DIFFICULTIES OF COMMERCIAL FORESTRY
If there is such an outstanding need to grow forests in the
United States the question may well be asked, “Why have not the
lumbermen and other forest owners who see this situation clearly,
who have millions of dollars at stake, and who wish to perpetuate
‘heir industry, taken the necessary steps to grow adequate forests?”
The answer is that they have begun to take the necessary steps.
in the present annual report of the Chief Forester, the evidence of
aroused interest is stated as follows:
“Evidence that the possibility of growing successive crops of timber on
private land as a business has aroused the interest and is receiving the atten-
tion of the forest industries throughout the country is abundant and convinc-
ing. One has only to read the trade journals, to attend the conventions of
wmbermen, pulp manufacturers, and naval stores producers, or to examine the
correspondence of state and federal forestry agencies to see the change in the
attitude of large landowners toward forestry. There is no doubt that forestry
as a public movement is being converted into forestry as an industrial practice.
This interest in the management of land for continued production of timber
is not confined to one region of the United States, nor to any one group of
rorest industries. It is being brought about by an appreciation of the economic
changes that follow the depletion of virgin timber and the steady westward
movement of the center of lumber production.”
There are many difficulties, however, which must be overcome
before timber growing will become general. These fall logically
ander four heads, psychological, economic, physical, and legislative.
PsycnorogicAL.—The public attitude has been one of indiffer-
ence, and while this continues we can expect slow progress in secur-
ing measures to encourage our citizens to grow trees. Important
factors which have contributed to the indifference are, the great sup-
plies of timber in relation to demand which have always been avail-
able, the persistent idea that a timber shortage is impossible because
of an “inexhaustible” supply, the rapid development of transporta-
sion facilities making it possible to ship wood products cheaply from
one region to another so that the seriousness of exhausting forest
resources in one region has not been appreciated, the misconception
that our wood requirements can be met adequately by substitutes,
and the hazy idea that when our forests are gone those of Russia
or some other country will be available to fill the gap.
Economic.—The economic situation has become much more
favorable for forestry during the past decade, but even yet man-
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