Economic Returns from Planting Forage in National Forests

Economic returns from planting forage in a shelterwood management regime, with stocking densities typical of those now becoming common in ponderosa pine-grass areas of eastern Washington, are summarized for various assumed planting costs, forage values, and growth data. The approach allows a forest manager to rank forage-planting alternatives according to their rates of return, when better forage yield for domestic grazing is the primary objective or when noneconomic benefits appear equally desirable.