The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1944-08-04

- w. WV wi I[1A9 abgt ~
residents of Georgetown, S. c..
contemplated an unhappy future.
Lack OF suitable timber in the
wooded area around the 200
year-old community had shut
down lumber mills that had fur
nished work for 1000 OF the
towns 5000 inhabitants for
many years.
Today, bus ling Georgetown is
the site OF the worlds largest
pulp and paper mill, thanks TO
those lands and to newer meth
DDS Of forest management, in
stitu ed in the area by the Inter
national Paper Company.
In the answers to this apparen.
paradox lie a reassuring message
for the South and its wood in
dustfies. forest operators the
country over have learned in
recent years thai scientific for
est management is good business.
Already, some progressive log
gers are growing a large part of
the timber they cut each year.
Survey Made
A survey of forest acreage
within about 100 miles Of George
town, made by he international
Paper Company In the middle of
the last decade, showed that
neighboring forests were fairly
well stocked with saplings and
young growth capable of devel-
foping into large trees if protect
ed from fire. though there YER
comparatively few trees of saw
log size.
Accordingly, the corporation
invested $4,000. 900 in plant
end properties in the area, and
began opera ions in 1887 with an
initial holding of $1,000 acres Of
timberland, and contracts for
procuring pulpwood from own
ers of tracts in the vicinity.
Since that time, the company has
continued to increase It's timber
lands, now owning about 240, 900
acres. Timber cutting leases are
held on many thousands of acres
~ well. The addition in 1912 OF
new plant facilities costing sew
eral million dollars gives The
Georgetown plant a normal year
~ consumption of 100000 cords
Of pnlpwood, and a daily output
OF about l,400 tons of pulp.
From the beginning. Interna-
tional Paper operated its proper
lies on a long range basis. An
investment of from 5000, 900
20 $14,000, 900, precludes any
likelihood of a temporary oper-
alton, and requires the institu-
ton of sound forestry practices,
Under A. A. DOMAIN. the COM
psny's staff of foresters assisted
land owners , o mark them tim-
Der properly, and advised them.
of correct management proce-
dure.
Since 1912. Mr.. Donham has
been in charge Of the pulpwood
procurement division which ham
dies forest practices concerning
private landowners. A timber
land division under T. N. Busch
deals with problems of manage
ment Of the company's own lands
in the area, and with the acquisi-
ton of new forest land.
Timber Stands Improve
Improvement is apparent in
many timber stands in The area
covered by Mr.. Donham and his
assistants, who range the eoun-
tryside for 200 miles north. west
and south OF Georgetown to
spread the gospel of fire protec-
ton. ~selective cutting, and other
modern forest management poll
cies. among farmers and woodlot
owners.
Largely as a result of their
tireless educational work. an in
creasing number OF timberland
owners in the area are growing
trees for profit bv economically
efficient methods marking trees
Tor cutting so al to thin overly
dense stands and otherwise inn
prove the trees left for later har-
vests. Each wear an increasing
amount OF South Carolina forest
land is being left in condition to
contiue producing a useful crop.
International Paper cooperates
with county and state forest ser
vices in fire control. at a cost of
8 cents an acre annually. The
company maintains its own fire
pre- eetion system. as we'll. It's
fifcfighters are equipped with
trucks bearing ire apparatus,
large tractor fire-plows. hand