IDANT

developing a forest economy in the Pacific Northwest which will ensure an adequate lumber supply far into the future.

Climaxing a full century of progress, industrial forestry in the Douglas fir region also set new records during 1946. Mounting emphasis on long-range plans for sustained production has resulted in employment ol 27O full-time industrial foresters in the area during 1946. In 19'lO only 54 foresters were so emPloYed.

One of the year's most important developments is a reinventory showing that annual forest growth in the region has increased from 2.5 billion board feet in 1933 to 3.7 billion board feet in 1946.

This is an increase of approximately 50 per cent. Within another decade the increase will have at least doubled. This is due simply to the fact that old, stagnant growth is being cut, making room for growing trees, while more and more second-growth is reaching rnerchantable size.

Instead of the 6 billion foot cut of. 1946, we can safely lcut a minimum of 7 billion feet without depleting our forests.

During 1946 the first cooperative sustained yield unit was set up by the U. S. Forest Service and the Simpson Logging Company in the Shelton, Washington ' atea' Other such units are in process of formation.

There have been widespread developments in salvage logging, and a substantial increase in the utilization of what used to be "logging leftovers" in the woods.

The same is true of "sawmill leftovers." An example is the wallboard now manufactured by one company' This wallboard uses sawdust so effectively the company no lorrger can afiord to employ it as fuel.

Another forward stride is the development of flexible equipment for logging the former leftovers. This salvage logging equipment includes small sawmills which can be moved on wheels into the woods. Where feasible, too, this greater utilization program has featured a return to "horse logging."

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