As more roads are built into areas now inaccessible and as the basic growing stocks are further built up, the sustained annual harvest can be further increased. The national forests also are contributing to the nation's livestock production by furnishing seasonal grazing for more than 8 million cattle and sheep. Last year the national forests reported 40 million visits by persons seeking outdoor recreation. The Forest Service has developed some 4,500 camping and picnicking areas, and 200 winter sports areas. These forests are the home for great numbers of wildlife, including nearly a third of the nation's big-game animals.
National forests cover parts of the headwater areas of many of the nation's major streams.
As public properties containing basic natural resources, the national forests are managed for continuous production. A policy of multiple-purpose management is followed which seeks to maintain a balanced use of all the forest resources, and to bring the largest total of returns and benefits in the public interest. Since in the United States the bulk of the commercial forest lands are in private ownership, protection and good management of these privately owned forests is of great importance to the national economy. The Forest Service has endeavored to meet its responsibilities in this field through a number of programs carried on in co-operation with the States. The Forest Service co-operates with State forestry agencies to provide protection of State and private forest lands from fire.