HARDWOOD TIMBER RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES

The current and prospective hardwood timber situations are discussed (with emphasis on the supplies of timber suitable for railroad ties and pallet lumber), and the kinds of management, research and technical assistance programs that will assure adequate future supplies of hardwood timber are outlined. Information is presented from the most recent appraisal study by the U.S. Forest Service. About 50 percent of the 267 million acres (exclusive of interior Alaska) of commercial hardwood forest types were in the North and 45 percent in the South. Eastern hardwood forest types are (grouped into six major types: Oak-Hickory, Oak-gum-cypress, Maple-birch-beech, Oak-pine, Aspen-birch, and Elm-ash-cotton) discussed as well as western types. About 71 percent of the hardwood timber was in farm and miscellaneous private ownerships, 13 percent in forest industry, and 16 percent in national forest and public ownership. The increasing hardwood sawtimber inventories are discussed. Although growth and removals data indicate that the U.S. hardwood situation has been improving in most regions, some problems have been identified; the hardwood sawtimber types are dispersed not only among the hardwoods but also scattered among the softwood types, larger size timber occurs in groups that are not economically harvestable, and most of the timber in the East is in small private tracts. The longer-run demand-supply situation indicates that the country is faced with increasing competition for the available hardwood timber and rising relative prices. To increase the hardwood timber supplies, it will be necessary to substantially increase the level of management for firm and private ownerships. Programs in cost-sharing, technical assistance and research are advocated.