks, water reservoirs, or wildlife refuges, is justi-
<br />fiable within the framework of multiple use man-
<br />agement. We urge that dedication of lands to a
<br />single purpose be approved only after careful study
<br />has determined that the social and economic bene-
<br />fits derived therefrom exceed those possible in mul-
<br />tiple use status. .
<br />
<br />A. Timber Production
<br />
<br />Optimum use of forest land for sustained produc-
<br />tion of timber involves (a) determination' of the
<br />products that are, or may become, available from
<br />existing stands (inventory), (b) periodic harvest of
<br />the timber crop, (c) regeneration folIowing harvest,
<br />and (d) control of conditions that affect the compo-
<br />sition and growth of forests (silviculture).
<br />
<br />(A) Inventory
<br />
<br />The contruction of adequate volume and yield
<br />tables, particularly for planted stands has lagged be-'
<br />hind other fields of research.
<br />
<br />We recommend:
<br />
<br />1. That volume and yield tables be prepared, _or
<br />brought up to date, for all species and sites in accor-
<br />dance with modern .standards of utilization.
<br />
<br />2. That more efficient inventory techniques be
<br />developed.
<br />
<br />(B) Harvest
<br />
<br />Much commercial forest land, particularly that in
<br />public ownership.in the West, has never yielded a
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<br />'&IIfI1
<br />crop of timber. The harvest cut is the goal and the
<br />key to good forest management.
<br />
<br /><.>:i3
<br />
<br />We recommend:
<br />1. That every effort be made to achieve periodic
<br />harvest of the alIowable cut of timber from com-
<br />mercial forest lands.
<br />(e). Regeneration
<br />Many millions of actes of non-stocked forest land
<br />need to be reforested. i In addition, substantial acre-
<br />ages of sub-marginal. cropl'!lld and pasture land
<br />would be more productive if converted to forests.
<br />Furlhermore, many P<Utially stocked seedling and
<br />sapling stands should be brought up .to full produc-
<br />tivity. About two-thirds of the total planting job to
<br />be accomplished is on smaII forest holdings.
<br />We recommend: .
<br />1. Prompt restocking, where economically feasi-
<br />ble, of forest land suited to commercial use.
<br />2. That optimum conllitions for natural regenera-
<br />tion be provided for in timber harvest.. programs
<br />.(seed trees, scarification of the. soil, prescribed use
<br />of fire, control of rodents, etc.).
<br />3. That artificial regeneration, whether by seed-
<br />ing or planting, be done on a prescription basis tail-
<br />ored to the soil, site, and c1imat~ to insure a high
<br />degree of success in establishment of a new crop.
<br />4. That research in regeneration, including study
<br />of forest genetics and the use of ferti1izer; be accel-
<br />erated and broadened.
<br />5. That wildlife, water, and recreation require-
<br />ments, as well. as timber production, be considered
<br />in the preparation of .reforestation plang. .
<br />(D) Silviculture
<br />About one fourth of the commercial forest land in
<br />the United States needs to be improved by cultural
<br />treatments such as weeding or thinning.
<br />We recommend:
<br />1. Aggressive application, where economically
<br />feasible, of thinnings, improvement cuttings, and -
<br />other cultural practices to forestalI mortality losses,
<br />obtain more. complete utilization, and improve
<br />quality.
<br />2. That research in all aspects of timber culture
<br />be expanded. .
<br />B. The Conservation of Water
<br />Our advancing civilization is plaeing progressively
<br />greater burdens upon. the supply of water available
<br />for use. The basic problem is not one of total sup-
<br />ply, which 'cannot be increased, but one of con-
<br />trolling and utilizing that supply more effectively.
<br />This objective can be attained by better management
<br />of watersheds, improvement of water quality, reduc-
<br />tion of evaporation and transpiration, weather modiw
<br />fication practices to increase precipitation in certain
<br />selected areas, and coordination of water project de-
<br />velopment with other uses of wild land.
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