Western Pine Plqns Ahecrd

By S. V. Fullowoy, Jr., Secrelsry-Monoger Wesiern Pine Associotion

Thc prorluction accornplishments <;f Americlitr inclustry tou'arrl u'iuning thc rvar u'ere so spectacular that tttanv otttstancling perfort:tauces \verc understanclably overlooked. The Westeru l'ir.re industrl', for instllnce, tttrttctl in a tre' mendon-. lnmber 1>rocluction job undcr diflicult corrditions. fn trvo of the rvar vears, 1941 and 1912, Wel;tern I'ine Production u'as 20 per cent more than in arly year' <tI the industrl-'s history, rvith shiPments irr 1!l:11 exceetling 6f billion lro:trcl feet. Annual production averaged over (r billion ieet during the vears l94l to 194.5, morc than .J0 per cent greater than the average production for the prcvious fir'e years.

'fhe situ:rti()1-l lll:r\- lrc .staterl in :rrrother r,l'a1'. While thc nation's softu.oo<l industrv 1>roducecl lumlter at a rate of only 90 per cent its 1920-1929 aurrual total, the Westem Pine industry rryas able to produce during the emergency. an average of 30 per cent nlore annually than in these same ten pre-depression vears. Credit is clue the industry for this fir.re record.

It-arly in the rvar it becanrc forciblv evitlent thzrt Iclahcr White Pine, Ponderosa Pine an<l Sugar Pine r,vere the preferred rvoods for the exacting and difficult requirements of rnilitary packaging ancl cr:rtirrg for overseas shipment, and for many other specialized and essenti;tl ttses, many of thern close militarv secrets. As the r.r'ar effort intensified, the War Agencies strictll' curtailed arrcl chitnneled the distribution of these versatile woods into uses considered rnost vital and necessarv for the prosecution of the war. Under the restrictiorrs imposed, the sa'ivmill could not ship, or evcn use. Western Pine lumber without specific authorization from the War Production Board. No other softwood \vas more rigidly controlled.

An'arc of the desperate need for its products the industry gla<lll rgsponded to its country's call for lumber and more lumber. The nr:u-rufacturer regretted his inability tr.r serve his regular crlstorners during those critical years but military needs had to come first. No other softwood species of rrornally large volume reached the civilian trade in smaller <luantities.

Trade Promotion

With the virtual disappearance of products of the Western I'ine region from civilian markets, due to the War Agencies channeling approximately 95 per cent of the pro- duction into direct ancl intlirect nlilitarl' uses. fiel<1 trtrde promotion llv the Associatiort n'::s discontinued for the clttration. However, certain l)r()gritllls tvere contittuc<1 antl, in some instances. cxpanded.

Sp:rce a<lverti:;ing irr Natiorr;rl pulllicatiorls n'as cotrtitluc<l rrt its ustt:rl level. Copl u'as aimed at the consumer and u'trs designed to create future, not cttrrent l>usiness, :tu<l to channel it throtrgh thc local retail lumller dealer. The \Arestern Pine industrv hat; alrvays consiclerecl llig ltll1rber rlealer as the logical retail outlet for its prodncts.

'l-he effectiveness of thc pr()gram has beer-r clearll- antl f,rrciblJ' <lemonstratecl l;r' the impact of recluests receivecl sincc \r-J dav for the Camera \tiervs booklet. As this is being rvritten, over 100,000 single copy mailings have been ruracle. Tl.re1' are the direct result of individual re(ltlests tlevelope<1 f rotrr cppsuurer advertising <luring 19'+5' In a<lclitionl'substantial lrtdt shipments of other Wsstern l-ine publications have l>een made to aggressive merchanclisers for distribution to their prospects.

J'he Association rnaintains a large variety of clealer-help literature prepared for consumer reading. Sound motion picture films are available for grottp shor'ving, and have proven very popular. Bookings can be arranged by t'riting the Association office at Portlancl, Oregon. Dealer.i can coLrnt on Western Pine consumer a.dvertising ancl trade promotion to be continued in 1946'

Research r\ pioneer in the field, the Western Pine inclustry has long been dedicated to product improvement through laboratory research. That this progressive policy has paid cliviclends is amply demonstrated by developments and discoveries which,' today, are accepted and used bv the trade as common practice. Realizing the importance of research and its contribution to post-war markets, our modern. well-equipped laboratory expanded its activities' I)evelopments, of course, must be put through severe service and laboratory tests, and thoroughly proven before they can be released for general use. Projects now under stucly give encouraging promise of substantial new markets and increased volume of lumber and wood products sales for the retail dealer, for 'Western Pine research rvill continue as a major activity in 1946.

Grading Standards Maintained

For many years no lumber has moved into the market better manufactured, or more uni{ormly graded, than that shipped by the Western Pine industry' This was especially and noticeably true during the war. There were sound reasons for this. The industry felt that customers were entitled to the long-establishecl high standards of seasoning, grading and manufacture, despite the difficulties and limitations of the war years' and every effort was made to

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Western Pine Plans Ahead

(Continued from Page 42) maintain these stanclartls in the familiar and regular grades. That the industn' did a good job is attested by its oltl friends. ancl by its host of nerv friends acquired during those troublesome <lays 'when cleviatirlns fronr accustonrcrl stanclards u'ere not ulrconlrn()n. 1n 1946 as in other years, Western Pine grading standarcls u'ill be maintainetl.

Timber Supply

The r-ast reservoir of existirrg Western l'ine timber resources, together u-ith irrcreasing refinements in manufacture and more conlplete utilization, inclicates no timber shortage in the foreseeable f rrture. Tu'o basic {orestry principles are not subject to argument. A dead tree is an econonric loss. -\ncl a:s <llcl timber is harvested. new timber rvill grow. ]loclern harr-esting practices-thinning out old arrrl over-ripe stancls-stimulates growth in uncut young'er trees and n'-rtural seeding of harvested areas provides nelr- cr()pli. -fhe steacll' progress in forest management of private lands through selective logging, fire control, and other sorrnrl forestry procedures which will result in adequate forest renewal, assures a continuous succession of forest crops ir.r 1946 and future years.

Forest management programs for company-owned land are increasingly the responsibility of college-trained foresters, employed by many lumber companies in the Western Pine region. To assist the operators, the Association also has a staff of technical forest engineers.

Ready reference handbooks of Forest Practice Rules, by states in the region, have been published and are available for distribution to interested persons by writing to the Association.

Tree Farms

One long-range development on a national scale is certified Tree Farms. A Tree Farm is a forest area of any size dedicated to the grorving of commercial forest crops. The land is managed on sound forestry principles. In the Western Pine region, none of the forests are clean cut.

The Western Pine 'free Farm program has made sultstantial progress since its inception in 1942. Since Septernber of that year, when the first Western Pine Tree Farm was certified, 80 Tree Farms covering 2,227,411 acres of private forest lands have already been certified by the Western Pine Association and registered with American Tree Farms. Such a vigorous movement is indicative of the determination of the Western Pine tirnber owner to protect, maintain and perpetuate an adequate timber supply.

Summary

End of the war found the Western l)ine industry at the lowest ebb in manpo\ver and worker efficiency. As this is u'ritten, strikes have closed 30 per cent of the inclustry's production capacity. These things have prevented a prompt volume return of the industry's products to normal industrial and retail nrarkets. This has been as rnuch of a disappointment to the industry as it has been to the retail dealer, but the causes are beyond our control.

The ycar 1946 should see \Mestern Pine products again in their usual markets in normal volume if current industrial strife can be eliminated on a sound basis. The lumber producer, rvith price ceilings in effect, is definitely limited in his attempts to meet union wage demands. This situation is the determining factor in an early return to normal volume.

We have been asked if the high war production of Western l'ine luml>er would l>e continued in peacetime. Numerous factors are involved, such as long-range programs for harvesting the tintber stands, hours of employment, and tax consiclerations. A careful study of the regional situation indicates that lumber production in the Western Pine inclustry will level off to an average annual volume of 5 ltillion feet during the next five years.

'fhe Western Pine manufacturer looks forward with pleasant anticipation to the day when he can again serve his dealer friends. We are confident that, by the time spring activities open up, the Western Pines will again be flo'iving into the retail lumber yards in normal r.olume. Shortages may exist in. some iter-ns owing to depleted inventories and abnormal demand, but there l'ill be some lumber for all.

Over the long term, the Western Pine regiolr of the eleven Western States rvill continue to supply a large part of the nation's lumber. The lumber dealer can look to these highly regarded woods as a permanent s()rlrce in the years ahead for materials rvith rvhich to cst;rblish or strengthen his reputation f<lr selecting prodrrcts that rvill give lasting satisfaction.

HOME THIS CHRISTMAS-We join in your ioy

You who so patiently uaited

With pride in your eye and f ear in your heart

For the return of someone-your boy.

And, to you who'f ond, memories hold,

Of loaed. ones now ol God,'s kingd.orn a part

Our d.eepest sympathy and the prayer,

"Ma! peace corne to your aching heart."

Toyou who have lost loved, ones

And to you to whom they'zse been spared

W e pay very great tribute

Fathers and mothers of brave son.r.

A Mercjt, MerrJt Christma,

And a Haf\y IVewYear too

These ond-itt the good. things

Are what wewish f or you.