Present Lumber Situation in the United States and Possible Measures to Increase Supply

The current housing shortage has caused the appointment of a special Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry to investigate the current lumber situation. The Forest Service report submitted to this Subcommittee on March 12 covers the outlook for supply of and demand for lumber both in the immediate future and for the next decade, outlines the major deterrents to increased production, and reviews measures needed to bring lumber supply and demand into balance. Two major points in the report are that (1) the lumber shortage will be of long duration, and (2) the principal deterrent to increased production is shortage of suitable and accessible stumpage. Immediate remedial measures include opening up additional national forest timber by access roads, and a program to increase output of small sawmills in the East. Recommended long-term measures are aimed at building up and maintaining forest productivity on a much higher level than at present. This report, with minor changes, is printed here for the information of American foresters.