The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-02-06
VAST WEALTH IN
0REG0N'S FOREST


(From the report OF State Forester
f. A. Elliott
Oregon stands pre-tmIHert among
the states in forest wealth. II rs eX-
tremely difficult 20 convey an iaea OF
the magnitude Of 0Iegon's forest re-
sources by quoting IN terms oi board
feet or acres Of timber land. lals
point can. however. he brought our
emphatically by comparison with tta
forest resources 10 other timbered r.
pions of the United states. STATISTICS
show that Oregon has almost twice as
much timber as is found IN all New
England, New York, Pennsylvania,
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota,
territory commonly known as The great
northern forest region. The central
coast forest region, extending from
Southern Michigan 10 southern Ten
nessee and from the west slope OF the
Appalacbian mountains westward to
the prairies, has long been famous as
the source Of our hardwo0ds yet II
contains only half as much standing
timber as Oregon. In other words, 1t
NAV be stated that Oregon contains as
much timber as that north Of Arkansas
Tennessee and North Carolina. Garry
ing this comparison a step tufther,lt e
found that the territory TO the south |
of this region, extending from the At
lantie Ocean to the eastern base OF the |
Rocky mountains, lacks AS, 600, GOO, 600 |
board feet of having az much mer-
chantable timber as Oregon. Or, con-
sidering as a unit the three forest re- /
iqops mentioned above, the interesting |
and significant fact IS disclosed that
Oregon has approximately half as
much timber as all of the states east
Of the Rocky mountains put together.
In the light of these comparisons there
can be no question but that Ofcgon's
forests constitute, next to land Itself,
her greatest natural resource. This
immense wealth still remains TO US,
even though Oregon forests for centur-
les have been subjected to the toll lev
led by destructive fires and insect
pests. 1t is conservatively estim ted
that nearly one-sxth of the present
forested area, or 1000, 600 acres, has
been denuded by fire. Had this wealth
been available for taxation the past
year it would have yielded tax rev
enue of not less than 81 ,40O, 600. Due |
to earelessneess and indifference IN the |
past, the taxpayers of Oregon are de- |
pryed of the above amount each year. |
The total amount of timber 10 the
United States is estimated by the fed
era government at $500 600, 900, 600
feet, board measure. OF this amount
Oregon has about one-iifth, or 545, 00O,-
600, 600 feet. The value of this stand
ing timber is not less than $3.50, 600, O0O
and when manufactured it will bring
into the state for circulation at least
S6, 1922, 500, 600. 1t would seem that
with all this forest wealth Oregon
should be the foremost lumber produc
ing safe, but, owing to the present in
accessibility of the timber, the deVel-
opment of the lumber industry has
been greatly retarded With the great
increase in transportation facilities in
Oregon during the past five years, aud
with certain prospects for further de
velopment along this line, it will be
only few years until Oregon will lead
all states in the quantity Of lumber
manufactured. Our mills are now
sending large cargoes of lumber to the
Orient, to Australia and to the South
American ports, and the demand from
those countries is bound TO increase.
The greatest demand for Oregon's TIM
ber products will, however, come from
our eastern states The opening of the
Panama canal will unQuestiouablY re-
suit in an excellent market for Pacific
coast timber, The forests Of New
England, the northern pine region and
the central hardwood region, are each
year contributing o smaller per cent OF
the total amount Of lumber used in the
United States. The growth of the
lumber industry in the great yellow
pine region Of the south. which furn-
ishes about 33 per cent of the tutaI
lumber cut, has reached its maximum
and must necessarily begin to declin,
within very few years because II
lacks the forest resources 10 sustain
the present rate of exploitation Tn,
eastern states, as well as those in tn,
Mississippi Valley, must therefore lool
to the heavily timbered northwest fo
large share of the lumber they re
quire. Oregon having more than hal
as much timber as its nearest competi
tor, Washington, will, naturally deriy,
the greatest benefit from the increas
ing demand for lumber in the Unite
States and in foreign countries.