This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain.

•rOREST RESOURCES oF MONTANA

\

•

FOREST SERVICE United $tates Department of Agriculture Forest Resource Report No. 5 • .

.ACKNOWLEDGMENT I · Manr people have participated in the survey of Montana's timber resource. In addition to the authors of this report. they include: M. B. Dickerman, Chief o£ the Division of Forest Economics; W. C. Hodge, B. M. Huey, T. L Finch, M. E. Metcalf, H. J. Pissot, J. H. Wikstrom, and M. Hobe of the present field and office staff. M. Bradner, G. M. DeJarnette, and R. K. Winters were in charge of the field and office work at different periods prior to 1943. Other forest· ers who have helped in the survey and contributed substantially to it are: D. L. Axlund, C. W. Brown, F. B. Casler, R. L. Conn, L. E. De· Groote, W. W. Ensign, W. R. Fallis, A. A. Flint, ]. L. Frykman, M. C. Galbraith, J. W. Girard, H. B. Hawk, V. H. Hedman, ]. N. Hessel, J. M. Honeywell, W. H. Ibenthal, R. Jacobsen, 0. B. Johnson, H. S. Mosebrook, ]. A. Nash, B. W. Newton, J. P. Oliver, W. B. Peterson, P. N. Pratt, I. C. Puphal, A. N. Quam, M. ]. Reed, W. L. Royer, E. G. Rutquist, R. R. Schulz, R. J. Smith, F. R. Waylett, W. H. Welton, and L. W. Zach. D. N. Matthews, A. G. Lindh, and others were very helpful with this report in the manuscript stage. Tbe rnajority o£ the charts in the report are the work of John B. LaCasse. Assistance in preparation: of. the statistics for western Montana was furnished by the personnel of Work Project Adntinistration official projects O.P. 501·2-96, O.P. 701·3-17, O.P. 01·2·91-158, O.P. 6~ 2·91-10&, and O.P. 165·2·91-59 ..

. L: :-; I T E D S T A T E S D E P A R T :VI E .'l T 0 F A G R I C U L T U R E •FOREST RESOCRCE REPORT :\0 . WASHI;\;GTO~, D. C., 1952 J. c. ;__

FOREST RESOURCES OF MONTANA

S. BLAIR HUTCHISON, forest economist and PAUL D. KE:'v!P, forester :\ORTHERN ROCKY :VIOU.'lTAIN FOREST AND RANGE EXPERIMENT STATION • FOREST SERVICE

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE • WASHI:-iGTO:-i • 1952 FOR SALE. BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCU,:O..lDITS. WASHINGTON, D. C., PRICE 55 CE:-.rTS • Preface

'< 1928 Congress passed the :VlcSweeney-:Vlc:\ary Forest Research .\ct I authorizing a comprehensive survey of the timber supplies in the United States. Responsibility for this survey was assigned to the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture. The work in :V!ontana has been under the direction of the ~orthern Rockv :V!ountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. This is a report on ·the lindings of the :Vlontana survey. The job of inventorying the extensive forest of \fontana and col­ lecting growth and drain information "·as begun in l9:H. Before its interruption by vVorld \Var II the survey was completed for that pan of the State west of the Continental Divide and in [our counties east of the Divide. field "·ork was resumed in 19·+7 and completed in the fall of 1949. The inventory. grov..:th. and drain ligures presented ~1rc the flrst based upon a complete systematic survcv ol the timber resource in Montana. It is hoped that these data and the analysis in this report will help increase the contribution of this timber resource to the economy of :Vlontana and the C nite

~·------'~

PJ.ge P~lg-e ] he lacts in brief Timber "lllpply ~l!ld itH.Iu)tri~d de\ eiopntent~C.m­ The place of the roresb in the economy ot tinueJ. .:\lontana :l Conditional allowable cut-Continued Timber values in the torest 3 DcaJ. and cull trees and tops of \Vater values in the foresr 5<1\\·-tintber trees Recreation Yaluts in the iore~t 1 ht: :Illo\\·~1blc cut by species and Forage values in the forest 1\1 oH·ncrship 3/ Timber can increase ~!onuna income ]I) lndu.'itri;d expansion opponunitil's 39 The torest 14 Developing· ncH· industries \\·ith dif- The rc-,ern:d iort~t J.l ferent 1rood requirements :;9 ]j i'ht: tlOJKOllllHCrciai lui V'-t .\Jodilying· l11c wood Ollhlllllption ·rhc comm;,_Tcial tort::'L 1."> habits of the lumber indu~trv -ill Pondero..,a pine 17 :\Iorc etkcti\·e ll'ie of '1\·ood cut 10 Dt)ugla_-,.hr 19 I'll<.: lt111iwr managcllll:IH t;l.'.;k -12 \ Vestern brch 19 Reduction ot lo:-..~c~ -±2 Lodgepole pine 19 I ll)CCtS i:2 -.;prucc 21 Fire Other coniter-. 21 Disca.'!c-. Hanh,·oods ~-~ Other losses Character ot the cnnuntrcial stauds ~:} Pre-;cnt mortalitY The volwnc ol tim\)l·r in ~fontana .-\ more com plctc protection pro­ Timber growth in :'\[om:tna gr::~m H !.fontana\ tore·»t indu ...,rrie<; InncZJ.-.ing gro~~ .~1'01\·th --10 The lumber industry .\ dt\·clopmcnt and uuna~·cmcnt program -IH Sit.e ol :\fontana -,;nnnills \fnre ro;als drc needed .JS Lumber prodw.tion hy species fnten-;i[ving- public l:lnd management IB \farkcts lor :\[onrana lumber Jnrcnsil'ving: priYate LnH.l mana~cment .JI Railro~H.l tie prmluction fnlprm·in!.!, the Oll·ncrship pattern The n1inc timber indu .... u-y \ llHllt 1nnduni\T forrsr The pole industrY Liter:ttttlT < itcd The ChristmZls tree indthtry .-\ppendix Pulpwood, fud \\·ood. t1nd fence po::.ts ,),)"" ~ur\'c\' methods 00 Commodity drain on :\Iontan3.'s [orest. ,)J -\Letll :l(Y of Cstilll:l.tcs Timber supply 3.nd indu-,trial cleYelopment 35 Conditional allo1~·able annual cut Conditional J.lloH·able cut 35 Definitions Sa·w timber 35 Trees natiYC to :\fontana Pole timber 36 Supplemental table'\

III The Facts In Brief

~------~

Hnw milch of i.Vlontana is forest? million cubic feet. The net saw-timber growth is 606 million board feet a year. One-fourth of the Srare, or 22,359,000 a.cres, is classified by the Forest Survey as forest land. The Is the ,rJ;rowth rate satisfactot)·? total area of the State is 93,642,000 acres, Fifty­ X o, not from a long-time standpoint. The net eight percent of the forest area lies in the one-sixth grm.,.th oii primary growing stock amounts to only of the State that is west of the Continental Divide. 15 cubic feet per acre a year. It should be possible to double this rate. The saw-timber gTowth Hnw much of the fm·est is .qtiti{IJ/e rwd troflilable for ;nnounts to only 38 board feet per acre a year, com­ limber p1·oduction? pared to a potential of 85 board feet. Seventy percent of the fore~c land, or 15,756,000 acres. is "commercial." i. e .. suitable and available, How ou1 p;rmoth be increased? no,...- or prospectively, for the production of timber Gross growth can be increased by restocking for industrial use. This repre-sents about 3 y2 per­ ddorl'stcd areas, improvement cuttings in thick cent of the total commerri:1l forest in the United young stands, and by replacing the extensive areas States. of old, decadent forests 'dth vigorous rapid-gro\v· ing-, wcl!-.'ltockcd stands. :'\ret gTowth can be in­ Horl' nn/r:h saw timber/:;, tlu:rt'! creased by reduciug the hig-h mortality losses from •..\fontana's commercial forest contains 56 billion fire, insects, :;hading, and other natural causes \\"hich are a.ll debits against gross growth. To illus­ board feet of timher, likewise about 3!/2 percent of the national total. Approximately half of the saw trate, annual gross growth is 84-9 million board feet, timber is of two species: larch and Douglas-fir. but 2 P) million of it is offset by mortality. Ponderosa pine. Engelmann spruce, and lodgepole pine are other importatu species from a quantity I>ot'S the high mortality rate indicate inadequllte standpoint. Se,·enty-one percent of the saw-timher prntection? volume i'i ''-est of the Continental Divide. ProgTess has heen made in curbing fires. Corre~­ ponding; effort has not gone into insect control. ~Vho orons the forest? Hecausc of the low vitality a.'isociated with advanced :1g-e. lllll<.:h of :\fontana's timber has suffered heavy Seventeen million acn:s, or 76 percent of the total lo .. _... t':-i from bark. beetles. These losses ·will diminish forest area, is publicly m\·ned or managed. The :ts the old tn_.es 1re utilized. but in the meantiiP.e national forest.-, alone include 1.3,92:).000 acres of thtv can be n:duced only by intensifying insect­ forest. Public agencies mana~e only 69 percent of control efforts. the commercial fore:-;r. Seventy percent of the cur~ rent . \'oiume .;aw-timhc::r is publicly owned or !~ tllf' tim1wr cut /IHJ !u'gh ur too fowl 1nanag·ccL \Vith :-:.omc important exccp(ions, the timber cut How fmt is the forest grm.ving? in the State has been too low. The allowable an­ nual cut of saw-timber and pole-timber trees and For the primary growin~ stock, that is all trees the u:,ablc portion of cull and dead trees in ~(on­ 5.0 inches and larger, the annual net growth is 241 t~lna is 129 million cubic feet greater than the cur. •FfJrest Resources of ~Wontana I in 1948. One exception to the over-all situation i'i ! fl/.1 lock uf roads bl::'c/1 I!~~:: rnliv factor holdit~g h11cl: the ponderosa pine 'ia\v timber. which h:t" been industriol dn·e!upml')/f? a number of years. .\lso, drastically overcut for of ro~tds i-. .\ctua!h tl1e etfcct of ~t 1JH)I•.... \ ~o. Lack ' j and Dougl:h-flr sa\\· rindwr l\:1.., the 1948 cut of larch !undamcntal difficu!tv, :'.(ont:t!l;.t h<:t) ~ufferr...-d tht somewhat larger than desirable. handicap ot n~motcneC):; trmn markt:ts: hi~h trans­ How can timber utili:ation be increased? pnn;ttion cost ha-; -,[rn\·cd tht...· .C!,l"fr11 t' ,,{ flu' (urPst in ,\Iontal/ll·s tional forests is only 1~1 percent completed. economy?

Does iHontana need mm·e f"orest industries? \Vatl'r. recrcatiun. tnragc. ;uH.t timber valucC) in Yes. However, nut just any indu,trv 1\·ilt do. ~fontana loom up ,·en· lan.?,·t- ~nd can, if the forest There are alreadv more than enough customers i" managed properly. 1nakc a major comributinn for the valuable ponJ.ero~a pine and white pine. to the economy of the State. report 'Ve need more plants. "'uch as pulpmills that ,~-ill One of the more -,ignlficant points in thi.., use sizes and species ot" timber :wd parts (Jf trees. i' thar the timber-producing capacity ot the 1.1.­ not now in rnuch demand. and we need better di'­ i.i!i.OOO ~1cres of \fontana's commercial forest is far trihution of the cut o\·er the entire State. .'--\reater th:-~n many pe0pk had realiied.

) )I

2 Forest Resource Report .\'o. 5 C. S. l>t:purtrnenl of .·lgricultllre The Place of the Forests 1n the Economy of Montana

~------~

\. 1948 the average income per individual in There arc~~ million J.crcs' ol forest land in :VIon­ I }.fontana was ,$1,696. This is a very significant taua, one-fourth of the State, as shown in the fol­ figure for it is the hig-hest on record for the lowing- tabulation of land use: )tare up to that time, and 22 percent higher than .\frllio>1 the national average in 19'-i-8 (16) .l :Vfontana has Forest 22.--l- not alwavs ranked so hi~h (fig. l). Since 1928 it Cropland and plowable pa~cure in Lums rl9·40) !·!.8 has ranked as low as tv:enty-eighth among the Pasture range 5-l.ti States in per capita income, and it fell from fifth Other land 1.8 place in 1948 to eighteenth in 1949. Though all Total 9i.ti States have had their ups and downs, instability It is a vast forest that has produced mauy benefits, has been a greater problem here than in most of yet has much more to give. This report is con­ them. cerned primarily with 'vhat timber usc can con­ Hy and large, the principal objtxtive of those tribute to the economy of the State. However, ,,·ho are thinking of .\lontana's future is to achieve three other important forest values-water, recrea­ the stability which figure I shows to be lacking, tion, and [orage-are also considered . nd to stabilize income at a high level. Among \·V'ater, timber, recreation, and forage are all • -Hher things, this means capitali1.ing fully on the products of the same torest. sometimes of the same resources available. One of the more imponant of acre. It has long been one of the cardinal prin­ :\fontana's nawral resources is the forest. ciples of forestry to manage for multiple use. \Ve '.\"umhers in parenthe<>t:'> refer to Literature Cited. p. ,ji. cannot, for example, ;tlford to make timber the .-.ingle purpo'ie of rna11ag·emcnt to the extent of PER CAPITA INCOME PAYMENTS sacrificing the other resources. Though the various IN MONTANA AS PERCENT Or uses of the forest do not intcrmesh perfectly, good PER CAPITA INCOME PAYMENTS forest management involves fitting them together 'JO IN UNIT-ED STATES I I .'>0 as to provide the greatest compo'iite henefit. <10 Timber Values In The Forest

\{ore than a century ago \vhite men began hew­ ing at \lontana's great lore'iL Late in the 18-l-O's the first sawmill was set up in the Bitterroot Valley. I __ _,:_ '!,go ------~------: During· the mining boom ot the 1860's and follow- ' I ~ L. ------~ ~ 30 'To permit a ready g-r:.tsp of rhe -;alietH forest area and ' volume sw.tislil.:s. the fiKures in the text and in the tables ~ 70 included with the text have hecn rounded off to the nc;trest temh rJf :l million acres :md te!Hh of :1 billion hoard feet. 1929 1935 1940 :945 1949 Exact f1gures Jre tabulated in the :1ppendix. Dellnirions of FIGURE 1. terms used are gin"n in the :1ppendix :1!so. •Forest Resources of .\fontana ·' ing years timber cutting became more widespread, has grO\vll until :\fontana now leads all other but real industrial development did not begin .)rates \vith its annual production of more than .J until transcontinental railroads provided a link million tree-; ..-\n estimate of the value of ~ron- ~ with the East and a large market for :VIontana tana's forest products in l9-l8 follows: produm (fig. 2). Lumber )·H.,iOO.OtlO Since the time of the first sawmill, a total of Round and hewn mint: timhers I .,)00.00() Chri~lma-; trees 1.100.001} nearly ~0 billion board feet of -;;:n,· timber has been Fuel wood l.OOO.OOtl logged.1 That volume is about one·third as great Posts SOO.O()(l as the total commercial stand in :\.[ontana today. Pulpwood 700.000 :\-lost of the 20 billion board feet went to sa\... -­ Poles 601),0{)1) mills where it was cut inw boards, planks, rail­ road ties. and mine timbers. Total S:)O.~IliJ.()IIII All together, ·!3-! active sawmills produced 598 The importance of the torest indu~tries dilfen million board feet o[ lumber in l 94H. In addition greatly by localities. On the eastern prairie the,· to the sawmills there are several smaller but, never­ play an in:-:.ig·nific1m part in the local economy. theless-, important forest industries. Year after vear, Even on the ea.stern "ilopc of the Rockies \vhere about -!50,000 pieces of round mine timhcrs are there is a \ub:-.tantial timber area, the forest indus­ produced for the metal and coal mines. Since tries arc :\'\ yet .... mall. \Vest of the Continental \Vorld \Var Il :'vfontana'.'i pole industry has pro­ Di\'ide. or iu western \Ionran::~,' however, the lorest<; duced as many a~ >1~5.000 pol<:'! ;mnuaHy ( l~H:i). occupy 81 percent of the land area and furnish During 1949, '>3,000 cords o[ pulpwood were a large part of the local income. The !~NO cen.'lus shipped to \Vashing·ton and \Visconsin ..-\ Christmas ot' agrirulturc .)holn:d that 2:R pt:rccnt ol the people tree industry that began a quarter of a cenrry ago classified a .... [ann operators in western .\fontana

~All of the board-foot stand. gruwth. ~~~d drain tig-urt:s in 'In this rcp01 t the area wc~t of the Conducut;d Divide is this report are hased on the International !/\-inch log rule. called west-ern \[nntana and that e;1'\t of the Di\ ide. (';l'tt~lll which is considered the equi\"alent of lumber tallv. ~fontana.

ANNUAL LUMBER P~ODUCTION MONTANA \'..-'~'Cl Q; tt '\:: ,,:J{f.IJ;I :, c% <: ~

1869 79 89 99 1904 1910 1920 1930 1940 1945 1948 FIGUU 2. \\·orked 50 or more days off their farms the pre· The income and employment figures do not tell ceding year. Much of the off-farm employment was all of the story. An abundant timber supply close at in producing Christmas trees and in other woods hand has been a tremendous asset in the develop· • \·ork . .-\ study of Lincoln County in the northwest ment of other industries. For example, since hard· ~corner of the State revealed that six-tenths of rock mining started, 3 y2 billion dollars worth of its basic income is derived from the lumber in­ copper, lead, zinc, gold, and manganese have been dustry and other forestry work. dug from :Vlontana's hills. It took a lot of wood For the State as a whole, forest industries rank to produce this wealth. Back in the earlv davs behind agriculture and mining in both employ­ thousands upon thousands of conJ.s of fuel, wo~d ment and value of products (9, 14, 17), as shown were cut to keep the smelter fires roaring (fig. 3). bv the following: ='J"ow that other fuels are used in smelting, the Value of products main use for wood is in underground timbering. (doUars) without which it would nor be possible to go deep :'

Ftcuu 3.-This old picture was taken some time between 1884 and 1892 on the Durlodge National Forest. Stacked on these rolling hillsides are row upon row of fuel wood destined for the smelter at Anaconda.

F'nest Resources of .:Vfontana ·, • metal ore. Shaft coal mines in eastern Nfontana times the capacity of existing water power plants. likewise used considerable wood. For each ton of .\foreover, this pmential is equal to one-fourth of coal taken from l'vfontana's shaft mines 0.92 linear all the developed hydroelectric power capacity m foot of round timber and 0.23 board foot of lumber the United States today. ~ were consumed. Each year the entire mining indus­ In this semiarid region water for irrigation adds try in Montana used 43 million board feet of sawed a great deal to agricultural income and stability. material and 3 million cubic feet of round and In the absence of irrigation, many areas with fertile hewed products (20) . soils are of low productivity. Irrigated lands pro­ ~fontana farmers are also heavy consumers of duce from 80 to 100 percent of the cultivated and wood. It is estimated that they use about 6 million hay crop values in many sections of the 11 \Vestern fence posts annually. The average western Nion­ States. Figure 4 shows the proportion of crop in­ tana farmer uses 1,700 board feet of lumber, come of J\Iontana counties from irrigated lands in shingles, and building logs annually as compared 1939. to about 1,100 board feet in eastern Montana. Roughly 1.8 million acres in :'vlontana are irn­ West of the Continental Divide, where timber is gated. Four-fifths of that acreage is in the Missouri abundant and coal is scarce, many homes are heated River basin. According to an estimate by the with wood. The average wood-burning home in National Resources Board in 1936, the total area that area consumes about 13 cords a year. which could ultimately be irrigated in ~lantana is 3.9 million acres. Onlv California, Colorauo, and Water Values in the For est VVyoming have greater potentialities for irrigation from the standpoint of area. Between 1929 and It has been said that the greatest treasure of 1947 an average of 23 percent of the total cultivated the \Vest is water. \Vhile such enthusiastic state­ and hay-land area in :\Iontana was irrigated and ments tend to overlook the fact that the usefulness produced about 3~~ percent of total crop value (S). of water is almost wholly in servicing the land and The importance ot irrigation is more than one its products, it is nevertheless true that continuous of comparative yields. In the Great Plains part of availability of usuable water is a key factor in the i\lontana, dry-land farming involves gambling on future development and prosperhy of the region. the weather. Some areas ha\·c received as little as A national news magazine (1) summed up. fhe 5 inches of precipitation a year. The frequency oft; situation well when it pointed out "In the \Vest, such years when the snow and rainfall are too water resources are to determine which regions light for good dry-lanu crops is the Achilles' heel can grow, which will he held back. Water dictates of .\Jontana's agriculture. During one drought the location of new industries, such as atomic in­ year (1936) 63 percent of the crop value was pro- stallations, chemical works, steel and aluminum plants." \Vater to drink, water for power, water for irrigation, water for navigation, and so on­ there is hardly a facet of living in this region that does not depend upon water. In the past two decades we have had amazing evidence of what harnessing wate~ power can start in the way of industrial development. At one time it appeared to some that the region might be headed toward power surpluses. Yet, industries are using all of the available electricity and are ask­ ing for more. Today it is apparent that, though : ..;;Jel'ceni the four Northwestern States use twice as much I ! - 80·100 VALUE OF IRRIGATED CROPS elecuicity per capita as the rest of the Nation, much 40· 79 !m AS PERCENT OF VALUE OF ALL of their hope for the future rests upon new hydro­ ~ CJ 5~ 39 CULTIVATED AND HAY CROPS. electric developments. The streams of Niontana i 1---: o- 4.9 EXCLUDING FORESTRY & NURSERY PtfCDUCTS. can support hydroelectric plants with a capacitv of 'orne +.070.000 kilowatts which is more than II FtGt.'ltE 4.

6 Forest Resource RepoH :.Vo. 5 l'. \. /)f'pflrtrnent of ,-l!:f.rinlilure duced on irrigated land. Expansion of the irri­ Extending into 1\fontana on the south is Yellov.·­ gated acreage is regarded, therefore, as a means for stone National Park, the oldest and one of the obtaining a greater stability for Montana's agricul- most visited of all our public parks. Lying entirely • ture (fig. 5). within i\-'fontana is Glacier National Park. It was The great value of water makes it the most established in 1910 because of its outstanding scenic important of all the products of Montana's forest attractions. Approximately 296,000 people visited land. Annual precipitation on forest land is prob­ Glacier Park one or more times in 1949. A survey ably three times as great as it is on nonforest land, of visitors staying overnight in the park indicated and the difference in precipitation on the higher that on the average they spent 9 days in Montana mountain areas and dryer lowland areas is much (4). Particularly significant is the fact that 75 greater even than that. Though only one-fourth of percent of the visitors interviewed said that they Montana is covered with tree growth, seven-tenths had come to Montana primarily to see the park. of the runoff or stream flow originates on timbered In addition to the national parks the Federal areas (fig. 6) . Government has dedicated 1.6 million acres of na­ When we take into account the factor of usabil­ tional-forest land in Nlontana as YVilderness and ity, i. e., timeliness, quantity, and quality, water Wild Areas. These areas are primarily of value from the forest assumes even greater importance. for recreation and are to be left in their natural In general the daily, monthly, and yearly runoff wild state except for developments needed for fire from forest land is much more stable than from protection. Thus, the public has seen fit to set aside nonforest land. Winter snows of low-lying art:as one-tenth of all the forest land in Montana' to melt quickly with the first spring thaws and run preserve certain scenic and wild attractions. off in quantities larger than can be used. A later The countless fishing streams throughout Mon­ and more gradual runoff comes from the forested, tana's forests and an abundance of wildlife are a higher elevations. Consequently, during the late major recreational attraction (fig. 8) ..\ 1948 in­ summer when water is at a premium, 80 to 90 per­ ventory (18) shows that Montana had 236,600 big cent of the stream flow comes from forest land. game animals distributed as follows: mule deer, In land management for water production the 109,800; white-tailed deer, 40,500; prong-horned objective is to secure water flows that meet the re- antelope, 35,300; elk, 35,000; black bear, 6,700; -quirements of timeliness: quantity, and quality. mountain goat, 4,100; moose, 3, 100; rocky moun­ Forests exert an important influence on what hap­ tain bighorn, 1,400; grizzly bear, 59!; and woodland pens to the precipitation even though they may caribou, 15. Data from the Fish and Wildlife not affect the amount of precipitation. This in­ Service indicate that in 1949 ?vlontana was second fluence may be good or bad, depending upon the only to Idaho in number of bunting and fishing character of the forest management. Therefore, licenses and duck stamps purchased per capita. people in the '),fissouri River and Columbia River From a strictly materialistic view, it can be basins, and even as far away as Astoria, Oreg., and pointed out that recreation is a big, profitable New Orleans, have by virtue of their dependence business in which :\fontana has a share. Recreation upon water a deep-seated interest in how the forests visiwrs have added greatly to the income of this of :\fontana are handled. State in the past and they c:~.n bring in many more dollars in the future. Ree>·eation Values of the Fo,-est Just how much income recreation brings into Recreation enters into this report on ,\,fontana's Ylontana no one knows. Hm~.·ever, State Highway resources because a large part of the State's attrac­ Department estimates show that the spending by tion is in its beautiful forest country (fig. 7). To out-of-State auto tourists alone amounts to a very most Americans the term "1-fontana" means rugged substantial sum (fig. 9). During 1949 they spent mountains and wide open spaces. Those who come $65,000,000. While ~fontana is often called the to the State for vacations seek mainly to enjoy an copper State. the tourists' spending was three times· invigorating summer climate, fine mountain scen­ the value of the copper mined that year. ery, lovely lakes, rushing streams, an abundance of fish and game, and some of the last real wilderness l Actually, more than half of this area is unsuited for in the United States. timher production.

Forest Resources of ~.Uontana 7 FIGURE 5.-Water for sugar beets and other farm crops. A. a member of a survey crew measures the depth and moisture con· tent of snow; B, snow supplies the greateT' part of the water for irrigated land, such as this on the Yellowstone River. (Photo d, courtesy of Ross Hall Studio; B, Bureau of Reclamation.) Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Depm·tment of Ag,·iwitn>•' A TYPICAL EAST- WEST PRO~IL£ 0~ MONTANA

WeJt~rn Monfono.I!Je oreo weJI ol' the Conlin~nfol [)/nde.li 8? parcenf /'(lf"eff load.lJJti enlire &stern Monfdno~ fhe area ea.sf ol' the oreo drt7inJ inlo lilt Poc;I}C Oaon Conlimmfal iJ/nde~ is IP _,?ercenf lbre.Jflona'. ELEVATION IN Pppnuima/4/y j million oc!"es. locol~cl of 1/Je THOUSANDS OF ~0NitNENT4:_ BEt. I _;Uncft.tre o/' the CtMfinentol IJ;Vitle and /h(!. FEET 0/VIOE MOUNTAINS lnfernofional8oundory. ond anof!Jer Y4 v- m;//ton ocr4J in tile JV.£ corner oJ"Ihe flofe drain info lfudron 8ay, The rest ol' fo.rfern Montano cfro;n.r info the Ou/1' ol' Me..r1Co via !he Uiuouri O/Jd MtJJt.f.fi)J,Pi fiverJ,

3

FIGURE 6 .

•

FIGURE. 7.-Blue Paradise Lake on the Gallatin National Forest. Such beautiful country as this is one of Montana's great il$Sets. Here you will find the largest remaining wilderness. • ~) Forage Values in the Forest tribution of this forest-grazing land by ownership class, in million acres, is estimated as follows: One-third of ~\Iontana's forest land, or roughly i.2 million acres, supports enough plants oE forage private, 2.0; State and county, 0.7; national forest, value to classify it as suitable for grazing. The dis· 4.0; other Federal, 0.5. .,' Several hundred thousand cattle, horses, and '• sheep graze on forest land for a part of each year. Although the 7.2 million acres include some poor range land, they also include some of the best. The succulent forage on many open·forest areas at the higher elevations provides exceptionally fine grazing (fig. 10); a majority of the lambs coming off such areas go directly to packing plants without further fattening. The forest and intermingled open range is also the home of most of the big game which makes Montana a hunter's paradise. \-Yinter range areas on and adjacent to the national forests, used by the principal big game animals. are 2,923,000 acres. elk; 6,490,000 acres, mule deer; and 1,918,000 acres, white-tailed deer. These acreages overlap for the simple reason that the habitats of the animals overlap to some extent. Timber Can Increase 1i1ontana Income .Y!ontana's economy rests mainly upon its farms, FIGURE 8.-0ne of the many wild animals which abound in mines, and forests which provide a considerably .\fontana's forest. Alontana is the principal home of this larger portion of the State income than they do cub's ferocious cousin, the griuly. Eighty-five percent of of the national income. :\fontana's dependence

10 Forest Resource ReptYrt No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture •

i'-169072 • .FtGURE 10.-shup on their way to summer range in the high ffl!JUIItains of tht! Gallatin National Foust. During 1948 there were 117,()()0 cattle and horses and 273,000 sheep under paid permit on the national forests of Montana.

:\fontana is very good: there is a great backlog of tincnt;d ral!w:ty) inro the State brought it clcher to saw timber. For the Nation as a whole, the problem the East. .Even so, .\{onuna i"' 'itill handicapped is one of impending shorta_~es, and in the eastern by tLtnsponation difficulties. half of the United States, the sa\\-'·timber stand ;, The cost o[ getting product'! to rhe principal :tbout half as large as is necessary to meet the long­ 111arket.-; of the l~nited State-.. has placed :1 hcav~· r::mge timber requirements estimated by the Forest ~h~lfc nt the load tm resource-; tlut can pay the Service. The situation in :\Iontana is in pleasing lrcig-ht Ponderosa ;md white pine. bt'Gluse ot contrast with this. Full use is not being made of the their high \·;:due, have been iO heavily cue that capacity of the forests to produce wood. There is there [.., a -;horta~e pwb!em. Some miils !uve -;hut mfficient timber available in the State to permit 1 dn1\·n in p~hC yean for the bck ot thc..,t· ~pecies, permanent expansion of 'iome tvpes of industria! '~n~n though there '.\-~1'i :nnpk timber nt '">ther use. -..pecte_-, ,lvailable which 1vas l)f ~ood qu:tlit\ ~10d Even though the over-:1ll situation is encouraging, ... uitabk for many purpo-;es. some problems remain. There has been excessive -;incc \Vorld \V:1r I [ :1 high demand for timber development in spots and underdevelopment in product-; ha:; improved the po-;iuon of \fontana's others. The reason for that lies in the transporta· :>t>condar:' species. fhe probkm uf Ltck 1)f markers tion problem. Before the first \vood-burning steam is. however. :1 long: wav from heing fu!lv overcome; engine chugged in from Ogden in 1880, \fontana thtTc arc still large volumes of unmarketable tim­ was part of the remote \\·e~c -;o remote as to pre· l>er. P:1n of the answer to this predicHnent lies dude the export ot any hut the most valuable in increasing the indw;trial appetite for wnod-; products. The construction ot four transcon- other than ponderosa and '.~,·hire pine .

• f,)rest Resources of Jfn;1fana ll ln:Jhilir~- tu ~ct at timber that :ibuuld be io'_jged ha~ been a !lLtjot h~wdicc1 p '/ALUE ADDED BY :,) t"ore~t de\elupmcm . .\bny sr:tnd-; are elfcctively locked up by the J.b~t.:ncc 11ANGFACTURiNG • 1947 cer cao•to nf roads over w!1ich to move the timber. During the pa)t h::1fl century nun\ , miles ot: road have been built, but thn are kndl~, more than the minillllllll ;-:.:quircJ to protect the timber trorn fire ..\ Lnc_;c part ot the lou,ging h:.b been on the tl·inges ut the tm·esL It the lurcc-,t is to ~lht:un the max.nnuJu o[ indLL~trl,tl devclopme!H, it uut.~t be made :tcu:~::.tille t·tJuuu,·h w perlllit .t de-,:r:!llle de_!.::_ret: r1t utilintion ;tnd m;w,l~ttnent ~Jt

. -\ large volwne ut nuture ,tnd O\'Ll'lll~ttun; ttndJt:r prc:::.ull.~ .t ditbcult lHJ.ll· ;tgement pro!)lclll. Cutting muc-,t be :.pre:td ()\ cr ;t lou~ period \dliic 'oun~ ~tanJ-; :tre beim;; .'-;I'IJ\\'11 (_[:t~. J:;), ~uHl rhcrc l'> :t \'1)\l..,Llllt temptation Lr> cut luu he,lvilv. Such timbt:r is p:1niut!arh ntlncr:t!Jlc to ;~Ltctd,~ I>\' lll~tu~ ,tnd di.~c-.t-.e. ln Ltct, Ill tlw jUSt .)0 ye:trs thc1c ha:-, been :t -.tupt·!Hlou-; lu"~ !rill\ I itlK( c :tttack.) ~tnJ. the problt'lll has not hcctt coped H·ith ;alt:qu:nelv .

. \nv cou~ider:ttion ot the biv, job ot lnndling .\[olll~m:t·-. tnrnt (IJ ptudttv·

continuin~- high ;:it:ld'> o( timber sooner ur btcr hrin~'i up the 1tUlttl 11t IJ\vncrship and the joh ul ll.l~l!la!.!_cment he ill!-!, dotle. BIJcll jHI\ ;tte ,1tHl puf>liL rn1·ners have ~

FIGURE II.

FiGURE 12.-Hauling timber ove-r a timber access road on the Kootenai ,Vational Forest. ,\fontana has a timber-growing c pacity that has not bun utilized to the extent possible and desirabk Greater utilization requires, amon_g other thir:g road construction w make the timber availaOie.

12 Forest Resource Repnrt .Vo. 5 C. ). Department of .--lgncull-'11 FIGURE 1$.-A, Th~ Lick Creek timber sale on the Bitterroot National Forest in 1909 shortly after logging. B, The same area 39 years later. The Lick Crult sale is notable a.s the first large-scale selective cutting ope-ration in .Vfontana. It. was one of the early altempts to cope with the difficult silvicuiturai problems found in a forest with a high proportion of overmature timbe-r.

F·Jre5t Resources nr· .'vlnntana l 3 The Forest

~------~

:\E-FOURTH of Montana is forest land,' slopes, in some localities 6,000 feet and more above 0 22,359,000 acres in all. This is about 3y2 sea level. Consequently, most of the timber in' percent of the total forest in the United eastern ~fontana occurs as a series of islands or States. Only five other States have a larger forest patches. Figure 14 shows the proportion of forest area. Thirteen million· acres of ~fontana's forest area to the total land area in various parts of lie west of the Continental Divide, and 9 million the State. acres are in eastern \Jontana. Distribution within the nvo areas, by class of bnd, is as follows: Western Eastern Montana .lfontana Total (million (million (million Cla.s3 of forest land: acres) acres) rv:res) Commercial 8.9 6.9 15.8 __ :-i" oncommercial 9., 1.6 4.1 Reserved 1.6 .9 2.5

Total 13.0 9.4 22.4 l\Jontana's forest is neither homogeneous nor evenly distributed. For convenience, its distribu~ ,_ tion can be described this way: \Nhere there are ~ 90 RELATION Oe FOREST AREA mountains there is forest. The mountain ranges - 70 TO TOTAL AREA 13] "II - 30 are mainly in the western two-fifths of the State -o- 10 and extend in a general northwest-southeast di· = rection. turning eastward along the southern FIGURE 14. border of the State. \'\There there are extensive low ::\·foisture and tCmperature also have much to do areas or prairies, the natural vegetation generally with the great variation of timber t~'pes within is grass and sagebrush, except for thin stringers of the forest. These t1\'0 'veat:her factors are in turn timber along the rivers and streams. related to altitude and exposure. There is an 1Nest of the Divide, particularly in the north­ II ,000-foot difference between the highest and west corner of the State, the rough topography sets lo·west points in :\fontana. up conditions that result in more moisture than occurs farther east. Because of this favorable The Reserved Forest climatic factor, the forests of western ~fontana cloak 81 percent of the total land area and extend One-tenth of the :VIontana forest (2.5 million over all but _the wider valley floors. acres) is reserved and thus unavailable for timber East of the Divide the drier climate holds the use. 2\Jost of the reserved area is federally owned lov.. ·er margin of the forest higher on the mountain land in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks (933,000 acres) and wild and wilderness areas in 6 The definicion of "forest land" and ocher Forest Survey the national forests (1,588,000 acres). Figure 15 terms used in this report are in the appendix, pp. 60 to 52. Because the terminology differs somewhat from that in shows the location of these principal reservations. earlier reports, the definitions should be studied carefully. Approximately half of the reserved area (1,070,000

14 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture as noncommercial. Throughout the commercial MAJOR RESERVED FOREST forest there are patches of very steep or very rocky land which are unsuitable for timber production I AREAS IN MONTANA and, therefore, classed as "rocky noncommercial." •I A typical rocky noncommercial area is shown in figure 15. I \z ~oncommercial forest lands-- bv definition are i of negligible importance from the standpoint of producing usable timber. However, since more and I more attention is being given to water development and control in the Columbia and Missouri River Basins, the importance of these lands from a water­ " shed standpoint is increasingly evident. The deep snowfall in ~fontana is on the higher areas where such forest predornimites. Trees on these areas have

I. GLACIE"' .~TIONAI... I'IARK 2 CAI31NET MOUNTAINS WII..D AREA much to do with the rate of snow melt and runoff. ' ~ISSION 1.10UNTAINS WILD AREA Thus, though the noncommercial forest lacks the 4 308 MARSMAU.. WILDERNESS A!'IEA ~. GATES OF MOUNTAIN WILD AREA capacity to grow usable wood, it will receive more 6 SELWAY BITTE~~OOT WILDERNESS AAitA 7 Al'fACONOA ?INTLAI=t WILDERNESS AREA attention from forest manag,ers in .years to come. 8 SPANISH F'EAK WILD AREA 9 YEUOWSTO""E NATIONAL f'ARK 10 ABSARQ!(A WILD AREA II BEARTOOTf-1 WILCEFlNESS AREA The Commercial Forest

C,lore than two-thirds of the forest area in _Mon­ FICURE 15. tana is both suitable and available for timber production. This area, 15.8 million acres in all, is acres) would. if it 1vere not reserved, be classed as therefore classed as commercial. Fifty-six percent commercial because it is potentially accessible and of the commercial forest in Nfontana lies west of has the capacity to produce usable timber. the Continental Divide. The Forest Survey recognizes the 8 general com­ tThe Noncommercial Forest mercial forest-type groups shown below. Several In addition to the reserved area, 4.1 million of the groups are divided into subtypes, as shown acres cannot be considered from an industrial stand­ in the appendix tables. point. These 4.1 million acres." though available !Veste,, ErJ.Sttrn .lfontana ]fontana Totai - for timber growing, either lack the capacity to pro­ (millio11 :'m1ilion 'ml/lro"' Forest type group: acres) acres j ar.res) duce t~sable timber or are too remote or inaccessible White pine 0.3 0.3 for the most part to ever be logged. Although this Ponderosa pine 2.2 1.2 3.+ noncommercial forest is widely scattered, by far Larch 2.6 2.5 Douglas-fir 1.2 1.7 the larger part occurs at the climatic upper limits 2.9 Spruce-fir .4 .3 .7 of the forest zone where drying winds, a general Lodgepole pine 00 •.0 o- 4.i harshness of weather, and a thin soil mantle retard Hardwoods .4 .4 tree growth. Alpine fir, whitebark pine, and Engel­ Coniferous woodland .8 .8 mann spruce predominate. Figure 15 shows a Total ...... 8.9 6.9 15.3 typical high-altitude noncommercial stand. Along the dry lower margin of the forest in Four tvpes (lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, Doug­ eastern Montana, where the timber gives way to las-fir, and larch) cover 86 percent of the commer­ grass, there is another belt of scrubby timber. Be­ cial forest. cause wood is generally at a premium in such locali­ A considerable forest area at the lower elevations ties, most of these stands are logged to some extent in eastern :\'fontana bears scrubby, !ow-quality and by such use become "commercial." However. stands. Some of the area is noncommercial but most some of the poorer quality juniper stands are classed of it (800,000 acres) is classed as commercial and

Forest Resources of Montana 15 {t SU8AL?lNE NONCOMMERCIAL MAJOR OCCURRENCE OF NONCOMMERCIAL FOREST {7 ROCK'! ~COMMERCIAL

---.

stands. FIGURE 16.-Subalpine and rock'V rtoncommerdal of .-l.gr,;l Forest Resource Report ~··(). 5 C. S. Depaurnent 16 included as "coniferous woodland" type. This coni. Figure 17 shows the geographic distribution of ferous woodland can best be described as scrubby timber volume. Although 71 percent of the saw­ open stands along the outer margin of the forest, timber volume in the State is located we.st of the t::ith only limited usefulness from a timber-supply Continental Divide only 45 percent of the total standpoint. Several species are found in the wood· volume of pole timber is in that part of the State. land type, but 75 percent or more of the area is The low saw·timber volume in eastern :O!ontana dominated by ponderosa pine and juniper. (29 percent) is accounted for by the fact that Montana's saw-timber supply totals 56 billion much of the timber there is lodgepole pine, a large board feet.' which is 3y2 percent of the saw-timber part of which never grows big enough to be classed stand in the entire United States. This figure, the as saw timber. first based on a complete field survey, is somewhat Douglas-fir is the most common tree in :Montana, higher than earlier estimates. In 1925 the saw­ and lodgepole pine is a close second. Other prin­ timber stand was estimated to be 50 billion board cipal species are western larch, ponderosa pine, feet (2), and in 1945, prior to completion of the and spruce. As shown in the following tabulation, Forest Survey in eastern ~fontana, the estimate more than half of the total live, sound timber in was raised to 53 billion.~ Because the earlier esti· the State is Douglas-fir and lodgopole pine. mates were based on far fewer measurements than All timber Saw· timber the present one and are subject to unknown errors, ( billio" ( billio" it cannot be assumed that the differences between Species: cub:U: /tel) board fat) estimates indicate actual trends. Also, the stand· Douglas-fir 4.7 15.4 Lodgepole pine 4.1 6.9 ards in the present survey are different from those Western larch 2.4 11.8 formerly used. This matter 1s more fully discussed Ponderosa pine 2.2 1.1.0 in the appendix, p. 60. Spruce 1.4 i.O Grand fir, hemlock, redcedar .3 .9 1 Board·foot volume figures in this report include only the Whitebark and limber pine .3 .6 sound wood in the sawlog portion of noncull trees 11.0 Alpine fir .3 .6 inches in diameter and larger. Hardwoods .3 .7 'Forest Service basic statistics for U. S. Dept. Agr.· Misc. Western white pine .2 l.l Pub. 668. Forests and National Prosperity-A Reappraisal the Forest tf Situation in the United States. 1948. Total 16.2 .56.0

DISTRIBUTION 0~ TIMBER VOLUME Ponderosa Pine IN MONTANA BOARD-fOOT VOLUME The II billion board feet of ponderosa pine in OF SAW TIMBER ~fontana is about 6 percent of the total saw-timber CUSIC·FOOT VOLUME volume of this species in the United States. Eighty· All TIMBER five percent of the ::Vlontana ponderosa pine is west of the Continental Divide. Ponderosa pine, which grows throughout the West, is one of the most important woods in the United States. Its superior workability makes it much in demand, a fact that has given it a strong market position in comparison with some of the other :Montana conifers. These factors make pon· derosa pine one of the major timber assets in this State. Commercial forests in which ponderosa pine is the key speciiS are of two general classes: the more or less scrubby and open woodland type stand 'NesterT\ t.ast ern 'NesterT\ t.asterT\ already discussed, and the W.C~\f>.~f>. \.AQ~\f-.~1>.. \.I.Q~\11-~1>. \.AQ~iA~J>.. denser ponderosa pine type of which. there is 3.4 million acres in Montana Flctnu: 17. (fig. 18). •Forest Resources of .~.\fontana 17 '£_'\ PONDEROSA PINE STANO

MAJOR OCCURRENCE OF PONDEROSA PINE FOREST {). WOODLAND S1A.ND

F:IGlJltZ 18.-.eonderosa pine forest. of Agricult: Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department 18 The ponderosa pine areas of eastern :Vfontana acres of commercial forest land (not including are, with a few exceptions, of low quality from woodland) , six-tenths of which is in eastern Mon­ the standpoint of producing capacity. In western tana (fig. 19) . ~fontana the stands are better and the averao-e site quality is classified as "medium." This .is abo~t lVestern Larch •the same as in the pine region of eastern Oregon Forty-four percent of the western larch saw and Washington. timber in the United States is in J\'Iontana-a total The ponderosa pine type in western Montana of 11.8 billion board feet. All of the larch except can be subdivided into the pure stands found on for a few trees occurs west of the Continental the drier areas, and the mixed type in which the Divide. pme occurs along with other species, principally Larch is one of the larger and better trees in Douglas-fir. Ecologically speaking, the mixed pine :Yfontana, growing tall, straight and clear~ and forest is growing on Douglas-fir sites and the pres­ occasionally reaching a diameter of 5 feet. Its ence of ponderosa pine is accounted for largely by growth habits are such that it will produce more past fires. The improved fire protection of recent clear wood than any . other native tree. Seventy­ years and the logging of the pine create a manage· two percent of the volume in larch saw timber ment problem of how to keep Douglas-fir from today is in trees 20 inches and larger. gradually taking over most of these areas. Larch is believed by some to have more undevel­ op~d potentialities than any other native species­ Douglas-fir It is used mainly for sawed lumber products, a pur­ :\fontana has 15.4 billion board feet of Douglas· pose for which it has not commanded a high fir. Though it is the most common species in the price and certainly not the one for which the higher State, only 3J;2 percent of the total saw-timber quality trees are best suited. Tests prove it to be supply of Douglas-fir in the United States is located a very good veneer wood. This species is also un­ in l\tfontana. usually rich in galactose sugar, an extractive t.tia -r. makes up from 12 to 20 percent of the dry weight Few, if any other important American trees, ~f the wood. The heaviest concentration of sugar grow under more diverse climatic conditions than 1s found at the butt of the tree. As yet no industrial • Douglas-fir. The range of this species stretches all use is made of this extractive. the way from the humid Pacific slope of Wash- Larch makes up half or more of the timber vol­ ington and Oregon to the semiarid parts of eastern ume on 2.6 million acres of forest land in western ~lantana. The tree itself varies as much as the \Iontana. Its principal associate is Douglas~ fir~ climatic conditions of its range. On the Pacific coast which accounts for about one-third of the volume occasional trees have reached diamerers in excess in larch stands. Larch is a pioneer tree that re­ of I 0 feet. In Montana a 36-inch Douglas-fir tree establishes itself best on a.reas burned to the min­ is .a large one and the average saw·timber tree of eral soil and on 'which there is a minimum of shade_ this species is about 16 inches in diameter. Sixty- Because young larch will not grow in the shade . three percent of the Douglas-fir saw-timber volume of a parent stand. the species forms a so-called is in 11- to 20-inch trees and 33 percent in 21· to temporary type: that is, ir gradually gives way to 30-inch trees. more tolerant trees-principally Douglas-fir-if the Even though the Montana Douglas-fir is consid­ stand is not disturbed ..\ tvpical vir~in larch stand erably smaller more than the coast and scrubby is shown in figure 19. variety, it is locally important. In eastern Montana, where it is used for bridge planking and other struc­ Lodgepole Pine tural purposes, Douglas-fir is probably more sought after than ponderosa pine. It is particularly suit­ C.fontana's supply of lodgepole pine saw timber able for timbering the metal mines of western is 6.9 billion board feet, approximately one-third :VIontana, because it gives warning signs of strUc­ of the total saw-timber volume of this species in the tural failure. United States. Two·thirds of the ~fontana volume Douglas-fir is the main species on 2.9 million lies east of the Continental Divide. •Forest Resources of 1.\t!ontana 19· MAJOR OCCURRENCE OF DOUGLAS-FIR FOREST (; ,.)

LARCH STAND c)

DOllGLAS-F\R STAND tJ : ),

F-210999, 4t546t51 F'IGUltE 19.-Typical stands of lar-:h and Douglas-fir.

20 Forest Resource Report iVo. 5 U. S. Department of Agricultun~ .-\. prolific, aggressive tree, lodgepole pine has by ·waves of dendroctonus beetles. :\{~[ of the taken over much of the vast area swept by fires in timber killed by these beetles has long since fallen years past. Today, forests dominated by this species to the ground and deteriorated beyond salvage. t cover a greater area than any other commercial type However, Forest Survey measurements indicate in the State-about 4.6 million acres. In eastern that 361 million cubic feet of dead lodgepole pine Yiontana one-third of the commercial forest is might stilJ be used for pulping and certain other lodgepole pine. purposes. The volume of this salvable dead wood One of the outstanding features of the commer­ is about one-tenth as large as the green lodgepole cial forest of iviontana is that most of the area is pine volume. well covered with tree growth. Despite extensive severe fires, only 3 percent of it, excluding wood· Sprucf: has so few trees as to be classed as nonstocked lands, From the standpoint of quantity, spruce is the or de-forested. This situation is attributable in large fifth most important tree in the commercial forest part to the prolificness of lodgepole pine and its of :VIontana. The 7.0 billion board feet of spruce weedlike capacity to thrive on burned-over areas. saw timber in the State is approximately one·fifth Dense, pure stands of lodgepole pine, such as shown of the total volume of spruce in the \..Yes[ern States. in figure 20, have sprung up on innumerable burns. :\o es[imate of the eastern spruce volume is avail­ The ease with which this species reproduces has. able, but it is probable that at least 13 percent of however, been a disadvantage as well as an advan­ the total spruce saw-timber volume in the United tage. :\!any stands, overcrowded to start with, have States is in .\fontana. in later years stagnated. One of the management Two species of spruce grow in the State: Engel­ problems in the lodgepole pine type is to keep the mann and white. Actually, the distinction between number of stems down to where individual trees these species is an academic one, for the two woods can grow rapidly to merchantable size. are very similar. \Vhite spruce, though it occurs Like some of the ponderosa pine, much of the in several localities, is a minor quantity. pine is growing on land which, from an lodgepole Spruce grows primarily at higher altitudes. Cun~ ecological standpoint, belongs to other species. ningham, et al (2) , found that "The lower range is great visitor • Lodgepole pine has been called the confined to moist canyons or protected north slopes. " that comes to see the fire and stays for a rotation. while on other exposures it finds sufficient moisture In the absence of future fires, other species will only at higher altitudes .... It is found in greater normally take over many areas presently bearing abundance and of better development in the forests lodgepole pine. bordering t~e Canadian boundary than elsewhere Lodgepole pine is typically a small tree. The aver· and appears to attain the largest dimensions on the age saw-timber tree of this species has a diameter of deep-soiled springy slopes and along canyons." Be· approximately 12 inches as compared with approxi­ cause spruce has an affinity for the higher areas mately 20 inches for ponderosa pine saw timber. which lack roads, it has been little used. Only l percent of the lodgepole pine saw-timber volume is in trees larger than 20 inches. This is in Other Conifers contrast to the larch saw-timber volume, 72 per­ cent of which is·in trees larger than 20 inches. Only The range of white pine, hemlock, grand fir, and its small size in a western forest of giants has kept western redcedar, which flourish in northern Idaho, lodgepole pine from being heavily· cut for lumber. extends into the western edge of 7\.fontana. From Its properties are very similar to those of ponderosa the standpoint of area, these are minor species predominating on only 357,000 acres or 2 percent pine.~ During the past half century an enormous area of the commercial timber-growing area. However, of overmarure lodgepole pine forest has been swept the 2 billion board feet of saw timber of these species is almost 4 percent of the total saw-timber ~The •·ersatility of this species was described by !. V volume in Montana. White pine (fig. 21) and its :\nderson in a talk entitled LODGEPOLE PIN£: A ~rt:LTIPLE· three associates occupy some of the most produc­ PURPOSE wooo, given before the Washington·Idaho·Montana in the Dry Kiln Club at Libby,· ~tont., jn .-\ugust !949. tive forest land in the State. This is shown

Forest Resources of M on/ana 21 (( LODGEPOLE PlNE STANO MAJOR OCCURRENCE OF: LODGEPOLE PINE FOREST SPRUCE FOREST {'. SPRUCE STAND

FIGURE 20.-Lodgepole pine and spruce stands.

22 Forest Resource Repo'rt ~Vo. 5 U. 5. Department of Agriculture

(} COTTONWOOD STA"O

Frcvu 21.-White pine and cottonwood ..rttJnds,

Forest Resources of .vtantana following comparison of potential annual-growth timber capital has been depleted by heavy cutting. capacities for forest type classes in western l\tfon· Consequently, those forests are producing at part tana: white pine, redcedar, and hemlock-grand fir, of capacity and can be restored to full production 73 cubic feet per acre; spruce, 67; ponderosa pine, only by building up the saw-timber growing stock. :'''.····~~ ·)J 40; larch, 40; Douglas-fir, 26; and lodgepole pine, That is a long, slow process. The Montana forest, 20. in common with the forests of the other Rocky Alpine fir is common at the higher elevations, :VIountain States, has an excess of mature and although individual trees are found almost to the nearly mature timber (fig. 22). valley floor, down many north slopes, and along A detailed tally by age class in 0vestern :'>fon­ stream bottoms. 1Iuch of the alpine fir is in non­ tana shows that almost half of the timber area in commercial areas. However, 610 million board that part of the State bears stands older than 120 feet is found on commercial areas. The tree itself years, and that one-fourth of the area bears stands is considered to be of low quality and is little used. more than 200 years old. Such proportions are It is, nevertheless, suitable for pulping. considerably in excess of requirements. The saw­ Whitebark and limber pines likewise occur timber volume in :\fontana amounts to 8.100 board widely throughout the eastern Montana forest and feet per acre of saw-timber stands and 3,700 board to a smaller extent in western i\ilontana. The feet per acre of total commercial forest, excluding total Volume of these two species in the State is woodland areas. East of the Mississippi River the 628 million board feet. :Vluch of the timber is average is 1,600 board feet per aae of commercial scrubby and not very usable. However, on areas forest. The classification of the .Montana commer­ where growing conditions are favorable, whitebark cial forest, with the exception of woodlands, by and limber pine timber possess qualities compar· )ize of timber, is as follows: Westent EasteYn able to some of the best found in western white J.fontana }fonlana Total lmil/wn rnuU•on (million and ponderosa pines. acres) acres) acres) Saw-rimber stands 3.7 2.0 3.7 Hardwoods Pole-timber stands 3.0 3.4 6.4 The hardwoods of the East and 'West meet in Seedling and sapling stands. 1.8 .6 2.4 Nonstocked areas . .4 .I .5 eastern, ;\fontana. Aspen, cottonwood, boxelder, green ash, willow, birch, and elm are all native Total 8.9 6.1 15.0 >!~ ;) "'"" to the State. However, only cottonwood occurs in Another notable fact IS that the area of non- sufficient volume to be important. The total hard· stocked forest land is small even though thet e wood saw-timber volume in ~lantana is 695. million have been many and extensive fires in years past. board feet, of which 677 million is cottonwood. This is largely due to the great capacity of several Three-fourths of the ivfontana cottonwood is east species, particularly' lodgepole pine and larch, to of the Continental Divide. reseed on burned areas. l'viontana's commercial Cottonwood is the only tree in :LY!ontana native forest, in addition to having only a relatively small to every county. Scattered widely along the streams denuded acreage, is for the most part satisfactorily and rivers, it occurs in largest quantities in some stocked. Complete stocking data are available only of the rna jor river bottoms. In pioneer days the for western :.Vfontana. They show that 86 percent boilers of river steamers on the :Vrissouri were fired of the area of pole and seedling and sapling stands with cottonwood. Today it is used for lumber, in that part of the State is medium- to well-stocked fence posts, and fuel wood. :VIontana's cottonwood with trees. is of three species: northern black, narrowleaf. In addition to the nonstocked area, there are and plains (fig. 2 I) . 800,000 acres of woodland in eastern Yfontana that are also less than 10-percent covered with trees. Character of the Commercial Stands The lack of timber on the so-called woodland areas, The retarded utilization of the :Vlontana forest however, has nothing to do with past fires, other is reflected in a stand condition very different from damage, or cutting. It merely reflects the fact that that in much of the rest of the Nation. In the these areas are on the lower end of the scale of eastern regions of the United States most of the commercial quality and productivity.

Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture ample in relation to the use which has so far been AGE OF THE COMMERCIAL FOREST made of it. The total cut of live and dead timber ~- IN WESHRN MONTANA of all kinds has averaged less than 100 million l!q r. cubic feet per year. Thus, if size and quality could be disregarded, there is enough timber to keep logging operations going at the present rate for I 70 years or more without any additions to the volume by growth. Although only 3 percent of the total usable volume in the State as a whole is dead wood, the situation varies considerably by locality. In Beaver· head County, for example, 14 percent of the usable timber of all species and 20 percent of the lodge· pole pine are dead. Two-thirds of the dead timber in Montana is lodgepole pine killed by. the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus monticolae) . In 1909 an infestation of this beetle was reported on what is now the Flathead National Forest. That was the beginning FlGtJlll!: 22. of an epidemic which eventually swept southward across the western part of the State into the Bitter~ The Volume Timber in ,¥fontana of root Valley and Big Hole Basin. During the three Approximately 93 percent of the timber cut in decades the epidemic raged, it killed billions of ;\fontana is from live, sound trees of saw-timber board feet of mature timber, mostly lodgepole pine. size of which there are 56 billion board feet. It is This single epidemic probably killed as much or tO be expected that a large part of the timber maybe more lodgepole pine of saw-timber size production will always come from saw-timber trees. than is standing today. Figure 23 shows the general However, there is an additional and only partially location of the major bodies of dead timber in the tapped supply of wood in pole-timber, dead, and State. cull trees which is suitable for certain purposes. A large part of the mature lodgepole pine, for ex· Timber Growth in ~\1 ontana ample, is only pole size, that is, 5.0 to 11.0 inches in diameter. :Nfany other stands need to be thinned, ~et annual growth of all timber 5.0 inches and and they would provide a substantial volume of · larger in :V!ontana is 241 million cubic feet, nearly usable wood of all species. 2 percent of the total for all of the United States. As shown in the following tabulation, the total The net annual growth of saw·timber trees in stand of live and dead timber in the State is 17 .'>fontana is 606 million board feet, about 1]12 billion cubic feet. percent of the national total. These are indeed Tolal timbe' 1t4nd small percentages, considering that approximately j,_ lfontGIIQ ~3~/~ percent of the :'\ation·s commercial forest lies Billilm cubic jw Percent in :Yfontana. This situation is accounted for first Sawlog portion of saw-timber trees 8.1 48 by the fact that .'>fontana forest land at its best Pole-timber trees 7.2 42 will not grow timber as fast as the forest land of Cull trees ·.3 2 several other regions. Secondly, growth in Montana Dead trees .5 j Top portion of saw-timher trees .9 5 is currently low because the forest is in an un­ developed condition, much of it being overmature Total 17.0 100 and slow growing. Figures are not available to Though much of this timber is growing stock that show what portion of the total growth capacity should not be cut for many years, it is apparent that in the United States is in ~Iontana, but there is the existing timber volume as a whole is more than no question but that the following figures will be

Fnre:.;t Resources of Jr[ontana 25 considerably exceeded as the Montana forest is cut over and restocked with thrifty stands. MAJOR BODIES OF Net annual growth of live saw tim­ ber and primary growing stock DEAD TIMBER IN MONTANA Pr-imary growing Live saw timber stoclc (million (million bd. ftet) cu. ft.) \Vestern Montana 346 97 Eastern Montana :260 144 • Total 606 241 At present 60 percent of the net cubic-foot tim­ ber growth in 1\fontana occurs east of the Con~ J tinental Divide. This may seem strange. consider­ ing that only 43 percent of the commercial forest area lies in eastern ,:\Jontana and that this forest has on the average a substantially !ower growth FIGURE 23. capacity than the forest of western ;y{ontana. Here again the answer lies in the character of existing the long run we may expect the net annual growth stands. One-third of the saw-timber area west of the there to be substantially higher than in eastern Divide is overmature, growing slowly, and suffer­ 1\fontana. As a matter of fact, inasmuch as the ing heavy losses from insects and disease. This western ::\fontana estimates are based on measure­ overmature condition is much less common in east· ments made in the middle thirties when precipita· ern \fontana. Proportionately, much more of the tion was below normal, current annual growth in eastern .;\fontana com1nercial forest bears young that area is no doubt somewhat higher than indi· stands, many of which are in the stage of most rapid cated. The majority of growth measurements in growth. eastern l\t!ontana were made following World War The cutting of the overmature stands in western II, during a period when precipitation was slightly Montana is gradually changing the picture, and in above normal.

26 Forest Resource Report LVO. 5 C. 5. Department of Agriculture Montana's Forest Industries

ORE than 400 sawmills and at least 75 other Size of ,\'[ ontana Sawmills wood-usxng plants operate in .Montana. M its third phase of The output of all forest industries in 1948 Lumbering in ivfontana rs 1n was valued at 50 million dollars. These industries development. The first phase was the operation run by Holter are a major source of employment and income for of the pioneer mills, such as the one many communities. and Evenson. The second phase, from about 1890 during which Lumber is the principal wood product in :Vlon· to 1925, was that of the large mill, Eureka, Troy, tan a, and lumbering the principal manufacturing big plants were constructed in Libby, towns. Ac­ industry. A number of other forest commodities :\Iissoula, Hamilton, and several other 1921, large mills are also produced: mine timbers, transmission poles, cording-to the lumber census of production pulpwood, fuel wood. posts, lath, shingles. hewed accounted for 75 percent of the lumber in that year.~~ The third phase began after 1925. ties, converter poles, corral poles, and Christmas trees. Large mills dropped in number from i to 5 in 1948 and their production fell off proportionately. Dur· The Lumber Industry ing the quarter century following 1925 many smaller plants \'\'ere established and their combined output Since the 1840's when the Jesuit Fathers in the in 1948 was over 300 percent higher than in 1926. ' Bitterroot valley flattened out a wagon ·wheel tire In 1948 the most important segment of the lum­ and cut sawteeth in it, "the lumber industry has ber industry was the medium-size mills which pro· come a long way. Their crudely construcceJ. sawmill duced 48 percent of the lumber cut (fig. 24). Just was the first. The next one ·was brought to :\Ion· how much the center of gravity shifted between cana in 1863 by two men, Holter and Evenson. 1921 and 1948 is shown in figure 25 and in appen­ Hitched behind a yoke of oxen, this mill was hauled dix table 2J. more than 1,000 miles from Denver, Colo., to The larger mills that haYe closed over the years ~{adison County. It was in operation in !864 and appear ro have done so because of their inability the first boards sold for a top price of SHO per to get enough ponderosa pine at a time when it thousand board feet (5) . From such humble be­ was difficult to marker timber of other species. The ginnings the lumber industry has grown to a 15- two largest sawmills in .J.fontana today, the Bonner million-dollar business. plant of the Anaconda Copper :\lining Co., and the Early production records show that :\fontana Libbv plant of the J :-; eils Lumber Co., have been mills sawed about 1~3 million board feet of lumber favored with :t backlog' :)f ponderosa pine timber. in l 869. By 1900 production exceeded 200 million Both also have had relatively good outlets for sawed board feet, and continued generally upv... ard to a material of other species. The Bonner mill saws peak of 427 million board feet in 1923. Lumber much larch and Douglas-fir for the Butte mines and output took a sharp slump during the depression, the J. :'oleils Lumber Co. has developed a market dropping to a little more than I 00 million board lo The term "large mills" :~.s used here includes plants pro­ feet in 1932. Following this, production headed ducing 10 million hoard feet or more annually; medium upward again to a new peak of 598 million board mills, 1 million to iO million board feet; and small mills. feet in 1948 (fig. 2, p. {). under l million board feec.

Forest Resources of JI on tan a F-463.!!5!, 463'3~0 FIGURE 24.-A, A mode-rn medium-siu sawmill of the type that is taking on greater impo..,tance in the lumber indu.strv. This is a band mill. B, A large-size sawmill, one of the few remaining in the Stau. Diversificalion, remanufacture, precision manufacturing, adeqUflte capital, and established outlets are some of the factors accounting {or the iong­ tlme stabilitv of lhese piants.

28 Forest Resou 1 re Report .Y r;_ maximum efficiency than are the larger mills. Per· haps the greatest handicap of smallness is in obtain­ LUMBER P~ODUCTION ing efficient management; it is far easier to find management ability for l large mill than it is for ~n 1§?/ 10 small ones. In view of the problems which seem to be in 7 Lorqe m;/ls inverse ratio to mill size, the sixfold increase in number of medium-size mills is most encouraging. While these mills are small in comparison with the mills that dominated the western lumber industry in the past, they are not the smallest. :\!any of 12 Alelf,i.Jm-s,ze m1ll.s them are large enough to permit the installation of dry kilns, resaws and other mechanical aids. ~ODUCED 15 PERCENT Such utilization opportunities make it feasible to build this segment o[ the industry into an efficient, 140 fmo/1 mills stable group of plants. Concentration yards, which buy up rough green lumber and dry, dress, and market it, are overcom· AfiiPRODUCED 10 PERCENT ing son1e of the disadvantages of small mills. Though concentration yards have long been an institution in the South, they have only recently ~fl 1tJ48 become important in :\.fontana. 5 Lorqe m1/ls Lumber Production by Species

Except for some cottonwood cut by small saw­ mills in the river bottoms of ca~tern ~Iontana, nearly the entife lumber production of the State 87 Medium-size m;//s is from coniferous timber. Three species, ponderosa :. pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir, make up nearly 95 percent of the cut. VVhite pine, spruce, and lodgepole pine are sawed by numerous sawmills 342 .fmo/1 m/IIJ in· the western part of the State, but the total output of these species is relatively small. Since !904, with the exception of 4 years, the ~DUCED 17 PERCENT cut of ponderosa pine has exceeded that of any other species. Y\lestern larch has generally been i'IGURE ;6. second and Douglas-fir third. The most significant for lumber of these species through an aggressive· point, however, is that \Vestern white and ponderosa sales prm:;ram. pine, \vhich together make up 22 percent of the saw­ The changing character of the lumber industry timber stand, have in the past half century ac· has both its good and bad features. Small plants counted for 47 percent of the lumber cut. This have the operational advantage of lower overhead,

Forest Resources of J1 ontana 29 _, qualities of western white and ponderosa pine and have been less able to pay their way. Fortunately, the mining industry and the railroads have pro­ T-REND IN DISTQI BUTION vided a local market for much lumber of _these less valuable species. ( During the war and posn... ·ar years the proportion af MONTANA of larch, Douglas-fir, and other less valuable species in the lumber cut increased. In 19-!8 these 'jpecies LUMBER .. accounted for 60 percent of the total lumber pro­ duction as compared with -!8 percent in 1937. This change was due to the outstandingly strong; post· war lumber market and the reduction of the western white and ponderosa pine timber supply. :Vfajor dependency, nevertheless. still rests upon the two pines even though they account for less than half of the cut. The over-all timber supply situation tn the United States is a basis for thinking that the markf't position of the less valuable species will continue to improve. Ho\.. ·ever, if there are periodic slumps in the lumber market in the future as there have been in the past. they will undoubtedly have a less adverse affect upon ponderosa and western white pine lumber than upon lumber of the less valuable species. Thus, the lumber industry will be more stable and profitable in the future if it has pon­ derosa and :vestern white pine timber to cut.

.\1arkets for t.Uontana Lumber The miner was the lumber industry's best c.:us­ romer for many years. Later the railroads became important wood users and also provided access .to 1924 1936 1945 outs!de markets. Still later with the great settle­ FmtiR:E 26. ment period following the turn of the century. :Vfontana farmers and ranchers began to use a ~EGIONAL DISniBUTION OF large quantity of lumber. Today a little more than half of the lumber cut is used within the State MONTANA LUMBER (fig. 26), the railroads being- the principal con­ 1945 sumers. Other in-state consumers or types of usc are, in order of their importance: farms, mines. remanufacturing, and nonfarm construction. As a group these users plus the railroads account for a.bout 90 percent of the in-State consumption. \fontana lumber is shipped all over the Nation . .\ survey in 1945 sho•yed sawmill shipments to 40 of the -!7 other states. with 71 percent going to the :V!idwest (fig. 27) . :-Iinnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Wis­ consin, and Pennsylvania were, in that order, the principal markets in 194,1. Fourteen percent of the 1945 shipments went to the \·Vest, 13 percent to F!i.l1RE 27.

30 Forest Resource Report .VI). 5 If. )'.Department of Agriculture r.he Northeast, and 2 percent to the South. This its adverse effect on the income of dependent general pattern of distribution, which has pre· communities. vailed for more than 20 years, is due largely to In cutting ties, the outer part of the log is the cOmpetitive position of the Montana industry either tossed to the slab pile or sawed into boards. in relation to South and ,~,.·est coast mills. For each 1,000 board feet of ties sawn, it is possi· ble to cut nearly 250 board feet of lumber, com· Railroad Tie Production manly referred to as side lumber. Tie sides from Cross ties constitute a sufficiently important part larger larch trees yield 40 percent in clear grades. of the lumber output in :\!fontana to warrant special The controlling factor as to whether side lumber mention. They have been a rna jor item of wood is to be sawn is usually the market price of larch use ever since railroads began to replace river and fir boards. When the price is relatively low, steamers and covered wagons. As the transcontinen· tie sides go to the slab pile; when the price is tal lines headed westward across the Plains States good, side lumber is sawn. During most years the during the latter part of the last century, the re· market has been so poor that much high-grade quirements for ties were tremendous. Even before wood has been sold for fuel or left to rot in the the rails reached to :\fontana's forest areas, ties were woods. being hewn on the eastern slopes of the Rockies and driven down the .Niissouri and Yellowstom: The Mine Timber Industry Rivers. Evidence of these early cuctings can still be seen in many of the remote areas of the Sun, Approximately one.fifth of the output of Mon· Gallatin, and Yellowstone River drainages. tana's sawmills is used by the mining industry in It was not, however, until the midtwenties that the form of heavy timbers, planking, lagging, or cross ties became a big item of production in iVIon­ other lumber. In addition, some 3 million cubic tana sawmills. Almost all of the ties cut in the feet of round and hewed material are used under­ earlier years were hewn by tie hacks, and as late as ground each year in the production of metal ore 1925 about 900,000 hewn ties were being cut and coaL The mine timber industry has grown up annually. This was slightly more than 40 percent to rneet this need. of the total tie output. The production pattern In the early days of metal mining in ~fontana • shifted rapidly, and by 1931 hewn ties made up ,,awed mine timbers were used to a greater extent about I percent of the total. all the rest coming than at present (10). As the price of sawed timber from sawmills. The shift to sawed ties brought a increased. however, round timbers began to be concentration of tie production to the northwestern used more. Unlike the hewn tie which has almost counties-Flathead, Lincoln, Lake. and Sanders. gone out of existence in this region, the round Here are located two tie concentration yards with mine timber has stayed in favor because it has been preservation plants. Here also are large areas of the cheapest material for the job .. Recently one larch and Douglas-fir, species which because of their company has been experimenting with slabbed strength and durability are preferred by the rail­ Hulls, that is, round stulls roughly squared to roads. In recent years larch and Douglas-fir ties facilitate packaging and handling. have constituted nearly one-fifth of the total saw­ Lodgepole pine was at one time the principal mill output in the State. ~pecies used underground. because the forests in Production o[ -;awed ties has become a ~pecialty the vicini[y of the metal and coal mines were trade for a number of small mills; portable equip· principally of that species. According to Rapraeger ment and crews of usually not over six to eight (10), this situation changed about 1916 when the men are typical. Cutting from 2,500 to 12.000 ties copper market of vVorld War I created an unprc· per setting, these small mills move rapidly from one cedented demand for mine timbers which local tract to another. In 1946 there were about 35 of :,u ppliers could not meet. It became necessary for them. Their operation has been notably unstable. some of the mining companies to reach out into Annual sawed-tie purchases from 1942 to 1947 the larch· Douglas-fir foreSt for timber. Since freight ranged from 42 million to 9i million board feet. rates were favorable and two of the major The worst feature of such fluctuation is, of course, mining companies owned extensive tracts of larch

Forest Resources of .Vfontana 31

) and Douglas-fir, the market lost by lodgepole pine homes. I£ new development proceeds at the rate was never regained. Today more than half of all planned by the Rural Electrification Administra­ the round timbers produced in ~fontana are larch tion, about 2,500,000 poles will be needed annually and Douglas-fir, mainly the latter. between 1950 and 1957. After that the demand The Anaconda Copper Mining Co., which uses is expected to drop to 1,500,000 poles a year. most of the round timbers in the State, obtains the Rural electrification and telephone cooperatives, greater part of its supply in western Montana of course, represent only part of pole requirements. although its operations are widely scattered. The There are some 55 million poles in service in the smaller concerns "'o-enerallv . obtain timbers in the United States, exclusive of Rural Electrification vicinity of their mines. Three.fourths of Montana's Administration utilities. The annual replacement mine timbers are produced in the western part of on these lines is estimated to be 2,700,000 poles the State. annually. ~fontana has sufficient timber to supply an even The Pole Industry larger share of the Nation's pole needs than it has in the past. It is estimated that the annual Prior to World War II some 20 to 30 thousand cut of lodgepole pine alone can be stepped up telephone and light poles (mainly western red­ -four times and even then be well within the cedar) were cut annually in Montana. The short desirable cut limitation. The major problem of supply of redcedar timber, the preferred species for the industry is that of meeting strong competition poles, and also the lack of processing and treating from other producing States. ~feeting competition plants kept pole production at a low level. Between '-\'ill require a reduction in production costs, devel· 1945 and 1948 I 0 processing and treating plants opment of preservative treating processes to meet were built-6 in western :\lantana and -! in eastern buyer specifications, and otherwise creating a de­ ~fontana-and the pole industry came into its own. mand for Montana poles. These plants, plus the additions to those already Though I'viontana's big new market in recent established, involved a capital investment of I y2 years has been for small poles for rural lines, one million dollars. In 1947 the industry produced company is attempting to develop outlets for west­ 325,000 poles. Production slipped badly in 1948 ern larch poles 45 feet and longer. Western larch is because of unfavorable mar\tet conditions, but rose well suited for the production of such poles. It has .J, again to 222,000 pieces in 1949 (appendix table a desirable shape and will produce a variety of 25)- • sizes. Moreover, if properly treated, larch poles The expansion of this industry was based compare favorably with poles of other species in the primarily on the utilization of lodgepole pine tim­ matter of service life. These factors plus the in­ ber. Growing straight and slender in dense stands creasing difficulty of finding adequate supplies of and having a high proportion of the desired 30- long poles in the South suggest a favorable market to 40-foot lengths and 8- to 12-inch diameter classes, outlook. In 1949, 15 percent of the poles pro­ lodgepole pine has the qualities needed to make duced in :VIontana were western larch. good telephone and power poles at a low cost. Nearly one-third of the lodgepole pine timber in the United States is located in \.fontana, so with The Christmas Tree Industry the rapid depletion of redcedar in other Western For more than 20 years Christmas trees have been States the growth of :V!ontana's pole industry was an important product of :\lantana's forests. Nearly a natural development. 3 million trees are shipped annually to midwestern A greatly expanded rural electrification program, and eastern markets. This is about one-seventh of beginning in 1945 stimulated the rapid growth of the total production in the United States. The the :Vlontana pole industry. Although the propor­ development of the Christmas tree industry in tion of farms in the United States which are elec­ Montana is due primarily to the large number of trified jumped from 11 percent to 87 percent in Douglas-fir trees on low-site quality areas in the 15 years, there is still a big job to do in bringing western part of the State. Growth on this land adequate electric and telephone service to all rural is sufficiently slow to produce the dense foliage

32 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture desirable in Christmas trees. Some lodgepole pine 1949 averaged 8,400 cords a year. In 1945 wood· trees have been shipped, but only on a trial basis. procurement problems caused several VYisconsin Lincoln and Flathead Counties in the northwest mills to look to Montana for pulpwood. Six-hun­ corner of the State furnish about three-fourths of dred-and-forty cords were shipped eastward that the trees shipped each year. About 70 percent of year. Despite the long haul of more than 1,000 the trees come from private properties but in miles, shipments to the Wisconsin plants climbed recent years cutting has been increasing on State steadily to 50,000 cords in 1949. Figure 28 shows and Federal lands. This industry, which employs the trend of pulpwood production from 1940 about 2,500 workers for 2 months before Christmas through 1949. and brings about l million dollars into the State, Even in 1949 pulpwood constituted less than is a desirable one. Cutting of Christmas trees, like 5 percent of the timber-products output for the any cutting when properly done, adds to the pro­ State. Since it takes approximately 130,000 cords of ductivity of the forest. It also provides employment wood a year to keep a 200-ton sulfate pulp mill run­ during a slack period. ning, the construction of even one or two mills In 1948, Montana Christmas trees were shipped ·would make a major change in the character of to 33 States, and a few carloads were exported to the industrial drain upon the forest. foreign countries. Five States, Illinois, Iowa, {v!is­ Montana produces 187,000 cords of fuel wood souri, Texas, and Kansas, received slightly more and ~.900,000 fence posts annually. All but a than half of the 1948 shipment. 'lmall part o[ the fuel wood and fence posts is In the midwestern market area where most of consumed within the State, mostly near the the i\Tontana trees are sold, freight from most com­ locality in which they are cut. peting areas is less than from n.fonrana. For ex­ ample, from New Hampshire to Chicago the rate Commodity Drain on ,l,Jontana's Forest per hundredweight in 1949 was $1.29; from New Brunswick, $1.64; from western Montana, $2.22. .-\pproxirnately eight-tenths of the timber re­ These rate differences emphasize how necessary it is moved from the commercial forest of western ;\Ion~ for the i\Tontana industry to establish a reputation rana is for lumber. In contrast, lumber use for high-quality trees and to keep prices at a reason­ represents only one-tenth of the production east able level. of the Continental Divide. In that part of the State In recent years there has been some evidence that the quality of trees shipped from this State is declining. It is therefore clear that more effort PRODUCTION 0~ PULPWOOD must be made to grow better trees and to grade IN MONTANA tree shipments. Growing better trees and more of them involves cultural practices such as thinning 40 1940··1949 of thickets, leaving stumps with live branches to produce more trees, pruning of lower branches from thin-topped or badlv formed trees, and in. some cases planting to maintain full stocking. The adop­ tion of Chris[mas tree grading rules is recom~ mended to provide a basis for quality measure~ ments.

Pulpwood, Fuel Wood, and Fence Posts • Montana does not have a pulp mill but it does produce pulpwood for export. For many years pulp logs have been shipped westward. During World War II the shipments reached a high of 15,000 cords, and in the 10 years from 1940 to FrGuu 28.

Forest Resources of J.fontana 33 ~.I.

more timber is being cut for each of three other :Vfontana the volume of timber is increasing be­ products, fuel wood, posts, and pulpwood, than for cause of an excess of growth over drain. In western lumber. Montana the volume of all timber 5.0 inches and During the period from 1939 through 1948 an larger is likewise increasing, although the saw- ··)r average of 94 million cubic feet of live, sound timber volume is declining. Because the logging timber was cut yearly. This drain has two corn· activity is on the whole poorly distributed in west- ponents which are discussed later. ~inetv-three em ~fontana, many areas are being heavily cut percent of the timber cut, or 528 million board feet, and the saw·timber growing stock decline in these was of saw-timber size. that is, 11.0 inches in areas is even more rapid than for western :VIontana diameter and larger. The other 7 percent of the as a whole. drain came from pole-timber trees, 5.0 to 11.0 inches in diameter, and amounted to 93,000 cords an· nually. The average annual commodity drain on Mon­ ANNUAL CHANGE IN tana's forest growing stock for timber products GROWING STOCK is as follows: Averag~ annual commodity drain, 1939--18 ALL TIMBER Live saw Live POle timber l1mber Total fmillion !thousand fm11/ion bd. ft.) cords) cu. ft. J \Vestern :vfomana 479 38 81 Eastern ~fontana 49 51 13

Tocal 528 89 94 This excludes the production from dead and cull trees (primarily for fuel wood and fence posts) SAW TIM BED. which amounts to almost one-tenth of the total + 211.000,000 production, but it includes logging waste, that is, BOARD FEET live timber either cut or damaged beyond recovery in the course of logging operations but not used. Eighty-seven percent of the volume of the trees cut and damaged is taken out of the woods. The WElTfRN rest is left to rot. MONTANA Figure 29 compares the commodity drain with the growth figures presented earlier. In eastern FJGUR.E 29.

'

Forest Resource Report .Vo. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture . ' ..,. Timber Supply and Industrial Development

-~'------~

.\iDIJSTRL\L use of .\fontana's timber has been and protection are steadily improving, and there I slow to reach the present level and even today are hopeful signs that the economic handicaps is considerably below the productive capacity which have held up development will lessen. :-Jever­ one of the forest. .\io doubt the brightest fact in the theless, for a realistic view of the siwation esti· forestry situation is that timber is available to sus· should bear in mind that the allowable-cutu tain a larger forest industry. However. there are mates in this report can only be justified if the 'orne qualifications that must be understood and four requirements mentioned above are met. There taken into consideration. The opportunity for is a time element involved too. It is quite obvious expanding the timber cut is contingent upon mak· that the improvements in management, protection, ing more effective u.sc of the forest. There are. in and development cannot be permitted to lag. H other words, four requirements that must be met if h'E drift along for several decades ·without making production of timber products is to be sustained at these adva!1ces, the a!lowahle cut will be lower the level made possible by the growth capacity of than indicated here. the forest. I. Better distribution of the timber cut so far as Conditional Allowable Cut 1·pecies, size, and kind of trees are concerned. A The total <.:onditional allowable timber cut in large part of the logging has been concentrated \Iomatta is 250 million cubic feet a year, or 129 upon the more desirable timber, whereas use of million cubic feet greater than the 1948 timber cut. the rest has lagged. .-\s emphasized by the following tabulation and 2. Belter distribution ot the t1mber cut so far figure 30, two·thirds of the opportunity for ex­ ru area is concerned. Many stands classed as com· panding- the cut is in types of \vood only lightly mercia! by the Forest Survey are not yet operable utilized at present, namely, pole, dead, and cull primarily because of a lack of roads. lJ nless the trees and the tops of sa·w-timber trees. entire commercial forest area is utilized, the maxi­ Conditlc1t4l 1'N3 cut aiJ t1t1Jabl e cu~ mum timber cut cannot be sustained. (m.Ulio,. ( mJJliQ1s 3 . •Wore complete utilization of the trees logged. cu. Jl.j cu. It·) Sawlog portion uf ~aw-timher trees 100 148 logging operations the tops of the saw­ In most Pole-timber trees 9 55 timber trees are not utilized. These tops represent Dead and cull timber and tops of saw­ about 10 percent of the usable wood volume of timber trees 12 47 the trees. Yield estimates in this report are based 121 250 on the assumption that such material will be w;ed Total in the future. L lntensz/ication of forest management and pro· put the fores[ tection. :Vfuch needs to be done to The cut of saw timber reached an all·time high and to minimize losses. in a productive condition in l948 but it "'a~ still below the allowable cut As in farming, forestry yields have a direct rela­ 11 cut,'' In tionship to the amount of effort expended on crop fhe desir;Jb!e le\·eJ of we is called "<~llowable allowable cut should be culture. 'rands in a depleted condition, the less than the annual-growth rate to permit a build-up of in attaining full forest produc· The difficulties growing stock. In stands where the volume of older timber tivity in .\'fontana are by no means insurmountable. is grellter than nece<~sarv for sustained production. the .-\~ a matter of fact, forest·management practices

Forest Resources fJ{ .\fontana 35 '

for the Stat<.: Js ,t \vhr;\c (fig. :50) ..\s compare( CURRENT ANNUAL TIMBER CUT COM­ with an allot.,.·able cut of 861 million board feet tht cu: WITH THE ALLOWABLE ANNUAL cut >vas 682 mdliou. In eJ.stern :'-.fontana, the PARED of Stl:w timber Gl.ll be ..;i.x times that of 19-1:8 CUT IF MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOP­ On the other lund in i\·esu:rn :\Ionuna clurinl; 19-t8, the cut of Jll speci<.:~ exceeded the alloLc· MENT REQUIREMENTS ARE MET--- able cut-by 13 percent-(or the first time. The MONTANA opportunity for expanding the saw-timber cut t: mainly in the ~maller size ,aw-timber trees, 11.0 tc :?0.9 inches in diameter. SAW TIMBER {mJIIIon board feet) Pole Timber

In general. todJy·~ pole timber trees are tomor· rmv's saw·timher trce'i. Therefore. mo~t of the pole· timber tn:cs arc growing stock and should not be cut. There is, hot.vcvcr, a sizable volume of 5· to 11-inch timber that can he remo\'ed '\'ith benefi~ to the 'itands. From an industria! ">tamlpoim, the mo::ot 1mpor· latH part of :\Ionrana's mercbamab!e pole timber i5 in lodgepole pine -;tands that have failed ro reach ->::nv-timber 'iile en·n though they are mature, and in \orne ca:;c-; overmawre. The small sizt~ of the trees in these ~Hands is due rn three bcrors; the natural ~n1allne~'i ot lodgt'·[)olc pine, the dense condirinn nf some stands. and poor g:ro•,·illg- condj. POLE TIMBER 635 tiom rlol\' -..itc qu~tiitn. \\'h:He,·cr the rL":l'iOtl, this (thousand cords) polc-~iJC timber i-> rl':ld~· for h,1nest and i-; excellent raw materia! for pulp anti several other uses. ln addition co the more or less solid stands, pole tin1 her is al...;~) )C:lttt::red throui.Jf10ut the forest. Some ol it should be thinned out of young stands to inc.:rca.se their '.!,rnwd1 rate. ~onle ot: it is poor­ risk timber in dlder stands, aml should be logged :.dong with sa\\' timber to make \•.:ay for more USABLE DEAD AND CULL vignrous trees. Cm1parariq;ly little pole timber TREES AND TOPS OF SAW­ hZJ.s hec;I :o.~gcd :n d1c pa.-;t :tnd lor th:a rea-;on tile TIMBER TREES opportunity for e:-.:panding the cut is even gre:lter ( lhous,and cords) than it i:-:; lor sa\v timber. In western :\-Ioncana the ;tllowable cut ot pole timber is four times :ts I:Jr~e as the average 19.")9--lt) cut: in ea~rern :\Iontana it is nine times J.s large. . -\ny statement that more pole trees should be logged in the tuwre than have been in rhe past needs careful (iUalit"ying-..-\s pointed out earlier. 1948 CONOITIONAL AVERAGE CUT most of the pole timber is growing stock-the )ource ALLOWABLE 1939-48 CUT of future smv timber. Cnless the pole trees to be CUT Ftcuu: 30. cut are selected ·with discrimination. increased log~ ging can do more harm than good. .-\s a matter of

Jti Forest Resource Report .Vo. 5 1.!. S. Department of Agricultur~: fact, some harm has already been done. The extra operation should grow smaller as time passes, be· good lumber market following World vVar II cause good management should eventually reduce caused the premature logging of some vigorous, widespread and devastating insect epidemics. t fast-grm.,d ng, young ponderosa pine stands of pole How much dead timber nov..· standing can be size and slightly larger. Because such stands are· in made available and logged at a profit before it short supply, premature cutting of them under~ deteriorates is difficult, if not impossible, to say. mines the future of established dependent saw· Assuming that 5 percent of the existing volume timber industries. is used annually, the annual cut for some years to come would be 3!!,000 cords-68,000 from western Dead and Cull Trees and Tops of Saw-Timber :\fontana, and 243,000 from eastern Montana. Trees The volume of cull timber is considerably smaller The usable portion of trees \Vith rot and other than that in dead trees. If it is utilized at the defects, and trees killed by fire, insects, diseases, rate of 5 percent a year, the cut will be 127,000 and other causes, is a ,~,.·ood source that has been cords-80,000 from western Montana, and 47,000 little used. Lodgepole pine stands devastated by from eastern :\-fontana. the serious insect epidemic that swept over :Vfon­ .-\nother source of wood is the top portions of saw­ tana from 1909 to 1933 constitute the largest sup­ timber trees ..-\t the present time, loggers in western ply of dead timber. However, there is also much ~fontana are utilizing the top portion of I tree out dead timber of other species. of 20. In eastern :\fontana about half of the top por­ Climatic conditions in the Rocky ~\fountains tions are utilized, chiefly because a large part of the preserve fire-, insect-, and disease-killed timber for cut is being used for pulpwood. The volume of a long time. The remarkable lasting quality of the top portion of the allowable annual cut of much of this dead. standing timber is attributed saw-timber trees would be 102,000 cords-36,000 to the drying out of the wood to the point where from western :.fontana, and 66,000 from eastern decay fungi cannot spread (7) . ;\{any larch trees :\lantana. that died in the first decade of this century still The combined allowable cut of dead and cull contain sound, usable ·wood. There is ample evi· trees and the top portions of saw-timber trees is dence that dead lodgepole pine in the high, dry estimated to be 540,000 cords; the actual cut in ~ forests of eastern :Vfontana ·will last a quarter 19·1R was I 38,000 cords. century or more. A recent study in Utah and Colorado reported cases o[ dead trees remammg The Allowable Cut by Species and Ownership standing and salvable for iO years (i) . The dead timber is suitable for many uses. For The utilization of saw timber in iviontana 1s example, tests of lodgepole pine lor pulping show very much unbalanced so far as species are con· that it will yield pulp comparable to that from cernecl (fig. 31). Three of the high lights in the green "·ood of this species. except possibly for a statistics for the 1948 cut are as follows: slightly lower tearing strength. I. The cut of ponderosa and white pine saw The drawbacks of dead wood for pulp, poles, lum­ timber was 81 percent above the allowable cut. ber, and other products are somewhat higher log­ ~- The cut of larch and Douglas-fir saw timber ging costs and greater wasta!Se because of defects. was 3 percent above the allowable cut. fhe fact that much ·Jt ~he Jcad timber is )cattered :J. The cut oi other species, mainly lodgepole throughout green :;tands makes it desirable even pine and Engelmann spruce, was 85 percent below from the operator'~ point of viev·l to put it to use. the allowable saw-timber cut. :\evertheless, very little dead timber has been used The most disturbing feature in the i\·fontana for any products except fuel wood, fence posts, timber situation is the excessively heavy cut of and stulls. Green timber is preferred because it ponderosa pine west of the Continental Divide. is easier to use, there is still plenty of it, and it Since 1925, except for 4 years, the cut of ponderosa requires less care in selection. pine saw timber in western :.\Jontana has been The ~fontana forest can supply a substantial higher than the allowable cut (fig. 32). While quantity of dead wood for many years. The salvage the overcu[ting of this species is offset to a small

Forest Resources of

PONDEROSA AND WHITE PINE (milhort board lttll ST4HO IN \,_.9

FtCl.'lt.E ~2.

LARCH AND DOUGLAS-FIR extent by the uncut surpluses cast of the Divide, (million boord IH!l that fact does not solve the problem in western ~fontana. In several localities rhe o\:ercuuing ut ponderosa pine has been especially 5evere. In Ravalli County. for example. the cut durin~ the decade 1936 co 19-Lj wa~ ..tlmo'>t duee times higher than the allow­

able cut r fit;. 33). The inevitable result will be dra'>tic::lllr cunailed production of ponderosa pine for a long time. Only a fev.r ~eneral statistics by ownership are ,\vailahk. They are prest::nted in table I, which ~hm.. ·s that the conditional allowable cut of saw timber on the national forests is in all instances higher than the present cut. However, the na· OTHER SPECIES tional-forest cut of ponderosa pine and western (mJIIion !)OOrd ltttl white pine in western :\fontana is about as high as it should go. anJ the larch and Douglas-fir cut is :1lso ,1pproachin~ the ceiling. There is consider­ able room for expanding the cut of other species. On the national forests of eastern :\fontana, the present cur 0f 'iaw timber of all species is only a fraction of the conditional allowable cut. fhc 'iiwation of the other ownerships is different. In ca,aern \fontana the timber cut outside the AVERAGE CUT 1948 CCNOITIONAL national forests could be doubled. But, in western 1939-48 CUT ALLOWABLE CUT :..fontana the ponderosa pine, l: larch, and Douglas- ll The mlurne of western white pine outside the national forests is too smal! to permit J.n Jccurate over-all comparison of :lrtu:~l :1nd J!lowab!e cut.

38 Fl)rest Resource Report Xo. j C. 5. Department 0{ .,..Zgrirulture T ..\BLE I.-Montana saw-timber cut in 1948, by two major COMPA~I50N OF CUT OF PONDEQ05A PINE ownership groups, compared with conditional allowable cut WITtl ALLOWABLf CUT OF THAT SPECIES 1---.---'WeHern ~Iontar\3. Eastern MontarJa QAVALLI COUNTY. MONTANA I I Condi- ! ' ConJi- Owner~hip clnu ; 1948 1' tion~l : 1948 tiona! 1925;1945 <:ut , allowable ! .:ut ,1 allowable cut 1-- '"'

Mtllion [ .1-filllon .'dill!&» .\fiilion 1 :--tational forest; j l)oard }ret l)oard (ut ! /Joord (nt /)oard fUI 1 Ponderou and west-i I J 10 ern white pine .. 'r 47 1 48 Lar~ h and Douglaa- I 1 fir ...... 1 116! lH! 91 62 Other species ..... i 14 / 127 1 15 j ISO ;----''------Total 177 1 319 i 26 1 252

:\11 other; Ponderosa I ==r== we!tern

pine ...... j 198 69: 61 IJ Larch .1nd Douglaa-1 t I fir. i 241, 136: IOI 23 /)ther 1pecie1 161 36) gl 13 i ______i r--- Toral. .1 455 ~ HI !_ _.::,. = 49 1 Total, a!l owners. . ... I 632 %0 50 JOI fiCVRE 33. ! I I

fir timber not in the national forests is being industrie:,. On the other hand, these figures make heavily overcut. The drain on ponderosa pine is it plain abo thac indiscriminate industrial develop· three times as high as it should be. Table I, of ment would do more harm than good. It is essen­ course, reflects only the over-all situation of all tial for the development to be fitted to the other ownerships combined. In some localities and resource so as to make the most of the timber on some of these holdings the rate of cutting is surpluses and not to aggravate the shortages. I quite satisfactory. On others the unbalance is Three broad lines of action will meet that re­ therefore that much more marked. quirement: (I) Developing new industries with Though privately owned timber in western Mon­ different raw material needs; (2) modifying the tana is in general being cut much roo rapidly, wood consumption habits of the lumber industry; the heaviest overcutting during the period I 940- and (3) making more effective use of the wood cut. 19 occurred on State-owned lands.

Dtcveloping .Yew Industries with Different Wood Indllstrial Expansion Opportunities Requirements

:\Ionrana's commercial forests provide work for .-\ major shortcoming of the timber industries in about 5,800 persons in logging camps, sawmills, );fontana today is the lack of diversification in and other timber-product industries. This is at manufacturing. Eight-tenths of all the timber cut the rate o£ one 1\·orkc:r for every 2. 700 acres of goes w the sawmills. And if fuel wood is excluded, commercial forest, which is very much different nine-tenths of the timber cut goes to sawmills. from the national average of roughly one worker There is nothing wrong with the fact that sawmills for every 300 acres. It seems unlikely that forest predominate, but the fact that they have been industries in :\Iontana can be built up to the point obliged to be selective so far as raw material is ,~,-·here there will be one worker for every 300 acres. concerned has created much of the present diffi­ However, the allowable cut figures make it plain culty. chat there is considerable room for increasing both The most obvious solution to the Iviontana the income and employment from forest-products problem is a great expansion of pulpwood protluc-

Forest Resources of ,.'vfontana tion in the State, because pulp mills can utilize adapted to small and less valuable timber. The species of timber and small trees not suited for I urn~ lumber industry in the ;<;orthern Rocky Moun­ ber. It has long been felt that much :Vlontana tim­ tains was established mainly to manufacture pon­ ber will be a drug on the market until such time as derosa and white pine lumber, and production\' there is greater use of it for fiber. methods were designed to handle old-growth timber.\ Although 53,000 cords of pulpwood were shipped of these species. The same methods are not suited out of the State to \Visconsin and \Vashington in for such species as lodgepole pine where quality 1949, that volume was but a small fraction of what sa wing is secondary to a high rate of output. The the forest can supply. The total annual allowable matter of fast and efficient handling of small logs cut of saw timber, pole, cull, and dead trees to a has received considerable attention in the past 4-inch top in Montana is 1,786,000 cords greater few years. Swedish gang sa,vs designed to meet this than the average cut of wood for all purposes dur­ need, have been installed in several Montana mills, ing the decade 1939 to 1948 and 1,386,000 cords and new types of sa\vmills are being experimented greater than the 1948 cut. An annual cut of 130,- with in various parts of the country (11). 000 cords of wood is sufficient to support one 200- ton sulfate pulp mill. Opposing these favorable "VI ore Effective Use of Wood Cut resource figures are the economic realities which possible to enlarge the employment and have so far prevented any pulp mill from being It is forest products industries 50 to established in the State. Along with some of the income from the increasing the cut itself by other Rocky Mountain States and Alaska, :Vfontana 100 percent without the large sawmills of the region is farthest away from the large consuming centers. one stick. Though efficient in the United States, The rising shipments of pulpwood eastward suggest, are among the most progress has been made in however, that the prospects are brighter than they and though considerable utilization in recent years, the forest indus­ were for large-scale pulpwood production in ~fon­ wood of making the most of the logs tana if not for a local pulp and paper industry. tries still fall short rhey cut. Studies show that when lumber alone Modifying the Wood Cons11mption Habits of the i.s sawed from the average ponderosa pine log and Lumber Indwtry no byproducts are made, one-third of the usable and l))} Obviously the lumber industry cannot continue w~od is wasted in slabs, sawdust, edgings. "iilJ to overcut ponderosa pine timber without sooner tnms. of more effec­ or later exhausting the supply. Since ponderosa One notable step in the direction briquetted fuel from pine is valuable, it is highly desirable that this tive use is the manufacture of etc., are made species ahvays constitute a substantial part of the wood waste. Toy stock, molding, at several n1ills. Low grades of lumber production. The ans\~:er, of course, is from scrap lumber hard to sell in normal times, are being to shift part of the burden of lumber production lumber, A pilot plant has recently from ponderosa pine to other species. Unfortu­ made into grain doors. the feasibility of making building nately, the rising production of other species in been built to test of the shaving-s from the lathes used to recent years has not lightened the pressure on board out peel utilitv poles. ponderosa pine. The feasibility of molasses production from sav.r­ Despite the fact that spiraling lumber prices since dust and mill scraps has been carefully investigated \Vorld \Var II have brought into use many of the with very encouraging results." ~early 200 tons of less valuable species, there is still need for greater wood waste are produced daily in the State use of these species by the lumber industry. This is ~uirable at locations convenient to main-line transportation. especial!y apparent in eastern :VIontana where 1948 Some of this material is used sporadically; most of sawmill output was only 17 percent of the allow­ it serves no w;chtl purpose. able timber cut. Part of the solution to the problem of the less H The process of chemical reduction of wood to make valuable species is the development of greater molasses is available for commercial use. Feeding tests have demand for their lumber.. -\lso. it is partly a matter demonstrated that wood molasses provides a satisfactory of developing lumber-production methods better subsritme for cane molasses as a livestock food.

Agriculture 40 Forest Resource Report ..Vo. 5 U. S. Department of :'vlontana la~ks sufficient supplemental feed to obtaining wood of the large size and high quality meet the needs of her livestock industry. Some necessary for bridge stringers, mine guides, ship 225,000 gallons of sugarcane molasses are brought keels, and several other purposes, the advance in and the opportunity ~, l irlto the State each year, but livestock people esti­ glues and gluing techniques, mate that molasses consumption might increase for tailoring the product for a specific use, brought to one million gallons if a cheaper and more reli­ laminated wood into the industrial picture. \Vith able source of supply is developed. the decline in quantity of large, high·quality virgin It is estimated that the potential feedlot market timber, the demand for laminated stock is gradually for molasses in ~Iontana could be met with the increasing. Advances in glues and gluing tech­ processing of 15 tons of wood ·waste daily. I£ "vood niques also open new possibilities for edge·gluing molasses is used extensively for r;iinge feeding of narrow boards together to make wide ones to meet ,:attle and sheep sometime in the future, however, customer specifications. panel sheath· the ~fontana market for the molasses wou1d rise There is some possibility of making far above one million gallons yearly, possibly to the ing from lumber to compete with composition point where the demand could not be met by wallboard. Much of the lumber shipped from processing even 200 tons of wood waste daily. :.\fontana is later cut up to remove the knots and The sawmill industry is giving more attention to defects in order to produce clear, small pieces. It the matter of remanufacturing and byproducts. might be profitable to do the cut·np work before Some mills have enlarged their operations by selling shipment to avoid the freight charges on material less of their output as lumber and diverting part of later discarded. it to making boxes, window frames, etc. The re4 Plywood mills, though they compete with saw· of manufacturing process in some instances more than mills for high-grade logs, are another means doubles employment. For example, lumber gives making effective use of timber. By peeling or slic­ 18.4 man·hours of employment per thousand board ing a log rather than sawing it, a high-value prod­ feet of production; boxes and shook, 29.9 hours: uct can be made with less waste. Thus, to the window frames and sash, 42.4 hours. All three fig­ extent that plywood mills can be operated without ures include the labor from tree to finished unduly encroaching upon the lumber industry, the indus­ product. they will be a worth·while addition to J One of many other products that can be made trial picture. is laminated wood. The _war·time difficulty of

41 For est Resources of M or~ lana

) The Timber Management Task

~------~

ONTANA'S commercial forest is .adding southward, causing havoc in timber stands until wood at an annual rate of 38 board teet per 1933 when it subsided. As the result, insect losses M 16 acre. As already pointed out, this net· from 1910 to 194-t, inclusive, mounted to 12.8 bil­ growth rate is not at present a limiting factor in the lion board feet. Most of the timber killed was tiinber cut because there is an excess of mature lodgepole pine, but much ponderosa pine was also timber. It is significant, however, because it is an lose. unsatisfactory yield in tenus of the capacity of the In those areas htaviest hit by insect epidemics, forest to produce. In the long run, as the older. the effect was catastrophic. For example, the stands are cut over, the growth rate can he greatly beetles killed 85 percent of the mature lodgepole increased. A realistic goal is an annual growth of 85 pine in Ravalli County, causing destruction which board feet per acre, but to reaJ;:h it involves con­ in places \vas almost as complete as if those areas siderably more than liquidating old stands. It will had been swept by fire. It is estimated that 25 per­ require both reduction of present heavy timber cen.t of the ponderosa pine saw timber in that losses and conversion of the forest to a condition county was also killed. Although the lodgepole where it can produ~e maximum growth. pine thus lost had no high commercial value, the resulting jungles of fallen trees have been a fire Reduction of Losses hazard and have rendered some areas unsuitable for graling. Even more serious, from the stand­ In 35 years, 1910-H, mortality in Montana's point of commercial value is the loss of the large forests amounted to 25.6 billion board feet. Half volume of ponderosa pine. of that loss was caused by insects, one-fourth by fires, and the rest by diseases, windthrow, su pprcs· In addition w the losses caused by the mountain sion, etc. The loss in those 35 years exceeded the pine beetle, many other insects have been respon­ cut by 26 percent. Even more startling is the fact iihle for a corbtant, heavy drain on all timber that lor every 100 board feet of saw timber added ipecies. \Vhilc these losses are not as spectacular to the commercial forest by growth, 88 board feet as r)le epidemic ones. they are widespread and have died. already killed many million feet of timber. · Figure J-1: :,how-. the trend of insect losses in Insects ~fontana for four decades. During the period 1921-:'W, bug-inksted timher was dying at the rate While some losses have been caused by defoli­ of _jOO million board leer a year. During the period ators that apparently work upon trees of all ages 1941-·H, the annual mortality declined to 200 mil­ and vigor, the principal infestations of the past lion board ft.:et. IHtt the ratl' of loss is believed to half century have been by mountain pine beetles have risen -~ince then. Cnlike fire lo:-;.ses, the down­ that attack ripe timber. An outbreak of this beetle ward trend ot damag-es by in:-;t.:cts after 1931 \Vas in was reported on Flathead National Forest in 1909. no way the result of man's etforts. It was due to the During the following years the epidemic swept natural cycle of insect attacks. Up to July I, 1950, 11 The growth and drain comparisons in chis section are a toral of onlv :5570.000 had been spent to combat mainly confined co saw timber to avoid confusion. However, insects in ~'fontana. Twice rhat amount is spent the story is in general the same for all timber. Growth and for fire control in a single year. drain data for both saw timber and all timber are in the appendix tables. p. 63. Timber stands are not sratic. If man does not

·!2 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of ..J.griculture of the nineteenth century some prospectors took advantage of that fact and set fires to clear the TREND OF ANNUAL TIMBER ground to make prospecting easier. The' great con­ flagrations of 1910 made it plain, however, that LOSS DUE TO INSECTS even without the assistance of incendiarists, fires were a major menace and a big job of controlling MONTANA 600 them Jay ahead if there was to be much timber available for cutting in the future. The effort to ;::- blanket the public and private forest land of Mon­ ~ tana with adequate fire protection starred shortly ~ after the beginning of the present century. At that ~ 400 time several fire protection associations were formed ~ by private lando\vners, and these, plus the fire­ ,;~ fighting organizations of public agencies, provided ~ some protection for most of the forest land. 200 The dramatic story of a successful battle against l:l<:> ~ great odds is seen in figure 35. H This record looks ~ even better when considered in light of the de­ ~ clining purchasing power of the dollar, labor short· "' ages, and other troubles which have plagued fire 0 control agencies in recent years. 1911-20 1921~30 1931~40 1941-44 There is no doubt that the downward trend of fire losses is in large part the result of a constantly better job of fire control. Speed of attack, for ex­ Flr.URE M. ample, is an essential element in control. The average time between the start of a fire and the harvest them when they are ripe, instcts and dis· arrival of the first men has steadily diminished. ease will. That the infestation of mountain pine Lookouts, air patrols, a network of protection roads, beetles reached the great magnitude it did from and more recently smokejumpers who are flown ) 1909 to 1933 seems to have been because a large by plane to many fires, have made possible this part of the :V!ontana titnber was over.mat~re. reduction in elapsed time. As the mature forest is harvested 1t wtll be n::­ Fire control men caution against complacency, placed by more vigorous stands, and los.'ies due to pointing out that the decade 1940-49 was more insects will probably diminish. However, under a favorable than usual from the standpoint of burn­ program of sustained-yield management, many ing conditions. The task of maintaining a good vears will be needed to complete the harvest of recorti in the face of rising costs and manpower ~he mature timber, and insects may do a great deal shortage<; is a difficult one. of damage in the meantime unless steps are taken to control them. Diseases

Fire Of all clle Jise::tses eating a\'.. ·ay at the timber in Yiontana one has by its virul~nce pushed into the Old-timers will recall the conflagrations of 1910, limelight. This is the blister rust of western white the blackest year on record for the timber of the pine~ which if uncontrolled can destroy young :-lonhern Ro~ky Mountains. In Montana alone the

Forest Resources of i\1ontana 43

} pine trees for poles, and a needle blight impairs the quality of some Douglas-fir stands lor Christ­ AREA BURNED WITHIN TtfE mas trees.

MONTANA NATIONAL FORESTS Other Losses

1.834.000 ACRES 1910 •. 1949 In 1948 much timber was laid flat by a big wind on the Beaverhead :"iational Forest. In the fall of 1949, a 100-mile-an-hour wind leveled a number of stands of timber elsewhere. This blow and two less spectacular ones in the spring of 1950 knocked down approximately 200 million board feet of saw timber on the Kootenai and Flathead :'>iational Forests alone. Damage of this sort has been occur­ ring at irregular intervals throughout the history of the stands. As timber grmv·s and individual trees require more room, stands are thinned out by crowding and shading. Since only the suppressed trees are affected, this loss is not spectacular. It is however, 364.000 ACRES an important part of the mortality. Snow, ice, and winterkill occasionally cause loss-sometimes spec­ tacular. In a few instances timber on entire drain~ 150.000 ACRES ages has been killed by adverse winter weather. 53,000 ACRES

1910-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 Present :.Wortality • - ,\)though progress has been made in protecting FIGURE 35. .\fontana's forests from fire and insect losses are lower (1951) than in some past years, it is disturb· stands in a matter of a few years and eventually ing to realize that a substantial part of the gross tim­ eliminate this highly prized species. Though only ber growth is stili being lost. In 1949, gross annual 2 percent of the commercial forest is western white growth for all timber amounted to 291 million pine type, this species because of its high value cubic feet; 50 million cubic feet, or 17 percent of is many rimes more important than the proportion this growth, was nullified by mortality. Twenty· would indicate. For that reason, a battle to con· nine percent of the sa1v-cimber growth was nullified trol the disease in western i.VIontana has been by mortality (fig. 36). The timber mortality is not under way since the early 1920's, and a study pub­ a complete loss in that some use is made of dead lished in 1948 affirmed the desirability of contin­ wood. However, the annual loss of timber is six uing the fight against this disease (6). Up to July times greater than the annual cut of dead timber. 1, 1950, approximately 2J;2 million dollars was spent in Montana for control work. Currently 63,000 A .Hore ComtJlet~ Protection Procrram acres of \vhite pine land in western :.VIontana is ' 0 under protection from blister rust. This is about The first order of protection in l\-Iontana's for­ 40 percent of the area that should be protected. ests was to curb fire. Thinking and attitudes about There are other diseases and parasites of eco· forest fires in this region have gone through a long nomic importance. Among them are several wood evolutionary process. For a time the question was rots. Three different species of dwarf mistletoe argued of whether or not fires on remote noncom~ impair the quality of western Montana Douglas-fir, mercia! land should be fought. Experience has cause the top-dying of larch, and deform and kill given the answer. Now it is generally agreed that lodgepole pine. A stem canker culls many lodgepole the soundest policy is rapid control of every fire no

44 Forest Resource Report .Vo. 5 U.S. Department of Agriculture ket. Thus, the matter of increasing industrial de­ velopment to secure complete utilization is of pri­ SAW-TIMBER GROWTH AND mary importance in managing ~-fontana's- forests. MORTALITY IN MONTANA Increasing Gross Growth If it were possible to eliminate mortality losses, • • OUT OF A GROSS the net annual saw-timber growth in :\fontana ANNUAL GROWTH OF would rise from 38 board feet an acre to 54 board 849 MILLION BOARD feet. Even then, however, the net growth would be 'FEET below the desired rate. If the net annual growth of the average acre is to be raised from 38 board feet to 85 board feet, gross growth will have to be increased at the same time losses are being reduced. :\Ierely to say that the gross forest growth in Wfontana should be increased gives no idea of the dimensions or complexity of the task ahead. To increase the gross forest growth involves all of the things a forester generally includes in the term "silviculture." Some forest lands are so overcrowded that the trees have stagnated. Other areas are under­ stocked. Some are deforested. Many trees have passed their prime and are growing slowly. There are too many of some sizes of trees and too re .. "· a[ others. Less desirable species are gaining ascend­ ency over preferred species. A major part of some of the older stands is cull trees that contribute nothing in the way of growth but compete for space with normal trees. The task of forest man· • L______J agers, therefore, is to correct these deficiencies with FIGURE 36. the objective of developing a fully productive, vigorous, fast-growing forest. matter where it occurs. With that policy clearly The larger problems of management arise from defined, the effort has been directed toward carrying the advanced age of much of the timber. In western it out and the problem is being tackled aggressively. Montana, for example, stands on 45 percent of the During the 1930's an all-out effort was begun commercial forest are over 120 years old. Nfany of to suppress blister rust. The lack of an equally the trees in these stands, in addition to being poor forceful attack on the other enemies of the forest, risks, are growing very slowly. Yet they should not particularly the mountain pine beetle, has been all be cut at one time or there will be a shortage the principal weakness in the protection program. of large timber while younger srands are growing Reduction of losses from che present level requires to maturity. The conflicting objeetive.s of spreading a well-rounded attack. the old timber for a sustained yield and cuttintr it POstponing the mortality of ma(ure trees by con­ betorc it dies require a calculating- eye on each trolling insect attacks is profitable only to the ex· tree to determine its life t:xpectancy. cent that the timber saved can be utilized before Hand-in-hand with the problem of managing a recurrent infestation. For example, if mountain these old stands (or a sustained-yield cut to offset pine beetle control is to pay, the control should the shortage of intermediate-age timber in the next be followed by utilization of the susceptible trees. few decades, is the one o[ securing ample reproduc­ In the past it has seldom been practicable to obtain tion of the desired <>pecies (fig. :3i). Studies in the prompt utilization, because lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine type, for example, show that this several other species have had only a limited mar- species reproduces best in stands of 3,500 to 5,500

Forest Resources of ~\1ontana 45

) Flcr.:RE 37.-A, A stand of dead and de· radent ponderosa jnne SllW timber amply stocked with the wrong species of reproduction (Douglas-fir). B, In this stand there is a minimum of ' decaden' timber, a good distribution of age classes, and ponduosa pine is sue· ceeding itself. Tlu: long-run silviwl­ tural problem is to convert the ponde· rosa pine area in western .\fontana to I the condition shown heu.

Forest Resource Report .\'n. 5 e. S. Depflrtment of .-:lgriculture board feet an acre, but that much higher saw-timber stocked \Vith trees. Planting of some this area is yields in the coming few decades can be obtained desirable. So, also, is interplanting of some under· by leaving a greater volume per acre.u To further stocked stands. Any considerable expansion in the t complicate matters, silvicultural methods must be planting program will require the development of designed to prevent Douglas-fir from taking over more nursery facilities. ponJ.erosa pine and larch stands, grand fir from To the complexities involved in stepping up the encroaching on western white pine, alpine fir on growth rate may be added the difficulty of ade· spruce, etc. quately dispersing timber operations. Most forest Overcrowding of trees is a common failing of stands in ~Jontana have some trees that should be :\fontana's coniferous forest. Because of this ten· cut and others that should be left to grow. The dency, many stands become stagnant, and growth timber ready for harvest, therefore, is widely scat­ is held down. Thinning is the most elementary type tered. In contrast, utilization has been unduly con­ of management for such stands, yet little of it has centrated. Vigorous timber in accessible areas has been done. ?vlore needs to be done. However, if a been logged, while more remote timber ready for large-scale thinning operation is to be successful, harvest has been going to waste. markets must be found for the small trees cut in The :\!fontana situation is a prime example of the process. Even with a large part of the cost re­ the need for close correlation between the silvi­ paid by immediate returns, some of the thinning cultural and utilization phases of management. tv·ill be in the nature of a long-time capital invest­ The industrial possibilities discussed in an earlier ment. section \vill not be realized unless protection and In contrast with the generally good stocking of other management measures are so intensified that the forest, there are a few denuded areas that have gross growth is increased and mortality reduced. restocked only partially or not at all. One-half On the other hand, more complete and better dis­ million acres of commercial forest in ivfontana are tributed industrial use of the timber is required deforested, that is, they are less than 10 percent if the objectives discussed in this section are to be fully effective. Cutting of trees is in reality just as 11 ROE, ARTHUR L. CROWTH OF SELEcriVELY COT PONDEROSA Pf:-.'E STANDS IN 'THE UPPER COLU;\{BIA BA~IN. U. S. Dept. Agr. much a pan of management as planting and insect H:tndb. 39, 1952. control.

Forest Resources of .\fontana 47 A Development and Management Program

~------~

L THOCGH it is reasonable to look forward all of the traffic that would come with full utiliza· to continued progress in forestry and forest tion of the forest resource. A large proportion of A utilization in :.\Iontana, we must remember the present road system was built for fire control that even after a half century of effort we have purposes at a time when it was necessary to get accomplished only part of the tremendous job of maximum mileage for the limited funds available. putting 15.8 million acres of commercial forest to This in manv instances accounts for the inade­ sustained use. After half a century, industries are quac~ of such' roads for ~ther purposes. The 5,300 still using only part of the timber available to miles of existing road which need to be rebuilt them. Trees that ){ature took a century or more or replaced and 5,400 miles of entirely new road to grow are still dying and falling to the ground which need to be constructed would cost over 125 unused (fig. 38). Much more needs to be done to million dollars. convert the forest to a well-managed, fast-growing During the decade 1939-48 approximately 7 mil· one. There is need for an adequate program for lion dollars was spent by the Government on the opening up the forest so that it can be used and construction of a basic-road system within the managed, and for all owners to exert more effort boundaries of i\t!ontana national forests. At that toward improving and increasing timber yields. rate, it would take 150 years or more to complete the job. Although not all of the roads are needed A1ore Roads Are Needed immediately, the rna jor part of the basic·road net· Timber cannot be used unless there are roads work should be completed in the next 20 years. over which it can be taken out. We are reminded Obviously, the longer the delay in completing the of this almost every time tfie necessity arises for network the longer industrial and forest develop­ salvaging trees damaged by a bad fire, insect attack, ment will be retarded and timber wasted. or blowdown (fig. 39) . The amount of loss from such catastrophies depends upon how much of the Intensifying Public Land Management damaged timber can be salvaged. However, salvage In i\Ion(aria 76 percent of the forest land Is is only one aspect of the transportation problem. managed by State and Federal agencies. Thus, a Without a well-developed road system, full and major part of the responsibility for future handling balanced industrial expansion is impossible. vVith­ and development of the forest falls directly on the out adequate roads, the management objectives dis­ public. The following tabulation shows the forest cussed earlier are quite academic. landownership in :\:fontana: The existing road system is not adequate. In che Cl)nlmertial ba'iic .;keleta! At..l /OfeJ# !CI'el& national forests. for example. the !UTt!) (miWon acres) Puhlic ownct~hip: (million network~~ required for proper administration is :'\lational forest 13.9 9.0 estimated to, be 12,300 miles. In 1950, only 6,900 [ndian ~en·ice .7 .6 miles of that road were in existence. Although the Public domain .7 ,6 entire 6,900 miles are good enough to serve the :-rational Park and other Federal. 1.0 .7 .6 purposes for which they were constructed, only Sta(C County ~wd municipal. .I .I 1,600 miles are of sufficiently high standard to carry 11 This is best described Js the main arterial system from Tow{ 17.1 10.9 which logging, mining, and other local roads branch. It is Prh·ate ownership 5.3 4.9 only J. fraction of the total road mileage required on the \fontana national forests. .\ll ownerships 22.4 15.8

48 Forest Resource Report .Vo. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture The State of Montana is in the forest-manage­ ment business because of the land grants it received from the Federal Government for fmancing schools and other institutions. Six million acres, mostly grassland, were thus acquired. The State at present owns 658,000 acres of forest. ' The Indian Service, Department of the Interior, manages 7!2,000 acres of forest land actually be­ longing to the Indians on seven widely scattered reservations. The ="iational Park Service manages 93:3,000 acres of forest for the purpose of preserving fOr recreation outstanding scenic antl wildlife attractions. The Bureau of Land Management handles 700,· · 000 acres of public domain forest left over after homesteaders had made their selections and various grants and withdrawals had been made. Counties hold 81,000 acres of forest that they acquired through tax delinquency and by other means. The Forest Service manages 13.9 million acres of forest land in 11 national forests, or 62 percent of the forest area of :Vfonrana. All together public agencies manage 17 million acres of the 22. i: million acres of forest iand in .l\Iontana-i6 acres out of every 100. Over the Cnited States as a whole, only 34 of every 100 acres are publicly owned or managed. It is especially significant that a major part of the forest in Mon­ tana was retained in pUblic control. to assure a higher type of management than it was expected to receive if parceled out to individuals and com· panies. How well has that objective been realized? On the credit side of the ledger may be listed several important facts. Public agencies have taken the leadership in wiJJ.Jand conservation. An un­ broken wilderness, much of which is difficult moun· tain terrain, has been tamed to the point where fire losses have been greatly reduced. Satisfactory t•/Orkin~ procedures have been set up for selling timber, leasing range, and handling other busi· ness. A survey of forest management practices in 1944, made by the Forest Service in cooperation with the State Forester and other agencies, indi­ cated that the over-all situation with regard to cutting practices on public lands wa9 favorable. Ftctau: 38.-A 20-inr.h, four-log pondemsa pine killed by insects. The death of this pine nullifie-d one )'ear's growth Looking at the public lands from the standpoint on 8 acres. Trees like this one are mule roidence that of what neec:; to be done, it is obvious that a big full industrial use is not yet being made of Montaua's job lies ahead. Cutting practices can still be im­ timber. proved; this is true on some types of holdings more

49 \

FIGURE 39.-d blowdawn aTf!il on the Kooteuai National Forest. Timber lass from this and other destructive forces cau be lcept at a minimum only if lheu is an adequate road network to permit salvage. than on others. The timber cut on public lands of ~o:; million !Joani feet in 19 !8 . .-\.; poinrcu out has climbed steadily for a number of years, but earlier, the 19·1~ cut \l'::lS cun:~idcrably belmv the it can climb higher even though the opportunity tonditional aLlowable cut for the national f()re:jts. for expansion is not Ltniform. As already pointed It is apparent th:u the time has arriveJ when out. State-owned forest lands are being cut at a public forests should be n!Ore fully utilized. The faster rate than can be sustained, the overcutting increased de:nand for public timber since \Vnrld being especially heavy in ponderosa pine. The \\'ar II and the obviouslv declinin~ privJ.te ,tlpp!iu opportunity for exp:mding the cut is therefore on indicnc that public tore'it bnds 111 \font;lJLt ltHht the national t'orest'i. •,d1ich constitute 82 percent of cury much mo!T ot the production loaU in tf1c the public commercial forest, hut are not bein~ fuwre than th('v !u\·e in the pa.~t. .\lso, , 1 c~ 1 ,,· cut to cJ.pacny. los:;es th~tt occur in :m undcn:ioped timi>er rcsiJurce For many years the job of ·wild-bnJ management :ne no !onscr :u:ceptable. on national forests has been primarily a custodial Puhlic land mana~·in~ ;tt.;cncie'i in :\[ontJ.lla Cill· one of fire control, construction and mainte~ not 110\\' fully meet their responsibilities with re~;nd nance of improvements, etc. There was, in bet, dur­ to umber prnduc[lon. ',1-aU:nhed prmection. graL­ ing- the depression years a deliberate and considered inQ;, etc. The Jifficuity oi proper manJgement and effort to withhold public timber to avoid depress­ utiliz::nion bec:wse •)f J.n inadt::quate road wstem ing the :imber market. The national forests of has :.dready been mcruioned. \Vhile this is a .DarJ.­ \fontana, therefore, entered \-Vorld \Var II with mount problem, it is not the only one. The,rc i'l a cut of roughly 62 million board feet a year. In need for a. substantial capital investment in these response to the cimber needs of the war and post­ lands. Some of that necessarv capital mvestmcnt war period cutting , ...·as J.ccelerated, reaching a high should be used for buildings, fences, and other

50 Forest Resource Report .Vo. 5 C. S. Department of Agriculttae i;j};) physical improvements: some for planting, stand had 832,000 acres certified as tree farms." This is improvement, erosion check dams, etc.: and some significant as evidence that these owners intend for the acquisition of land uneconomic for private to practice good forestry on part of their holdings. ~ownership. The small private-forest holdings in :Vfontana Although. protection, road building, and other differ from the large holdings in two main respects: similar activities on public forest land need to be (I) They arc more accessible and closer to the accelerated, the scale of these activities is much valley Hoor. and (2) they have been more heavily closer to the ultimately desired level than are the used. Figures to illustrate the latter point are avail· actual timber-growing phases. There are the equiv· able only for 'vestern }fontana. A.pproximately 23 alent of about 42 full-time foresters engaged in percent ot the small private-forest area in that part timber-management activities on :\lantana national of the State contains sa'\V·timber stands. Almost forests. This means that each forester has the re· tiO percent of the large private area bears saw-tim­ sponsibility for the timber-management work on ber stands. It should be borne in mind that these 200,000 acres. tig·ures in no way indicate the rate of cutting. ~!any Experience in the South indicates that it is acres cut over by the large companies were later profitable to employ one forester for 5,000 to 25,000 'old to 'illlall owners. primarily for grazing purposes. acres of commercial forest. That intensity of timber .\s in many other sections of the United States, management is not considered feasible in ;\lantana the most critical and perplexing part of the forest because of the lower growth potential and other -;ituation involves the small private owner (19). factors. ='J'evertheless, the effort put into timber There has been relatively little good forestry on growin~ on :\-Iontananything but a side line, cut. particularly of ponderosa pine, down to a level and as such they are neglected. that can be sustained. VVhile there is some excellent The absence of notable progress or hopeful signs forest management on large private holdings, the over-all management record of these owners is still 13 The tree-farm movement, sponsored by the 'Western Pine not satisfactory in that the requirements for sus· .-\ssociation in this region, came into :Vfontana in 1947. It is tained yield at a high level are not being met. One dfort by industry to improve forest practices in the United of the bright spots in the Montana forestry situa­ States. Tree farms have been described as follows (J): "A tion today, however, is the very encouraging signs tree farm is generally defined as 'an area of privately owned forest land dedicated to the growing of forest crops for com­ of progress so far as large private-forest manage· mercial purposes. protected and managed for continuous ment is concerned. In 1949 the four large owners production of forest products.' "

~Forest Resources of Montana 51 on small private holdings makes it plain that such exchanges of land with the national forests. How· landowners should receive more attention than ever, only one-third of the State timberland, 222,000 they have been getting. Public agencies and the acres, is concentrated in seven fairly large units tree-farm movement have ·so far made small gains which have been set up as State fore.sts. in this field. Area a! 'State·aum~d land It has been said U1llki11 that when good forestry is State forest: State forest.: profitable ( acre.S) for the private owner he will practice Coal Creek 20,000 good forestry. \Nhile this statement greatly over­ Stillwater 90.000 simplifies the case, it has a large element of truth Swan 42.000 Thompson in it. Certainly, the primary stimulus to private River 30,000 Cleanvater ]8.00() endeavor is the opportunity for profit. The recent Lincoln 8.000 forestry progress among large private owners is Sula 14.000 largely due to the improved economic outlook for long-term forestry enterprises in the State. 0T or­ Total 222.000 withstanding, one of the handicaps that the people The rest is scattered throughout the State in small of ~fontana must face is that the margin for profit­ tracts, usually of 640 acres and less. Even within able operation is and perhaps always will be much rhe State forests, State lands are far from being in narrower here than in most other timber-produc­ >olid blocks. The Forest Lands Advisory Commis­ ing areas of the United States. That handicap sion points out (12) : ''Since, however, most of the makes it difficult for private owners to do all they timber and land within the boundaries of the should. in a forestry way. Therefore, while private majority of these State forests-are privately owned, forest owners have an obligation to handle their the State forest idea is little more than a name." lands properly, they need public help. The Northern Pacific Railway was given alter· Public effort to encourage private forestry and nate sections on a strip 40 miles wide, paralleling its make it profitable has been piecemeal and inade­ railroad tracks through J\Jontana." One result was quate. There are several ways the public can help a checkerboard ownership pattern that still exists private owners to increase timber yields, and thus in some localities (fig. 40) , and creates innumerable employment and income: (I) Provide education problems of development, management, and utiliza· and technical on-the-ground guidance. (2) Provide tion. Because a large part of the railroad land was - other assistance such as credits. (3) Relieve burden­ 'iold to other private owners at the beginning of some conditions, such as discriminatory taxes. (4) the century, the problem of intermeshed ownershi~ Prevent owners from abusing their properties. (5) affects more than the Forest Service and the North­ .Manage public lands in such a way as to favor ern Pacific Railway. and facilitate proper management of private lands. Homesteaders could go wherever they wished on the public domain when it was opened to settle­ Improving the Ownership Pattern ment. ::'\Jany of them staked their claims in timber areas where the economic odds have been against To say that the ownership pattern of forest land them and where, in some cases, their holdings have grew in a haphazard fashion is an understatement. impaired the administration o[ surrounding lands. The net effect of the various alienations and with­ :\.fter the various selections, s;rJ.nts. Jnd with· drawals from the public domain was in places 1 ·lr::n·\tais ilad i)een made from the public domain, scrambled ownership situation which greatly com­ the Bureau of Land .\fa.nagement of the Depart­ plicates forest management. ment of the Interior was give~ the responsibility for A map plotted with the original grants of land administering the remainder. This land is widelv to ~'Lantana for schools and other institutions scattered over the State. Ownership data for wester~ would have the appearance of being peppered by :Vfontana, collected during the middle I 930's, a shotgun. The organic ·Act of the Territory of showed that there were 201.000 acres of unap­ Montana. for example, gave the State sections IG propriated lands in that part of the State in i99 and 36 in every township for the support of tlle separate tracts. The average tract was 252 acres. common schools. The State was able to consolidate l~ When the alternate a few blocks when the original selections were made sections given to the r

52 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture ·w) was stopped by an informal ruling of the Attorney

OWNERSHIP OF A PORTION OF General that land exchanges for this purpose are THE SWAN RIVER DRAINAGE unconstitutional (13), This difficulty can appar­ ently be overcome Only by submitting the matter to the vote of the people through a referendum. The awkwardness arising from intermeshed hold­ ings can be corrected to some extent by land ex­ changes between owners. Since 194 7 the Northern Pacific Railway and the Forest Service have been unscrambling their holdings by this means. Acting under authority of the Taylor Grazing Act of 193+, the President withdrew all public domain lands from location, settlement, and entry, pending classification. They can no longer be dis­ posed of unless classified by the Department of the Interior as suitable for disposition (15). A way should be found to provide economical administra­ tion for parcels of public domain not reasonably consolidated. :Vlany of them near to or ad joining major holdings of other public lands should prob-

INTERMINGLED GRAZING DISTRICTS AND NATIONAL FORESTS SOUTH-CENTRAL MONTANA

~ ... ot...... ,~l ... .,.. .::::r,_- ...... ,,," .. .._,. • m om.. o-.r.

Flolllll!: 40.

Obviously, such scattered holdings represent a very difficult management problem. East of the Continental Divide a major part of the unreserved public domain is subdivided into grazing districts handled by the Bureau of Land Management. Since many of the grazing districts are interlocked with the national forests managed by the Forest Service (fig. 41), this creates the administratively questionable situation of two Fed· era! agencies doing virtually the same job in a single locality. , The handicap created by the ownership pattern can, to a large extent, be overcome if action along several different lines is successfuL Some holdings SCAI.£ • IOIL£S should be consolidated to facilitate their manage· - Nahonol Forul ~ Grozinq Disrrw::t ment. There is a particular need to do this in the case of the widely scattered State-owned forest lands. A consolidation process started several decades ago FIGURE. 41. f Forest Resources of Montana ably be attached to these holdings for administra­ tion (fig. 42). PUBLIC DOMAIN LAND ADJACENT TO Some of the handicaps of the.ownership situation NATIONAL FOREST LAND -WEST FORK ) , can be overcome by cooperation among owners. OF BITTERROOT RIVER Public agencies will find that they can often do the greatest good by managing public lands in a manner to facilitate the sound management of private lands. An outstanding example of this is the proposed cooperative sustained-yield agreement between the J. Neils Lumber Co. and the Cnited States. In this instance the objective of pooling resources is to make sustained-yield management by the company feasible. Thus the continued opera­ tion of a highly desirable manufacturing plant for the sake of community stability is assured. i\Iost of the national forests are located atop mountain ranges and stop short of the valley floor. Because deep snows and rough ropography increase the problems and costs of seasonal logging, some of these areas can be utilized more effectively in conjunction with the more accessible lands of other owners than as independent units.

A ,'vfore Productive Forest

The forests of Montana have the capacity to produce a far greater volume of wood than they are now producing. There can be no doubt of that. It is possible to nearly double the saw-timber I growth. If these forests are made fully productive and are fully utilized. the cut of all timber can eventually be raised to about four times the 1948 ~ National Forest level. At the same time. employment could be - Public Domo1n Olher Owfll!rs raised to an even greater degree by intensifying ~ manufacturing. FIGURE 42. How successful the State will be in taking ad­ vantage of the opportunity to fully utilize its forests aggressively the forest protection, development, and depends upon two factors. First is the factor of management jobs are tackled. Handling 15.8 mil­ economic feasibility. As discussed earlier, :vfontana lion acres of commercial forest land pro!=Jerly is an is a marginal area from the standpoint of timber enormous unde:takin~ ..-\s :n :1ny :::~.r~e :J.ndcrrak­ : ndustries hecause ')t transportation costs. How ing, many problems and complications are invoived. much the situation will change depends to a great These can be overcome only if private landowners, extent upon the future relationship of timber State and Federal agencies. and the public under­ supply and demand for the )/ation as a whole. stand and agree on objectives and responsibilities, U it continues to be fairly hard for the country and then all do their part. to meet timber-product needs, :\fontana will be able :\luch of the leadership should come from the to make more complete use of its timber than it people of :\-fontana. They must decide v·.rhat they would Otherwise. The prospects for increased tim­ want the forests to contribute to the welfare of the ber Utilization are very favorable. State. Out of that decision should grow a program The other factor in· the future situation is how for capitalizing on this golden opportunity.

54 Fr;rest Resource Report ,\ln. 5 r_·_ S. Department of Agriculture ·' Literature Cited

(1) A:\0:-JYMOUS. (11) SCHRADER, 0. HARRY. 1949. WHY THE WEST FIGHTS FOR WATER. United States 1949. BlLES·COl..EMAN l..t;MBER COMPA.'IY-AN OUTSTA:"'D· ~ews &: World Report 14: 23-25, illus. 1:'>/G EXAMPLE OF GOOD FOREST UTIUZATION, \Vash· (2) CL;:-lNINGHAM, R. N., F(;LL-\WAY, s. V., JR., AND WHITI-IEY, ington State Dept. of Conserv. and Devlmt. C. N. Cir. l, 4 pp .• ill us. 1926. MONTANA FOREST AND TI:\IBER. HANDBOOK. :\font. (12) STATE OF ~(ONTANA. Univ. Studies 1, 162 pp., illus. 1945. REPORT OF THE FOREST LANDS ADVISORY CQM:'\IIT· (3) GILLETT', CHAiu.Es A. TEE. 48 pp. 1948. TilE AMERICA:'< TREE·F.-\R:\1 :\tOVE~IE:-.IT. Unasyiva (13) SrATE OF :\[ONTA:"'A, OFFICE OF STATE fORESTER. 5: 233--36, illus. 1946. U,WS OF MONTANA REL\TI:"--G TO FORESTRY AND (4) HoFUcH, HARoLD J., A:-on B.E..AITY, :\f. E. STATE PARKS. 87 PP· 1950. GLACIER NATIONAL PARK VISITORS IN MONTANA- (14) STATE OF ~fONTANA, UC>JE:\IPLOYMENT COMPE::-iSATION 1949. :Mont. Univ., Bur. Business Res. Regional COM:\IlTTEE. Study 1, 22 pp. [Processed.] 1949. ESTD-IATES Of NON-AGRICULTURAL EMPLOn!ENT (5) HoLTER, A. :.1:. IN MOI'iTANA. 10 pp. [Processed.] 1928. PIONEER LU:\IBERI:-IG 1:"< :'>fO:"'T.\:"/A. frontier 8 (3): (L?) U:-.oiTED STATES BUREAU OF .\GRICULTURAL ECONOMICS. 196-209. 1947. FEDERAL RURAL LANDS. 73 pp. [Processed.] (6) :\{ATI'HEWS, DO~ALD ~-.AND HUTCHISO!"l', S. BLAIR. (16) C:>IGEL· (18) U:-.oiTED STATES FiSH A:-<0 WILDLIFE SERVICE. MA.t•IN SPRCCE. Jour Forestry 48; 382-388, illUS. 1950. BIG·GAME INVENTORY OF TI-lE UNITED STATES. 1948 (8) :\fONTANA DEPAR.T:\tENT OF AGRICULTL'RE LABoR AND lN· Wildlife Leaflet 321, 3 pp. [Processed.] OUSTRY. (19) U:->ITEO STATES foREST SERVICE. 1948. MONTAN.A AGRICULTURE STATISTICS. 104 pp. 1946. THE MANAGEME.'

7orest Resources of ~\fontana Appendix

4------~

Survey lvfethods pole, seedling-sa piing, and deforested) . This office information was checked and adjusted in the field Area in connection with the mapping of the cover in areas for which such information was Jacking. Estimates of forest land were determined partly All forest land was further classified in the field by complete survey and partly by sampling (table into commercial and noncommercial: the com­ 2). Complete-survey technique was used for the mercial into 3 stocking classes, 10 age classes, and area west of the Continental Divide, four counties 5 site classes. Black and white maps made from east of the Divide, and other areas east of the office tracings of the completed overlays were Divide which are reserved, such as national parks. colored to emphasize type, commercial character, For the State as a whole, approximately 54 percent and stand-size classes. Other subclasses were dif­ of the total area was classified as nonforest zone by ferentiated by symbol only. A vellum overlay de­ reference to aerial photographs or by field recon­ lineating 8 ownership classes was fitted to the J.laissance. Twenty-seven percent was covered by colored base. From this combination the area of the complete surveys; 19 percent by sample surveys. various cover classes within each township was TABLE 2.-Area of ."fontana forest land surve·yed, by class of determined either by the use of zylonite shields land and survey method lined in 10-acre subdivisions or by planimeter. The area determinations were tabulated by sections and Cl3.u of laud Complete Sampling Factored Total aurvey I aurvey out• checked against official Land Office totals for sur­ Thotuand Thouland T11ou.rand TMu11and veyed areas. For unsurveyed areas the summations Forett: acru acnr (/,Cf/!1 aCT I! I were checked against the planimetered area of ideal­ Commercial...... • ! 9, 882 5, 874 ·········· 15, 756 Noncommercial ... 2,629 1,447 • . . ' • . . • . . I 4, 076 ized townships as indicated on the lastest base maps. Rmmd ...... j 2. S27j··········~··········· 2, 521 For the area sampled, the population was classi­ Tout .... , .•. , .I 15,038 7, 321 , . , . , . , , , , 22,359 fied on l-inch-to-the-mile base maps into three ::-.l'onlorett .....•...... 10, 230 10, 328 , 50, 225 71, 283 i------1------ii-~ ______I------sample categories: (1) parts inside national-forest Tot•'· all c!aue• ... , •. ) 25,268 18, 1491 50,225 93,..&:12 boundar-ies, (2) parts outside national-forest bound­ aries for which aerial photographs were available t The nonforest land originally was a part of the area to be sampled. It was eliminattd from the survey area by meaDS of aerial photograph! at less than $2 per sample, and (3) parts outside a.nd fteld eu.minatioa to increase sampling efficiency. national forest boundaries either not covered by For the part covered by complete survey the aerial photographs or for which photo cosrs ex­ determination 0f forest .1rea '-~·as Js follows: Cuver ceeded $2 per sample. types were delineated and designated by symbols The three sample categories were further stratified on transparent overlays fitted to the latest base into blocks of approximately 16, 49, and 100 square maps in township units on a 2-inch-to-the-mile miles, respectively, by marking Land Office section scale. Intensive private and public timber cruises, corners (or idealized section corners in unsurveyed county land classifications, cutting records, fire areas) at 4-mile intervals in dass I, 7-mile inter­ records, and aerial photographs provided informa­ vals in class 2. and 10-mile intervals in class 3. These tion for the preliminary classification ot most of the marked section comers or control points were trans­ area into nonforest and forest land, the forest land ferred to aerial index maps from which photographs into 10 types as characterized by tree-species com­ were selected to g-ive detailed coverage for a 2.560- position, and into 4 stand-size classes (saw timber, acre segment (4 sections) centered on each control

56 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture point in class I and for a 640-acre segment. (I sec­ witness trees to facilitate future location and re­ tion) lying northeast of each central point in classes measuremen t. 2 and 3. The sum total of these segments con- Growth - stituted the sample. Each sample segment was examined on the For the area covered by complete survey, only ground. All forest areas of each sample segment net growth was determined. Stands were divided were classified and mapped by commercial character, into two categories: (1) "~ongrowing stands" in forest type, stand size, stocking, age, and site classes, which increment \\•as assumed to be offset by mor­ either on a vellum overlay or directly on the photo· tality and for which no growth was calculated. graphs. In the office the area of the various cover This category consisted of all virgin stands of classes within the samples was determined by dot ponderosa pine, larch, and Douglas-fir older than or square counting, summarized by sample cate­ 200 years, and virgin stands of all other species gories, and multiplied by the appropriate factor. older than 160 years. (2) "Growing stands" in which experience indicated that increment gen­ Volume erally exceeded mortality. This category included uncut stands of ponderosa pine, larch, and Doug­ For the area covered by complete survey, board­ las-fir up to and including 200 years, uncut stands of foot estimates for saw-timber trees in saw-timber other species up to and including 160 years, and stands were derived from: (l) national-forest partially cut stands of all types regardless of age. cruises, (2) other public and private cruises ad­ Average net growth per acre by type, stand size, justed to a common standard by factors based on age, stocking, and site classes was derived from check cruises, and (3) ocular estimates made by modified normal growth tables. Modification of field men while mapping cover types. Cubic-volume normal tables was based on actual net growth as estimates of saw-timber trees in saw-timber stands determined from increment borings and mortality were calculated from board-foot volumes by the tallies on 375 1/5-acre sample plots covering the use of ratios based on wood-scale studies. range of age, stocking, and site classes within types. The volume of pole timber in saw-timber stands Gross and net growth for the area sampled were was derived from mean-acre volumes by types, based derived from increment borings of sample trees • on check-cruise tallies. The board- and cubic-foot and mortality tallies on each sample plot measured • \-olumes in stands other than saw timber were cal­ for inventory purposes (see discussion of Mortal­ culated from modified normal yield tables. Yield­ ity). Size of the sample measured for growth varied table modifications were based on 411 lj4-acre from 1/500 acre for trees 5.0 to 10.9 inches d.b.h., samples measured throughout these stands at 2-mile I /50 acre for trees I 1.0 to 24.9 inches d.b.h., intervals along roads and trails. All board-foot to 1/5 acre for trees 25.0 inches d.b.h. and larger. volumes, initially calculated in terms of Scribner Radial growth was determined for the I 0-year rule, were converted to International l/4-inch rule period preceding the date of field examination. by means of factors derived from mill-scale studies. Radial growth was con_verted to volume growth by For the sampled area, total volume was derived subtracting the reconstructed volume of sample from mean-acre volumes and area by sample class, trees 10 years ago, taking into account changes in forest type, stand-size, and stocking classes. Nfean height and bark thickness as well as diameter, from \·olumes were based on rree tallies on 2,713 1/5-acre current sample-tree volume. ;)ermanent )ample ?lots-a duster of ~ ,Jr 3 plots Sample rrees were divided inw two classes: (1) in each sample-area segment containing commer­ ingrowth trees, those that either developed from cial forest land. Three-plot clusters were measured sapling into pole size or grew out of pole size into in sample class I and two-plot clusters in sample saw-timber size, and (2) main-growth trees, those classes 2r and 3 (see Area discussion) . VVithin a that remained either of pole size or of saw-timber cluster, plots were spaced 3 chains apart, the initial size during the growth-study decade. Total in­ plot being 2 chains in a random direction from growth was derived by multiplying the mean in­ rhe control point of that sample-area segment. All growth per acre by the appropriate area by type, plot centers were staked and referenced to 2 scribed stand-size. and stocking class. Total main growth

ff)rest Resources of ~wontana 57 was calculated from simple growth percents (as curacy and uniformity of standards in the class.i­ determined from the relationship of sample-tree fication, collection, and compilation of sample data volume and sample-tree growth by type. stand-size, by field checks, by a continuing program of train­ stocking, species, and diameter-class groups) and ing, and by cross checks in the office. total inventory volumes by the same stratifications. Sampling errors (standard errors), on the other :-

38 Forest Reso-urce ~epo'rt .Vo. 5 [J. S. Dep(lrtment o.f Agrir:ulture low. Taking into account this indicated bias, and Comparison of 1949 and Earlier Estimates the sampling errors of volume estimates on the At least six different estimates of :Montana's sampled area, the true volumes for the State as a timber resources have been published in the past ~whole are estimated to lie within the following (table 19). Differences between the 1949 and ~imits: primary gro\'.·ing stock, 16 to 17 billion earlier estimates are accounted for by sampling er­ cubic feet; live saw dmber, 55 to 58 billion board rors in the statistics derived by sampling;~o tech­ fee,t. nique errors: variationS in definitions, inclusive­ Growth ness, and standards of measurement; and actual change. In estimating timber grmvth, the possible sources The apparent increase in total forest and com­ of error, in addition to those cited under "Area" mercial forest land can be at least partially ac­ and "Volume:" include: errors in measuring in­ counted for by changes in definition and inclusive­ crement cores, in reconstructing tree volumes, and ness. Prior to the completion of the systematic in dating mortality. All practical efforts were made survey in 1949. only extensive estimates were avail­ 'to eliminate errors from these sources. Growth esti· able for the area east of the Continental Divide, mates for the area covered by complete survey are Hardwood areas and volumes were desregarded en­ believed to be somewhat low ..-\s mentioned under tirely prior to 1938. Furthermore, the present "~Iethods," the original gro,vth calculation for estimate of the commercial forest area includes a that part of the State excluded approximately one­ considerable area formerly classed as noncommer­ third of the commercial area where stand volume cial. Volume estimates of 1918 and 1925 include was in a more or less static condition. It appears all forest land as indicated in table 19, whereas now that there may actually have been some net later estimates are for commercial forests only. Part, growth in these stands in recent years. and perhaps all_ of the apparent differences may be For the area sampled, standards errors of net accounted for by differences in definition of what growth :.ue .:::::8.-!: percent, or :::::11 million cubic constitutes a saw4 timber tree. feet for primary growing stock, and :::::15 percent, For the foregoing reasons, a comparison of the or ± 36 million board feet for saw-timber trees. 1949 and previous estimates provides no definite Actual growth for the State as a whole, indication of quantitative changes or trends. There ...ncluding judgment estimates of growth on stands have, of course. been changes in the character and ~reviously considered nonproductive, is estimated distribution of the timber volume. It is particu­ to lie between the following -limits: larly evident that the proportion of. the volume in Primary growing live .>aw-timber stock lree: prized species such as ponderosa and western white (million (million boal'd jut) cubic feet i pine is diminishing, and that1 the volume of these Gross annual growth. 290-320 840-9~0 and other species is becoming less concentrated in 600-700 Net annual growth 240-280 large blocks.

Commodity Drain Conditional Allowable Annual Cut Estimates of commodity drain are based chiefly on a, complete tabulation of production and con­ The estimates of allowable annual cut presented sumption statistics, adjusted for waste on the basis in this report are based on allowable ::mnual drain of 1vomls .1nd mill studies. Oniy 18 percent of che c.:aicuiatlOilS. Ji~counteJ clpproxirnateiy ~;j percenc cubic-foot and 12 percent of the board-foot drain to allow for abnormal mortality and other factors is based on sampling. However, the translation of that may prevent utilization of total yields. They production statistics into drain introduces an in­ rest on the assumption that forest-management determinable error. The commodity drain estimates practices and protection will be improved to the for the State as a whole during the period 1939- point where the stands of the future v•.rill be 48 are judged to be between 90 and 100 million as productive as the ones being cut now. cubic feet of primary growing stock and between :o> Approximately one-third of the forest area was deriver!

520 and 550 million board feet of saw4 timber vol­ by sampling, the remaining two-thirds from complere surveys ume. (p. ,j6).

Forest Resources of Montana 39 They are predicated also upon ultimate utilization erring an influence on the climate or on the water of the full area classified as commercial by the regime; (b) land from which the trees described Forest Survey, utilization up to Forest Survey in (a) have been removed to less than 10-percent standards, and salvage of such losses as may be stocking and which have not been developed for( caused by large fires. insect and disease epidemics, other use; and (c) afforested areas. The minimum· etc. area for forest-land classification was 10 acres with The allowable annual drain calculations were a minimum width of 120 feet. derived for each forest type by the following "- Co:O.t.\IERCIAL FOREST L.-\ND.-foresr land ·which is formula: (a) producing, or is physically capable of pro­

( i ..\ -;- 5A, ~ :JA, -'- -~ ) M A ducing, usable crops of wood (usually saw timber). (b) economically available now or prospectively, The coefficients 7, 5, 3, and 1 (implied) are and (c) not withdrawn from timber utilization. growing stock weights for the respective stand·size :\O~CO:O.fi\lERCIAL FOREST L.-\ND.-forest land in~ classes based on the familiar triangular diagram capable of yielding usable wood products (usually used to depict the growing stock of a normal forest. saw timber) because of adverse site conditions, or A=area of saw-timber stands. so physically inaccessible as to be permanently un­ A 1=area of pole-timber stands . available economically and not withdrawn for .-\:=area of seedling and sapling stands. special purposes. .-\r:=nonstocked area. RESERVED FOREST LA:\D.-forest land that has been A + A1 + A! + A.;=total commercial forest land area. 4=numbcr of stand-size classes. withdra\vn from timber utilization through statute, R=rotation in years. ordinance, or administrative order. M =average volume per acre (by species) of current saw­ Resented commercial forest land.-Re· timber stands-the "A" stratum. served forest land that otherwise qualifies The rotations assumed ·were as follows: Rotatiott itt yervs as commercial forest land. -wmm~--E4l,;:;- 1 Reserved noncommercial forest land.­ Fore!t type: JJ onta~~a: ManUM Reserved forest land that otherwise qualifies White pin~ 120 Ponderosa pine 150 160 as noncommercial forest land. Larch 150 Douglas-fir 160 200 f."orest Stand~Si:e Classes Lodgepole pine ... 100 140 STANns.-All stands with saw-timbe;l Whitebark and limber pine 140 SAW~TL\IBER trees of s_oftwoods and/or hardwoods having a Spruce .... ·- ... 120 120 Hemlodt·grand fir .... 120 minimum volume of 1,500 board feet per acre, Alpine fir . ..: . 140 International 'l.t-inch rule. Western redcedar .... 120 POLE-TIMBER STANDS.-Stands failing to meet the Cottonwood 100 100 saw-timber stands specification, but at least 10- Aspen and other hardwoods 80 percem stocked with pole-timber and larger (5.0 1 No allowable d.raia was cakulated for t.he coniferous woodland type. inches d. b. h. and larger) trees, and with at least The allowable annual drain as derived includes half the minimum stocking in pole-timber trees. only the final harvest yield, i. e., no allowance is 5EEDLI:-.IGS AND SAPLI~G STANDS.-forest stands not made for riormal losses of which, under intensive qualifvinr; as either sav.;-timber '>r ooie-timber manag-ement ~Jractices. -.:onsiderai1le portions tnay -;rands. but having J.t least 10-percent ~tacking of be salvaged, nor the possibilities of additional yields trees and with at least half che minimum scocking from intermediate cuttings. in seedlings and saplings. ~ONSTOCKED AND OTHER AREAS :SOT ELSEWHERE Definitions CLASSIFIED.-Areas not qualifying as saw-timber, pole-timber, or seedling-sapling stands. Forest Land Classes Forest Type Classes FoREST LA>ID.-lncludes ("! lands at least 10- percent stocked bv trees of any size and capable of \VHITE PI:"'E GROUP: producing timber or other wood products, or of ex- !Vhzte pzne.-Forests in which 20 percent

..;o Forest Resource Report .\fo. 5 {J. S. DepaTtment of .-l.griculture

tj)J or more of the stand is western white pine. INDIAN OWNERSHIP.-Indian tribal lands and trust Western redcedar.-Forests in which 50 allotments. Lands held in fee by the Federal Gov­ percent or more of the stand is western red· ernment but adrninistered and managed for Indian cedar and less than 20 percent is western tribal groups, or allotted in trust to individual white pine. - Indians. Po:-JoEROSA PI~E.-Forests in which 50 perCent or OTHER fF..DERAL OWNERSHIP.-Lands owned bv the more of the stand is ponderosa pine and less than Federal Government not classed as national forest 20 percent is western white pine. or Indian. LARCH.-Forests in which 50 percent or more of STATE OWNERSHIP.-Llnds in State ownership. the stand is larch and less than 20 percent is \vest­ Cou:-rTY AND :.v!UNCIPAL OWNERSHIP.-Lands m ern white pine. county or municipal ownership. DouGLA5-FIR.-Forests in which 50 percent or PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.-Lands in private ownership. more of the stand is Douglas-fir and less than 20 PRIV,ATE FARM OWNERSHIP.-Private commercial percent is western white pine. forest land in farms, using as the definition of LODGEPOLE PINE GROUP: "farm" the official definition in the latest Census of Lodgepole pine.-Forests in which 50 per­ .--\griculture. cent or more of the stand is lodgepole pine OTHER PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.-Commercial forest and less than 20 percent is western \•.;hite land in private ownership other than farm. pine. Whitebark and limbe-r pine.-Forests in Tree-Merchantability Classes (Live) which 50 percent or more of the stand is whitebark and/or limber pine and less than LIVE SAW·TIMBER TREES.-Live white pine saw· 20 percent is western white pine. timber trees in which the merchantable portion is volume. SPRUCE·FIR GROUP: .JO percent or more of the total board-foot Spruce.-Forests in which 50 percent or live saw-timber trees of other species that are at more of the stand is Engelmann spruce and/ least 50 percent merchantable by board-foot vol­ or western white spruce and less than 20 ume. percent is western white pine. CULL SAW-TIMBER TREES.-Live white pine saw­ Hemlock-grand fir.-Forests in which 50 timber trees in which the unmerchantable portion percent or more of the volume is hemlock exc'eeds 60 percent, and live saw-timber trees of and/ or grand fir and less than 20 percent other species in which the unsound portion exceeds is western white pine. 50 percent of total board-foot volume. Alpine fir.-Forests in which 50 percent or Sound cull saw-timber trees.-Live saw· more of the stand is alpine fir and less than timber trees in which the unmerchantable 20 percent is western white pine. portion results from defect other than rot, for HARDWooos.-Forests in which 50 percent_or more example, sweep, frost crack, extreme rough· of the stand is hardwood species and less than 20 ness, fire scar. etc. percent is western white pine. Rotten cull saw-timber trees.-Live saw· CONIFEROUS WOODLAND.-0pen, scraggly commer­ timber trees in which the unmerchantable cial forests in which _JO ?ercenr or more of the ?

Forest Resources of )1lontana 61 Rotten cull pole-timber trees.-Live pole­ timber trees from stump to a merchantable saw· timber trees judged unmerchantable now log top. Tops vary by species and diameter class, or prospectively because of rot. ranging from 6.0 inches for small trees up to 22.0 inches for very large rough trees. ( Tree-Merchantability Classes (Dead) ToP PORTION.-The net cubic foot volume of\ DEAD SAW·TIMBER TREES.-Dead, Standing or saw-timber trees from the merchantable sawlog top down, saw-timber trees of all species having a to 4.0 inches inside bark. merchantable volume of 50 percent or more of the LIVE POLE-TIMBER voLu~rE..- The net cubic-foot total board-foot volume. volume of live pole-timber trees from stump to a 4.0- DEAD POLE-TIMBER TREES.-Dead, standing or inch top inside bark. down, pole-timber trees of all species with 50 per­ NET BOARD-FOOT VOLUME.-The board-foot VOl· cent or more of the cubic volume merchantable. ume of the sawlog portion of saw-timber trees. as measured by International V4 -inch rule, after de­ Tree-Size Classes duction for all apparent and surmised defect in SAW-TIMBER TREES.-Trees 1 LO inches d. b. h. accordance with standard scaling practice. and larger with one or more merchantable 16-foot NET CUBIC VOLUME.-The total cubic-foot volume saw logs. discounted for unmerchantable material. Includes PoL.E-TI:'.lBER TREES.-Trees ranging from 5.0 the merchantable portion only of sound, sound cull, through 10.9 inches d. b. h. and trees over 11.0 and rotten cull saw-timber and pole-timber trees inches d. b. h. that do not contain at least one mer­ and hard'\\'Ood limbs larger than a ·1.0-inch top chantable 16-foot sawlog. diameter. SEEDLING AND SAPLING TREES.-Trees below 5.0 NET AN:'>i'UAL GROWTH.-The average annual inches d. b. h. change during a specified period in volume of pri­ mary growing stock on commercial forest land .Vfiscellaneous Definitions resulting from natural causes. Gross growth is the PRIMARY GROWING STOCK.-Net volume, in cubic increment before allowance for mortality. feet, of live saw-timber trees, and live pole-timber D. B. H. (DIAMETER BREAST HIGH) .-Tree diameter trees from stump to a minimum 4.0-inch top (of in inches, outside bark, measured 4!1 feet above central stem) inside bark. average ground level. ~~ SECONDARY GROWING STOCK.-Net volume in cubic COMMODITY PRODUCTION.-The total output of feet of all cull trees from stump to a minimum timber products during a specified year. 4.0-inch top inside bark, and limbs to a 4.0-inch CoM.:V!ODITY DRAIN.-The timber volume removed diameter inside bark of all cull and noncull hard­ from primary growing stock as timber products and wood trees. logging waste during a specified year. ALL· TIMBER voLUME.-The net volume of primary CoNTROL POINT.-Land Office section comers (in growing stock, secondary growing stock, and sal­ unsurveyed areas idealized section corners as in· vable dead trees. dicated on latest base map) used to locate and SAWLOG PORTION.-The net board-foot volume, as define the boundaries of sampling strata and sample measured by International Y4 -inch rule, of saw- se~ents.

Trees Native to 1\-fontana CONIFERS Commercial species: Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga taxifo/ia Fir, alpine Abies lasiocarpa Fir, grand A; grandi.s Hemlock, mountain Tsuga mertensiana Hemlock, western T. heterophylla Juniper, Rocky Mountain. juniperus scopulorum Larch, alpine Larix lyalli

62 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture CoNIFERS-Continued Larch, western L. occidentalis Pine, limber Pinus flexilis Pine, lodgepole P. contorta var. latifolia Pine, ponderosa P. ponderosa Pine, western white P. monticola Pine, whitebark P. albicaulis Redcedar, western Thuja plicata Spruce, Engelmann Picea engelmanni Spruce, western white. P. glauca var. albertiana :-.ioncommercial species: Pacific Yew Taxus brevifolia

HAanwooos Commercial species: Ash, green ...... Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. lanceo/ata Aspen, quaking ...... Populus tremuloides Birch, paper ...... Betula papyrifera Birch, water ...... B. fontinalis Boxelder, inland ...... Acer negundo var. interius Cottonwood, northern black ...... Populus trichocarpa var. hastata Cottonwood, narrowleaf ...... P. angustifolia Cottonwood, plains P. sargentii Elm, American Ulmus americana Willow ...... Salix spp. Noncommercial species: Alder, thinleaf A /nus tenuifolia Chokecherry, black Prunu.s virginiana var. melanocarpa Hawthorn, black .. Crataegus douglasii Maple, bigtooth Acer grandidentatum Maple, Rocky Mountain A.glabrum Mountain-ash, western Sorbus sitchensis Mountain·mahogany, curlleaf Cercocarpus ledifolius

Supplemental Tables

TABLE 3.-Land area by major classes of forest land, Montana, 1949

Clasa of la.nd \Veuern Eastern State ~ontan.a Montana

/,000 1.000 /.000 i Fo:est: Aertl A.ern I .4err.s- c~m.r:nercia( ... 3, 909 ! 6, 347 IS, 756 '/~ncommerdal. .... !,512 ' 1, 56~ : ~.J76

Re1erved:1 i Commercial ...... , .. , . 6031 ~67 j 1, 070

:'{oncom.m.ercia!. .. , •.. 99s 1 <62 l, ~57

Total ..•...••••.. 1, 5981 9291 2,527 Toca.l iorcst ...••••....•. , .•••.•. 13, 0191 9,HO I 22, JS9 ~onfore1tl ...•••• ,.,,, •. ,, •...•.•... 2, 959 68, 3H' 71, 283

To~al. alldaue1 .....•. , ...... , .... , ...•••..... , •.••••..•..••. , .•...... ,, . IS, 978 !' 77,6M I 93, 642:

1 The reserved forest area is funher da&Jified in table 17. :Include! 171,689 acres of water accon:t.ing to Survey standards of al1!* classification but defined bv the Bureau of Census aJ land.

Forest Resources of M'ontana 63 TAliLI! 4.-Po/ume of live """ limb.,. ond pritMry grtnlling stocl& 011 comme.

Live nw timb~r • Primary growing stock

Wenern Eastern Western Eattern ~ontana Montana I State ~fontana ~fontana State ~ .\lillian .>nm,. I .Millir;n 3-filiion }!iUion .lfiUion t.oara jut board Jut board jut cubic tut cubic jut cubic fut timber., .••• , ..... , ...... s.. ., , .... , ...... • ,., .•..... ,., .. H, 763 11, 342 46, 105 6, 715 J, 845 10,560 Pole timber...... · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · i i, 292 4, 8, 812 1, 999 2,948 .f-,947 Seedlio.g szo I and sapling.,, •...... , .....•••.•. ,, ..•.••..•.•.•.•. , 596 75. 671 78 506 ~onHoclc.ed and ocher areas ...... ,., ...... ,,.,, .. , .. , .... ,,, 38 jH 372 "'18 t5o I 168 ~--- Total, allatandt, ..•.•. , ... · · • · • .•••.• • • • • · · · · •• • • • • • • • • i 39,689 16, 271 55' 960 9,160 7, 021•1 16, 181 I

TABLE 5.-commt!Tcial fO'rtst l4nd area by owner3hip and stand-size class~ Montana, 1949

STATI!

Federally owned or managed Toul, I Private Sund-size cbus

11hipt Na.tionlli II [ adian Other Total County ow""~~r- 1 I ~~-----I--S_"_'_'_ I ~ F•·m• Ifnduacriat d h 1 T··•lvc ------1---1-o_"'_'_ll.. ---~·--l 1,---1---1 •n o< "I__ _ 1,000 [,000 1,000 1,{)00 1.· 1,000 1.000 1,000 1,000 I 1,000 ,I 1,000 S.~wtimber ...... I - , 5,699 3,337 -~-~-26-1-1 139 I 3,740 251 12 333 1,363) 1,696 Poletimber - ...... i 6,333 1 3,664 241 296 1 - 1 4,201 205 21 - - - - 1,185 721 1,906 Seedling 1 - and upling., ••. ,.,.... 2, 412 1, 590 69 j 52 1, 711 92 25 280 5s< Nonstockedandother01.reu 3041 ...•• 1,312 3901 20j 159 569 60 17 564 1 l02j 666 Total ••.•••.•.•.•.•.••• _l--1-,,-,-,,-l·--8-.-,8-1 ~--,-,.- ~--6-..-~--10-.-,-1-l,· --,-0-,-l---,-,+l --,.-3-62-l---,-.-,9-0+ --,-.-,-12 1 WESTERN MONTANA t))J» I Saw timber ...••.•••••••.•.••• 3, 740 2, 018 224 48 2, 290 217 10 56 1, 167 1, 22l Pole timber ..•.••....•••••.••.. 2, 959 1, 666 96 93 1, 855 120 5 533 446 >79 Seedling and upling .•••••• , .... 1, 354 l, 184 49· 28 1, 261 85 u 213 271 Non1tocked and other iitea•. , , , . 356 200 11 8 219 24 29 '"[J1 Total, ••••• " ,, .. , •.• ,,,. ·l 8, 909 s. 068 380 [77 5' 625 H6 !".. . ;~·I SJI 2, 799 I I I 1, 9681 F.A.5TE.RN MONTA..'IA

S•w

64 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture TABU 6.-Yolume ot liw ..,. limb.,. and primary growing rtock on comm...ci4lfa<

Live uw tir:'lber l Primary growing Hoc I: Ownc:nhip dan Western Eastern Western Ean~rn State :\1ontan;~. Montana ~Iontano. Montana State

..\fiUion ,\!inio-n J..ftllion .'Jillion Million Millio-n board [ut board jut boord jut cubic [ut cubic fttt C'Ubic fut Federally owned or managed: N' a tiona! foreat ..• , , •••• , • , •••. , , , •• , .•. , , , ••••••••• , , , •• , 21,655 11, -t.89 33, H4 4,9(H 5,075 9, 979 Iadian ...••••.... , .... , .•.....••••.•••.•....••• •. • · • · · •. l' 961 252 2, 213 399 116 515 m 712 1, 183 126 281 407 Ot:::~~: ~ ~:: ::::::::::::::::::: :~::: ::::::::::::::::::: :~[-----24,087 12,453 36, 540 5,429 5, 472 10,901 State .... , •• , , ..• , •.. , .•.....•••.•••••••.....•••.••••...•.•. 2, 416 255 2,671 575 99 ,,. County...... 95 21 1!6 26 9 35 I=== ?riv~ote: Farm ...•• , •.•.•••.•..•.•••••.•.•..•....•.•... ; ••.•••• ,. 1,!60 l, 871 3, 331 463 710 1, 173 [ndu•trial and other ...... •..• , • , •.•...... , .•... , .•. , , 11, 631 1, 671 13,302 2,667 731 3,398

Total •.••...•••••..••.•••••.•.. ·.-······ .. ·•••·•·•••·· 13, 091 3, 542 16,633 3, 130 1, 441 4, 571

Total, all ownerahip1 ...... , •• ,., ... ,, •••••• ,,.,,. 39,689 16,271 55,960 9,160 7. 021 16, 181

1 International \4-inch rule.

TABU 7.-Polutnlf of liw .ram t'mber and primary growing stodc on commerdsl fMe3t land, by sP«iel, Montans, 1949

Live uw timber' Primary growing stock Specie• Western Eastern I Wenern Eastern Y!ontana !'.Iontana ,__'_'_"_' __ _:'~1o~o~'='~"='- :VIontana. --'-'_"_'__ 1 1 .\fiZlion .\f1llitm I' .\1dllcm Mill!tm ,\t/Uitm i .\fillto-n c-ubil! fut Softwood1; i ' t -~ -~~--~~· 237 ?ondero•apine\,Vesternwhitep.ine...... ••••.•..•...•...... •...... •.••.•••. 9,328,1,1191...... --1,641 --10,9691,119 ::.': 3~ 7: ~~·.·.·.·.·.·. ··:·:·.:·.0S···Ii. 2, 231 Larch...... 11,760' (1) 11,760 2 8 2, 408 Douglaa-fir ...... ,, •.... , •....••.•...... •..••• , ..... , • . 8, 978 6, 381 15, 359 5 9 2 '*"· 692 Gra.nd fir .. , ••• , •••• ,, •• ,,.,,., •• ,,: ...... , .... , ...•. , .. ·I 3;9; 3 ...... o·9:~3 165 : ... .- ...... --1 165 Alpine fir ...••••••.. ,...... 3 25 7 6 88 i 169 j Z57 Wettern redeedar...... 6 1 3 1:0 !······ .... --~ 120 6 56 \Vetter!lb.em.!oek,,.,...... <.~ 7 1 ··,·,· • · ··] • 171 ' [""'---~ · .. 1 Spruce...... , 54 499 6 953 826 - 6 5 1 l, 391 Lodgepole pi11e ...... , .. , .. ,...... • ... 2, 496 4, i-51 I 6, 947 997 : 3, 080 j -l,077 Whitebark.andlimberpine ...... 124 5041 ~628 H: 2611 295 J~niper ...... •. ' .. • • •'. • '• ...... • ..... ' '•• • •' • .... ·3·9·,·5·3·2· 15, -,,,·1'"" ·,:,·.·_:6·5·. ~~'----- ;______! ' Total...... , .. ,,...... , ...... 9,110 6, 823 15,933 Harciwooda; I,,====- I ====- ======Aspen...... -I H1 161 11 65 76 Cotton111'00d...... ::::::::::~:::::: !55 522 6ii i 39 127 166 Sirch .....••...... , ') ') 3o:telder ...•.•...... •...... ••.•...•...... i ...... ; 1 ...... 1

(') ~~~~:·: :::::::::.-: .·:: .. :: ::_: ::_:::::: :·.::: ··:· J:::: :

Tml, ol1•P•

1!Dtem•tfm•1 ~-iDdl rule. 1 t.e. tbm a.s millJoa teet.

Forest Resources of A'.lontana 55 TABLE B.-All-timber volume on commercial fDTest land, by kind of timber, Montana, 1949 ~-r---- Wettern Eatter"; K.i!ld of timber Montana Montaull. State MUlill"A }JUUtm Million t\} LiYe: eubie fed Primary srollrio.rttock. ....•.•...•.•..•. · · · · · · · · · · • · · • · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · • • • • """' '"'9,160 7,021 """"'"'16, 181 Secoadary arowiar ttock...... · · · · · · · · ,.. IH 258 Total .•••••.... , .• , .•...... •...... 9, 304 7,135 16,439 Dead .....•••.•.••...... ··•· ·••· · .. ·• .•.. ···· .. ·• 119 m 54>

Total, all timber ..... , ...... •...... •...•.... , ... , • · · · · · ·. · · · · · · ...... ·) 9,423 7, 5S8 16,981

T.uu: 9.-Net anntuZl g-rowth and annual mortality of live saw timber and p-rimary growing stock on comme-rcial forest land by species g-roup, Montana 1

I Live taw timber I 5 ______P_•~_·_.,__ 'ro_"_P ______I--•-n-~-:,-~~-~·-:,-,,-,--,---m-~~o~-:;-~-f~-:--l---.,~~~~~:._\'_,:_~'_'__ ___m_~_o~-:,'-i_lt~•: __ _ 1 .:'ldlllion ..\!iUf011 MfUian. lJlUitm Softwoodt: Wettern Mo11tana ...... ••••...... ::::::::::. .. ) !Joord fed i!! boord f~et ~~~ eubic fed ;~ ~lc ftd. 29 E ..tern Montana ...... 1 20 . r-----~-1------1-----2-3_3_, ______.9 Total ....••...•......

Hardwoodt: i Wutera Montan• ...... Eat tern Montana ...... ••..

Total. 8

97 29 ... 21

TA.BUC 10.-.tf~• annual commodity drain of live sarv·timbe-r volum~ and prim4rJ growing stocic. on commercial form ltmd, by species ff'Oup, Mont4n4, 1939-48

Live aaw timber• Primary grow-ina 1tod: Spec:iet group Cutting Logging Commodity Cutting Loggiag drain I I Commodity waste drain• _.::.::.:::__,drain _ __::.:::::..__ waate drain• }.{Ulicm }.!ill ion I MUlil]fl, MUlion Million. boord-""''"" ftd f~d board fut c-ubk: feet cubic fut ' cubic fe~t Western Monu.a.a ..... HO '"'"' 35 ! -1,75 69 11 80 Eanern Montana .. ,, .• , .... , .... , ....•.. , ...... , ...... 26 27 ; Total ...... ••..•...•..... -I 466 36 502 . I. ,: .~ [----,-: HardlfOOd•: i We•tern Montana .••••..•..••...... •••...... , , , . j 4 l...... i. 4 Eastern Montana ...... ·••····•···················•······· i_----- 21 22 1 I ! Total ..••...••...... ···•·· ...... •···• ....•..••.... 25 1 ___. (::::::::::::1---: ·! '6

All •peeiet: ] Wntern Montana ...... ,...... 1 ... I JS m i Eaatern Montana .. , ...... •...... ••• , .•...... : 471 2 I ., :~I ·: 1====:=: • I 1- Tot&! ...•...•••.•.•.... --- ·· .....•.•.•. • ... · .••.•••...... ·, ... 37 528 ' 9< I I I "1 "I 1 lnternuioa&l ~·inch rule. • Tot&l ol cattiul drain and loaina aDd milling wa.ste.

66 Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture TAB!.& 11.-Awrnge cnnual commodity produdion, by timber TAOU 12.-Area of commerd41 fMal land, by gmtrroliud prodw;ts, in cubic voluJ'JU and in stand4rd forest ryp- and sUmd4iu cUIR, units~ Montana, 1939-48 Montctna, 1949-Contin.ud ll CUBIC VOLUME STATE-Continued •'------~--~--~-We1tero. £utero • Stao.d-•i:te dan Timber producu Moo.uo.a Moo.tan& State I Non- nmuaml Thotucml '1110UI4n4 Forett type s.w Pole Seedling noclr.ed and I and Total Sawlop (for !umber, timben, tubic[ut culmfut t:Ubie{ut timber timber ••piing other and sawn tie•}...... 59,020 2, 373 61,393 1 ---1~ --- Pulpwood lop ...... 1 ' 6 5:~'~· .••• ·,·,·:·;· ,~· . 6Sl J.Q(}() I,(J()(J 1.000 [.()(}() 1.000 Pulpwood bolt1 .••.. ,,,., .... I 591 Spruce-fir group: •cru Fuel wood ...• ,...... 6 16,117 2 Spruce. ""'m 33 '"''99 "'"l2 "'"639 Polelandpilio.s ...... ,.... 1,5031 235 1,138 ...... Hemlock-grand fir ...... 8 Pons (round 1.o.d aplit)...... 1,136 i 3, 241 1 ol, 377 ...... 1 Alpine fir., ••. , .•.. 6• •7 ll ...... 25 Hewn tie•...... H I 1 1 <2

Round mine timben...... 1 3, 561- i 1, 265 oi, 829 Total...... ,.,, •. 485 44 I 111 1 32 672 Mi1ce!laneou• ...•••...... ·i _---'-3-3 ) 8 ·!~-----'-'-1 --6-0-,---2-1~ Hardwood•·· .....•.•••• , --w;-1--m Totait ...... 72,5081 17,4781 89,986 i Colliferou• woodland ...... •..••• ,...... ••..... 800 800 =!== = STANDARD UNITS Total. all type• ..•.••... 5,6991 6,333 2,4,12 =1, 312 IS, 756

s.. wlogs (for lumber, timbers, WESTERN MONTANA •nd uwn ties) M board feet1 399, 201 14., 120 413,321 Pulpwood togt , ....•. , do1 , • 4, 061 4,061 White pine group: Pulpwood bolu Standard cords• 811 5, 919 6, 730 White pine, ..••.•. , 156 63 20 m do• .. 73, 128 llt,279 187' 407 Fuel wood •••••.•.••.. Cedar ..... , .. , ..•. ll 11 Polea and pilins ..••• , • Pieces. 107,090 18, 156 125,U6 "• aplit) ... do., 3,792,778 •• 851,074 Pons (round aad 1,058,2961 TotaL ... 168 6< 91 20 Hewn tie• ...... do .. 6, 020 102 6, 12l '" timbers ..... do •. , 494,126 661,682 Round mine 167, 5561' Ponderoaa pine ... ,,.,,. =1,346 = = =26< 85 2, 237 ..• ,,,. cubic feet 233,1-44 I 6,8·U 240,2 Miscellaneou1 Larch, ...... , . , ..... I, 338 "' 622 109 ' 2, 561 ! Douglu-fir ..... ,.,, •..• 357 "'582 HO 66 1,U5 1 We:!tern Montana total includes 2,771 M cubic f~ dead trees, and Lodgepole pine ... , ..... 199 1, 204 1!0 52 2, 165 eastern Montana 3,1 !0 M cubic feet. ' ==== 'International "-·Inch rule. Spruce-fir group: I • Rough wood, unpeelcd. A pile of !tacked wood 4 by 4 by 8 feet Spruce...... 310 25 21 2t 380 fir.. 4 4 ...... • .. . 8 ~thin iu outJide surface. Hemloclt-grand ---·------Total. •... , .. , ... 29 21 12.-A.-rea of commercial fo-rest land, by gmeraliud = "' = " = '" Hardwood•. , , .. , •• , , , • 18 46 ...... (') forest type and stand-siu class, ==== Montana, 1949 Total, al! type•.,,.,,, .. 3,74-0 2, 959 1,85-4 356 8,909 STATE EASTERN MONTANA I s... d-·'" d... I I , i Non- I Ponderota pine., ... ,., ·I 2H I 884 I 40 I lO 1, 188 ...... 859 I HS 1 H 10 1, 718 forelt type I Saw Pole ISeedling stocked 'I Douglu-flr 1 · b I1 • b il.nd and Total t!m er : tim er . upting other Lodgepole p1ne group: l=l=,l='r== ------I---1---·---j~.--- Lodgepolep1ne .... 1 526 1,515 321 4S 2,i07 Whnebarlr. and hm-~ J,Q(}() 'I 1.(100 IJ.Q(}() '11.000 I'·(JOO White pine group: 1 at!ft/J .u-re! ar:rtl acru at:ru ber p1ne ... , . , , 67 29 100 Whiteplne ...... l 156! 63 93 20; 332 ·---·---•---:---'--- Ccd-.r ...... ; 12. 1; -!, ; ...... ; 17 Toul...... ; 593 ! l, SH i .iH 1 -l-6 1 2, 507 --'--1--·--~-- i=· •=i •= Tot&L ...... ~~--"-~--97_1 __20_,~ Spruce-fir group: I, i I ·~ ! Spruce ... ·········1 1651 8 78 8 i 259 Ponderou pine .•.• , •••• ---;Q.~--1-15- 6 7 121 ...... 1 25 ~~l.rn --;:-ru A\pinefir ...... i 1 Larch...... •• ...... 1. 338 492 622 109 2, 561 2, 863 Total ...... •.•• Oougla•-fir...... 1, 216 1, 327 . 184 1361 i~~--,-,----9-.-r---,-!----;;

Lodgepolepinegroup: 1=1=: ;== Hardwoods ...... '! 102 ~===;=~~\~ 350 Lodgcpotepine..... 725 2,7191 1,0311 97 4,572 Coniferou.• woodland •. , •.•. , . ~··I·...... 800 . 800 Whitebark a11d lim· ! bet pine ...... 67 j 29 i 3 1 1 I 100 Total, "I --·--·--1--r-:-::: alltype•·········l~r=;~~~~~~~~~ Total., .. ,...... 792~~~~~=====~ 1 Less than 0 •.5 thouaDd aaes.

Fm·est Resources of Montana 67 TABLE U.-Live' all-timber volume of softwoods and har-dwoods on comme1'cial forest land, by Ju"nd of grotlling stock# tr-e~-siu class, and cla.u of material, Montana, 1949

WeHern :Vfonuna Eauern MoataCta i State Kind of growing nock, tree-ti:z:c cla.u. and clan of material Soft­ Hard Hard Total !!--S-o-f<---~~-H-,-,,-.-~-T-o-,-,-1- ~~·'·1 wood• wood1 Total wood• ______•_o_o_d_•_ __•_o_od_•_ ---- 1 1 11 Primary growing ttocl::: Millitm .\fiUion ~\ffUl011 MiUi01l Minion .\f1Ui01l I .\lilli(111 1 ~\f1Uim J.fiJh01l Live uw-timber tree•: cubic fut cubic feet cubic Jut cubic fttt cubiC feet I culnc jut 1 cubic feet I eubie Jut cubic fed Sawlogportion...... ~ 5,393 27 5,420 2.589 86] 2,675 I 7, 982 _, Jll 8, 095 Top portion ...... : 532 + 536 376 24 ! 400 j 908 1 28 916 Tou'...... ~--,-,,-2-S ---,-, --,-.9-5-6 --,,-9-65-,---,-,o-il--,-_,-,-,1 8,890 •:---14-1 !--9-,-,J-1 Livepolc-nmbert.reel., ...... ::::::::: 3,185 19 3,204 3,858 . 88] 3,946 7,043 i 107 7,150

Total primary growing stock...... 9.1101 ,, 9,160 6.823 ,,1'--,-_,-2-, 1 "·"' 'i---2-,-, 16, 181 1 Secondary growing uock: I II I I 1' 1 Sound cull tree': f ~- 1 S•w-

To.,!...... 11 'I (') 1 I 12 (•) I 2 Rotten cull tree•. .... • .. . • ...... 133 . 3 lJ6 j 96'j'""'""l 10 106 I 229 i I) Limba ...... •.....•..••...... ••.••.. l. ······) j...... 3 j··········j "' ' 1--' Total•econdary growing 1tod: ...... •..... -I 140 I i 1-H i 101 I 13 ~~---~-l4-! 241 I I 7 258 Grandtotal...... j 9,250 54 9,.1041 6.924 I 2111 7,135 16,17' Ill===,=,=, 16,439 , I I

l less thaD 0.5 mil.l.lorl cubic feet.

TABLE 14.-Volume of live saw timb~r 1 on commercial forest land, by diatrn!ter cklu t;roups and by species, MontantJ, 19-19

Specie•

Spruce.,, .• ,.,, ... . Lodgepole pine ...... Whitebark and lim· ber pine ..••..•.•• Cottonwood .. {t) Aspen ...... Birch ...... "I' Boteider .. , ...... ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' . I ' ' . ' . . .

5, 805 56L

1 Inlemational V...~inch rule, diameter breart higb. J Less tJwt o.s miiUoc board· feet.

liS Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture TABLE 15.-Net growth, normal mortality, and commodity drain on primary f:.TTOwing stock on commercial forest land lry tree· size class, ,"fontana 1

~et ~or mal Commodity ~ SizeclaH growth mortality drain ~------.\!llliOfl .\fillitm .Vfillio-n Saw-timber trees: I cubic jut cubic fat cubic jut Western ~onu.na ..... , ... , ...... , ...... ,,, ...... ,. "I' 52 26 Eanern "Montana. ··························································[___ _ 42 " "9 Total .•...... 94 40 S7 i==== Pole-tim.b~r tree•: Wenern t.!outana. H Eanern Montana .. i 102 4 (----- Total. •• , .... , ...... ···I==147 10 A!l trees: We•te:rn Montana ...... ,.,... . •.• , ••...... · ... · .. · · • · • · · · · · ········I 97 291 8l Eastern Montana ...... , ....•..... , ...... , .. , ...... , . . . . . ·I 1H "I 13 Total ....•••.•..•...... •...... •...... ('---241 50 9< I l Growth and mortality for west~m )(ontana are averages based on the period 1930-~9; for eastern Montana, 1940-49. Commodit~ drain is au a~·erage based on the period 1939-48.

TABUt 16.-Comparison of average annual and 1948 cuts with conditional allowable annu.tJl cut of liw7 sound timbtr, try species, Montana

All trees _____s_, ._._''_m_b_''___ ''-'-'' __ ' ______j______P_o_l_'·_

9 I 8 23 16 12 I 7 2 2 6 9 19 85 8 7 91 27 8 11 ll1 16 ,; I 260 •5 I 53 23 10 62 ll ,I 10 I, llO I 23 ! _____ ' I TotaL 50 301 468 ! 15 15 109 ;== State: Ponderosa p'ne. 196 239 122 \9 I 16 10 31 )5 White~ne...... 16t ,. l8 I ...... 3 2 "J Larcb. and Douglu· I j I fir ....•.•.•..... ! 1S 2 [ 376 ! 365 I 29! 23 1551 45 61 75 Lodgepole pine.,, .. I 11 I 11 1 205 I 29 48 H-2 . 7 73 Other 1peciet ...... -~~-____5J_j ____l6j_; ______151 ____1_2 12 1271 10 8 40 1 Total...... l 528 682 ! 861 I 89 99 635 I 94 ll3 212 I

Forest Resou1'ces of ,;.¥lantana 69 T.ul.E 17.-d'rea of major clmus of forest land, by ou:nnship, i\!ontm1a1 1949

\Vestern \Ion.untl. State Own.ersbip clas! Com· ·'-ioncom-·R .; T 1 i Com· Soncom IR,., .... d'. T 1 I m~~~-_; :~m·o~--~o,;n ·,Re,uvect ·_· Total 'Jta merc1al , ''"

T:>ta! ...... l !,7991 2321 74! 3,10512,053 175;· ...... 1 2,228j 4,852! 407! 741 5,333

Total. all ownenhipt, ..•..•••...• ·ji 8, 9o9!-2.'5i2l l. 598 r~~~;-~-~ 847 -~, 564 1= 92;=!-;,-340 ~=;~;;:·I: 4, 07:i= 2, 52;=·~~~ ' . ~

tABLE 18.-Area of forest in major reserved forest areas, ;'~,fontana

Reserved forest Tot:~-1 area

1 Yellowuone National Park • , •• , , ••••• , •• , , , ••. l·Hl Glacier National Puk .....••.•...... , .. , ... , .... 793 Wild 4nd wilderneu areas ~n national fore1u ..•. ,,., .. l. 509 1-- ____T_"_'_l_ .. _·_·_· ·_·_· _.._._._ .. _._._ .. _._._ .. _._._ .. _·_·_· _.._._· _·----· _.. _._·_· _.._._· _.._._· _.._._· _.._._·_· _.. _._· _.. _._· ------'·!_____ '·_'_ .. z f· ,f)

1 Montana part onlr.

TABLE 19.-Forest area and timber-volume ·estimates for ,Uontana, by specified years, 1918-49 1

Fore3t land :.rea Date Saw-n mb.-r ,·olume ~ Commercia! Other Toul Thotuand Jlillion acru ft. it. !/1, 1918. • ...... ' . . . . !' . . • . . ' 58,000 1920. 13,926 !. 1925 .. 14.696 .. }26 :O.o2:! 50, •JO

t Oaly data for 1949 are based on a systematic field survey of the 1938. U. S. Cong., Joint Committee 011 Forestry. Sen. Doc. 31, 77th entire State. Data for the other years are from the following sources: Cong., lst sess. 1941. 19\8. Fifth Biennial Report of the State Forester of Montana, 1917- 1945. Forest Service basic statistics for U. S. Dept•. -\gr. ~lise, Pub. 18. 668, Forests and National Prosperity. 1948. 1920. U. S. Dept. Agr. Stat. But .21, Anw:ican Forests and Forest l Volume estimates for 1918 and 1925 include lil iorest land; the Products. 1928. later estimates are for commercial forests only. Minimum standards !925. Univ. :\font. and U. S, Foregt Service. Montana Fore5t and for saw-timber trees wera not defini!d for estimates prior to 1945. The Timber Handbook. 1926. 1945 estimates included pines and hardwoods 11.0 inches d. b. h. leSS. 1931. 1949, the minimum standartl was 11.0 inches d. b. h. and larger for all species.

70 F01·est Resource Report .Vo. 5 C. S. Department of .--lgricuiture TAB.I.E 20.-Reiation.ship of fonrt land area of ,Hontana to total land arta, by county, 19-f9

Forest lar1d Percent of Total total !and County • larJd .are:t in :s'oncommerciall Total area forest land Commercial .lfld reserved I __ ' Acre., A era .4cre.l' A ere.!' Reaverhead...... I . . .86Z,9Q7 . . . . 197,557 1, 060,554 3, 555.840 29. ~ 3, 221. 120 6. J Big Horn. "I' 179, 185 12, 381 201. 566 Blaine ...... , .. . ·: so. 872 6, 528 87. ~00 2, 730, 880 J. Broadwater,,,.,. 170.777 16. 260 187,037 795.520 23. 5 Carbon .. , , , •••.... 36, 793 98, 796 185,589 l. JH. 800 H.O

Carter .•.••.•..... 56,527 56,527 2.120.320 2. C.ucade ....••.... 2H,J23 s~. s6s 318.891 t. 701, 120 18. Chouteau. 51' 037 3, 521 59,558 ~. 508, soo 2. 4 CoJater ...••• ,, ..•... ~5.092 25. 092 2, 409,600 1.0 ')23, 520 ] Daniela ..•.•...•....•. }, 193 """I J' 193

Dawson ....• , •..•.. , .. 5. 952 1,160 7. 112 l. 509, 120 • 5 Deer Lodge* .....•. 103,524 23.398 127,422 263, ~80 H.4 -Deer Lodge .• 79,373 50,1H 129.520 208, 840 62.0 Fallon., .•. , ... , .. 378 378 1. 0~5. 120 r•r Fergu1 ...•..•.•. HI, 040 58, 488 399,528 2. 720, 000 H. flathead*,.,., •. 1, 610,082 I, 294, 6H 2, 904, 726 3,313,280 !37.7

Gallatin. 528,651 224,401 753,052 1, 610.880 46.7 Garfield. 69,611 69,611 3, 067,520 l. Glacier ...... , •...•.. llO, 519 289,306 399,825 l, 903,360 21 0 Golden Valley. 19,921 14,342 34, 263 753,920 u Granite*.,,,,,,, ..... 648,574- 157' 320 805, 894 l. 098, 880 73. Hil! ...... 7, 929 ...... 1, 929 1. 884. 160 .. Jefferson ..•.•.•. ~27, 083 52, 73'5 479,818 1, 056,640 4-5. -1- Judith Ba.in .... ., ,, , , •.... 21l,045 84, 865 295,910 l, 203, zoo 24.6 La~e* .. -t44,879 91,767 536,6-16 960,000 55 9 Lewi1 and Clar~•. 2H, 281 159,123 393, ~04 443,350 88. 7 Lewi9 ~nd C!.u~. 590, 409 281,029 871, ~38 1, 782,570 48.9

Lib~:rty .. ,., ••••.•••... 2, 809 2, 764 5,573 933,760 .6 Lincoln* ..••••..... 1,845,865 422, 811 2, 268,676 2, 377,600 95 4 )..IcCone ...• ,.,,, ...... 635 635 l. 688, 320 (>) ~ ~!adi1on .••...•..•.•.... 404, 695 201,032 605,727 2, 259,200 26. 8 t ~!eaghe, ..... , . 445,361 52,941 -1-98,302 I, 506, 560 33.

~{i neral* ... , .. . 539,444 220, 706 760, 150 I 782, 720 97. )..1inou Ia"', .... . 1, 193,795 270, 607 1,464,4021 1, 682,560 87.0 )..-!uuei•hell 247,381 ...... 247,381 1, 207,040 20.5 Par~ .....• , ...... 398, 100 307, HZ 705,-1--42 ! 1,681.280 42.0 Petroleum ...... 22, 668 ...... 22, 668 I, 064,960 2. I

Phillips ...... 26,559 2, 539 29,098 3, 368,960 .9 Ponder a ..•. , 60, 474 10,590 71,064 1, 051,520 6.3 Powder River ... 196, 79l 2, 189 198,980 2, 102. -t-00 9, Powell*, ••• ,, .. 5~6. 554 : 414,209 960, 763 1,495,680 6~.2 1,105,280 .2 Prairie ...... 2,170 1 ..... 2, 170

Ravalli* ...... 544, t56 I 691,669 1, 235,825 1, 525,760 St. 0 Richland ...... 5, 889 ...... 5,889 l, 321,600 .. Roo•evelt .•••...... 765 ...... 765 1,526,400 .I Roaebud ..•. , ...... 151.941 661 152,602 ;, 220,480 .. Sanden* .. ,.,. 1.108,694 346,787 I 1, 455,481 1, 799,040 80.9

Shendar1 .... :. 338 l. 5 33 . •)88. 000 Silver Bow*. .58. -~90 ~16. 405 105,395 135, :HO H . Silver Bow ...... \09,202 12, 390 121,592 222.~30 54. Stillwater •• , ••.... , .. . 124, lH 98, 084 ! 222,238 1,150,080 jQ Sweet Gra...... 172. 796 96, 339 269, 135 1, 18l,HO 22. Teton ...... • • · · · • 189,925 -l-5, 901 235,826 1.-t-68,160 16.

Forest Resources of A1ontana 7! TABU 20.-Rdationship of forest land area of Montana to total land area, lry county, 19-19-Continued

i Forest land I Percent oi ___ I Total total land County' I land area ic I• _c_o_rn_rn_'_"_',_,_I :-.l' o nco m me rc i od ! Total area forest land ti:' ------;- \ a.nd reserved i ! I i A:rt~ Acru Atru A crt• 1.1 Toole. ·········•····· I 13.2821 ...... 13, 282 1, 257,600 I Trea•ure ...... , ...... • , ...... , ...... • . 24,.418 .... , ...... 24,·U8 629,760 J. 9 Valley...... 14,300 1, ••••••••••••. 1 H. 300 3,252,480 Wheatland .. , ...... ,, .. , •. , ...... , ...... · ...... · .. · 25,256 ! zs. 593 53.849 9l2, 000 5.·' 9 Wibau:r ...... , ...... s,.,6 1 ...... 5,B6 568,960 1.0 Yellowstone.,, ..... 58,4121 175 58,587 1, 686, 400 J. 5 i Yellowatone Park. . . . . •...... • . . . ! !39, 980 139,980 172,100 81. 3 === 77. 664, 020 12.0 Eattcrn \(onuna. 6. 847. 66-+ 1 2. 492.604 9, HO, 268 i 1 13. 018, 784 15,978,160 i iS!. 5 w'""'~::::~.'~~-· .•.••••••••••••••••.•••.••••••••••••••••••••• •I 1::::: ::: ~--:-:6- :-,-.·:-::- '------'-22,359,052 ! 93.642, 180 1 23.9 I

1 An asterisk indicates areas west of the Continental Divide; all other areas are east of the Divide. ' Lesl thaD 0. OS perceDt.

TABI.J: 21.-Timber volurM on commercial forest land in MontiJrnl~ lry countks, 1949

Live Live Live Llve County' uw timber • ,u timber • ·r County' uw timber 1 •II timber J I,_,, ,\[ board jut .\! cubi~ fett .'-l board ft.tt M cub1c [ut 8eavcrhe:1J ...... , ,., ...... 2, 276,123 1, 288, H8 " \·[incrai*. i 1,94.3,593 510,900 Big Horn ...... , .... ,, ....•.. 113,345 71, 5H \.iiuoula *. I 4,, 794,840 t,160, sao Blaine ..... ,, ...... ,_ ... . 60,835 26,570 I \.iune!ahell ...... 273,844 105, 7U Broadwater .. , ... , ...... , .... . 423,233 201, 2H i ParW: ...... , ...... 2, 363,149 760, 760 Carbon ..... , ...... ,,., ... ,.,,.,. 107,615 73,058 Petroleum ...... 5,9-H J, 867

Carter ...... , .... , . , , ...... , lll,331 33,838 Phillipt...... 31, 562 16, 361 Caaeade.,,, ... , ... ,, ... ,,,,.,., .•... 178, 755 86, 884 I Pondera...... 112,943 43,891 Cb.out~au ...... , .... ,, ....• ,., .. ,,,, 22, 372 9, 390 I Po'lt'der River ... 209,038 78,816 Custer .... , . , , .. , , .•... , , , . , , •. , .. 26,693 11. 14.6 I Po we!!*...... 1,366,749 ,.,., soo. I Daniels ...... • ,,, ... ,, ...... • , ..•. " 2ll Prairie .•...... 11,939 2,644 . ~ D:.~.w•on, ...... , ... .,, .. , ...... , 6, 032 3,369 Ravalli*. .. " ...... 2,213,928 4-87,400 Deer Lodge* ...... ,, ...... ••• , -H. 360 21. 200 Richland. 29, 848 6, 7'17 Deer Lod)!'e ...•. ,, ..•...... ,, •...... 115, 149 87,678 Rootevelt. 1, 021 J57 F•llott ...... , ...... , .••. , ... . 664 ISJ Ro1ebud...... 119,066 jQ, 682 Fo:rgu1 .•.. ,, .•...• ,., ... ,.,.,, •..... 225,326 85,695 Sanden• ...... 4., 963,049 1, U71 000 Flathead*...... • , .... , ...... 8, 843, O&i 1. 882,200 Sh.eridatt. 61 Gal'atin .....•...... •...... •. , , 2, 351,088 952, -t-23 Silver Bow*. 63,685 3:!, 700" Garfield .. ,, ...... •.....•. ,,,,, •.... 21,463 13, 9St Silver Bow...... 4-39, 713 161, 6+7 Glacier ...... •. ,, ..•...... 49,720 20,027 Stil!wuer .. 122, 606 70.944 Golden Valley ...... , ...... 16, 508 9, 239 Sweet Grau. 564,161 209,085 Granite*. , 1, 328, 123 418,800 Teton ...... 201,076 128, 315

Hill ...... •. 6, 217 }, 728 Toole .....•.... 6,494 3, 466 Jetfenon .. 7H,9l2 415, JO!! Treuure. 19.772 7, ?95 f•1dith Buia.. _:1). 380 ; 20, 578 Valley ...... 11..367 Lake-* ...... •..... 2, 406,135 537,400 Wheatland. J7. 509 20. 799 Lewi1 and Clark•. 604.76+- 157,700 Wibaux 903 315 Yellowuonc. 62,215"·"'I zJ.nz Le•i• and Cla.rk .... t, t62, 369 595. 730 I Liberty...... , •.... 3, 550 l. 859 Eanern \r[ontana. I 16.270.925 7, 134, 6H Lincoln*...... , .. , .....•... ll,ll6,4,72 2. 5+3' 000 Western ~ontan~. .... 1 39,688,762 '), 30.~. 600 Me Cone ...... , ..... ,., •...... 3,+94 774 \iadi1on. 1. J60, 846 580, 519 Total. .., 53.959,687 16, 4:38, 234 Yleagher. 1. 630. M7"1 673.614:

1 An asterisk. indicates areas west ot the Continental Divide; all other areas are t:ast o[ the Divide. ~ T~ 11.0 incbe, and larger in diameter, measured bv International H-inch rule. a The volume, i!ttlttding bark, ot 50dd tnes; aad the sound volume of cull trees from 1-foot stump to a ... O.i.Dc.h miDimnm top diameter includ­ ing the sound volume of limbwooct for hardwood species to a •.O.illc.h milrimum top diameter.

Forest Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agriculture TAHU 22.-Annual lumber production reporUd ir;. Montana, by species, for specified years, 1869-1948 1

1889 II 1899 ! 1904 1905 1"06 11907 II 1908 I; 1909 li 19l0 11911 I 191Z Species 1869 1879 (30 (69 r (36 (13 (84 (l30 (173 (179_ (140 (126 I (118 mills)!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J .\f rt. 1 .\! ft.l.\f ft. i. M ft. I .v: ft. .\1ft. .\1ft. :-.1ft. M ft. I ,\f ft. j .\!ft. 1 .\f .rt. M ft. Softwood: 1>. m. b. m, b. m. , ~- m. b. m. b. m. b. m. b. m. b. m. I b. m. b. m. I b. m. b. m. Cedar...... , ...... 3,000 195 10 2,030 60 126, 3 8;8 Dough.a-fir ...... j 5,000 9,000 30,000 'i61,93ljoi9,404 6.132 41,537 34-,703 38,825! 43,270 53,070 36,784 39,325 1 __ j 1.000 165.!!! ~:~~~rt:o~~-~;~~··- l·io:ooo·/·so:ooo· is3:~67' i3S:~r6· to~:~~~ t64,7461i4~:ss;.·!i46:890-lrJ~:;~~1 '96:654/ 9t,o!~ White pine .•.... -~1,000 2,0001 2,000 4,375 20,561 5-,850 I 2,61516,2871 1,671 3,090 5.311 7,163 1 Spruce...... 1 ·US 17,900 155 4,025 7,936 7,201 6,837 10,273 2.803, 7,432 Larch... . ,"-, ...... 1-······-~ H,l97 3,-WO 39,089 91,488 1107 684 106,095 104,130 99,2!13180,145 120,779 Grand fir . . . . . II .. .. 1 .1 .. , .. , , ...... , ...... 1-i, 4641 25,999 I 6, 281 II 2, 647 13,589 2, 917 560 Lodgepole ptne - .... r 1.. . .. - .. j...... I' ...... 2, 567 2, 380 I 3, H8 1, 959 1 Other ...... ] .... , 1 I· 1 1,000 27.250 j ...... 1 1 1 Hudw::~•i ······lll,OOO ~~21,000 1 93.000 25U351236,430 ~~175.9llll2J,6

1 1 Cottonwood ..... 1 ...... 1 , 1· •••••••••••••••1 ····1 200 1 121 1 2271 510 1 260 446 1 305 g:~;, .. : :::·:·[':·::::<=1 ·1,000 1- 1,300 ~~~j'ij'J;6 I 4:88.~~~-:~~~-l:~::J· :::~~ ::::: Total. ··i~l~!~!~~~~~~~~-~!~~~~~~~~~ Total, all specie •...... ·i'U.OOOT2~00or~:ill.68si~l~im.mr~lm.ml~i~l~l-;z.rn

'I 1913 i 19H i 1915 1916 I 19!7 i 19!8 I 19!9 1920 I" 1921 I 192~ 11923 II. i9N Species (109 • 024 . (94 (103 . (122 I (913 (125 (124 {120 (100 (117 (100

1 ------~~~~~!~~~~~~~~;~1~1~1 Softwood: I b'": ~: ! b~ ::: I b~ ~: ~ ~: b~ ~: ~ ~: ~~~ ~: b~ ~: ~~ :: ~~ ~: I ;: ~~ ~ ~: Cedar ...... , 80 1 _1.005 ...... 2.612 • 25 • 189 1,846 20 i 101 780 1 Douglat-flr ...... l63,4941 )},061; 41,464 56,845 i )8,600 )4,906 I 40,675 55,670 27,762 51,966. 76,002 54,050 Hemlock:...... 298 ...... 1...... , ...... j 29 20 731 1 Ponderos.apine ...... jl20,U4 j134,5681118,920 138,2061150,905,169,956 '108,548 173,507 102,342 136,3931167,468 137,358 Whitepine ...... !24,606 17,537 27,330 10,4971497414,207 37115.061 710 351 7,539 9,48-1- Spruce ...... l 7,623 7,666 13,166 6,790 6,4371 6,773 34,064 21,573 491 6,444jl2,589 4,011 Larch ...... 137,703 101,771 115,001 163,829 135,734 114,250 101,7141112,400 81,053 105,4151159,029 141,075 Grandfir ...... 2,330 465 6,510 3,408 9,645 4,523 576122,891 29 578 1,578 323 1 Lod~epolepine ...... , .... ,, 1,199 3,6771 1,68-i 1,631 986 729 352 I 15,603 1,32012,279 2,097 2,518

1 1 Total.., ...... 357,747 II J17, 750 32!,175 IJ83, 818 347,306 :~1286, 518 1408,551 1213,707 ~~426, 423 350,330 Hudwood: Cottonwood...... 227 , 92 158 I 66 190 I 467 i 860 I 1, 1161 282 121 494 5 Total, all tpeciet .. ·•····•···••·• m.;;;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~m;;-~~-~:~

FDf'est ResouTces of M on lana 7:5 TABU 22.-Annual lumber production reported in .\lon~ana, by species, for specified years_. 1869-1948 1-Continued

1925 I 1926 I 1927 I 1928 r 1929 I 1930 II' 1931 ' 1932 I 1933 I P'l~ i 19)5 1911) Species (120 I 11:!2 '126 I ill9 I {126 I '114 ,·% : en 1~9 I no, I (116 I (12G mills) ~j~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .'.!fl. I .\f jt I .\f jl I .\{ [t : .\f ft I .Yf ft. I ,\,f tt I .VI jt. : .Vf It M ft I M ft I Jf /1 I Softwood: b. m. /;>, m b m, Ill. m I b m I b m I b m I b. m !J m b m 0 m '' m I'Ceda.r...... •....••.. I 757 2131 1 3 36 .... 37 I 10 ... 5 !00 ~~~~:·~fir.--:·::.::::: :·:·i 7~:~~~ I 6~:i~~ 79,88~ 72,~i: 71:~~~- -~~--~~:.1.~9-~69·1-15,79~-~13.693 26,H3·1-~4.039 51.39; 1 Poaderou. 159,238 172,000 j164,197it68,396 1 l70,0-471133,709164,54lr 54,897,72.196 79,5491114,454 130,507 White pine.. I ? 915115,17311:.613 i 18 ~~~ 1 21697125,600 !7,35i 'I 2,705! -1,,776 7,092 15,334: 23,669 Spruce ...... ··1 ),368 7 099 '979 I 7 .1 16,183 13,H3: 3.661 4,492 ?.:11 7,298j12,039 1 13,510 1 1 1 La.rch. .. . 133,393 .ll2,217il30,6-lo7 l.ll3.175 104,8181' 77,889 1 H,792131,610 ~. 24.517 50,189156,336 1 74,1U Grand fir...... 2,233] 1 187 8561 1J2j 213 70 1 110 30: 35 100 I 40 837 Lodgepole pine.. 'I 1, 2H I 1, 977 I 2, 013 I, i33 i 2. S-1,2 774 741 -P9 i 638 989 1, 228 1 974 I , 1 1 I .--_,___ , ___ , ___ , ___ ·---.---,------·------,---1 TotaL ...... I'388,3H 1378,493 i396,207l3Ri.8011388.666 i296,970 :tss,20BI111,01S :125.126 !171,690 233,5751 295,233 1 Hardwood: Cottonwood . ········· 10 205! 60 i71 -lo5 I 20 1""""1 30 1...... 1 151 58 ...... l--'--!--!----'----:--i--'----.-­1 Tou!.allspeciet ...... •...... I388,8H iJi8,69lS 1396,2671387.8791388,711 ;296,990 •l33,213!Il1,048 !125,126 jt71,84l 233,6331195,133 I • I I I

1937 1938 ll)J9 I 1940 I 1941 I 1942 ! \')41 I l9H 1945 I 1946 I 1947 1948 Species (1~6 (140 {168 1168 1 r265 1 IH') I '213 (156 I 1!53 I (-!,0\ {407 1-!,34 !mills)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 .vr _rt. ..\I ft. J.f ft I M ft. Jf /1 ."\If' I J! ft. I :vi ft I :-.! 1t M ft. M rt. ."\f ft. Softwood: 11. m. b m b. m b. m b m b m. b m IJ. m, b m I b. m. b m. b m. Cedar...... l 100 36 103 154 12 ..... "I 25 38 1 ..... ,, 17 82 1,068 ~~:~~:·~~i~.-~:::::::::::::::::157,3~9 39,9i~ 39,240 1-~~::~:·!-~~:~~~-196,66~ -~~:~~~.!.~~--~~~-~-~~:~~~-!-~~:~~:. 114,~!6j210,i~: Ponderosa pine. ······1154,709 106,902 130,060 l45,684ji66,100 :177,497 .17J,622IIt80,0421144,346 :.150,405 200,923 223,569 Grandpine...... 20,186121,163 29,939 26,962,18,135118,70719,618 9,048 3,81517.699 6,145113,464 Spruce...... 14,771 6,373 5,-H:-7111,386 i 13,010 20,584]16,996 26,365 i l3.8H i 11.933 9,836 16,705 Larch. 84,686 -H,4.J9 63,738 75,4-93 87,549 117,3lliU5,396 140,985 ;110,092 1138,900 1162.~38 129,259 Grand fir...... 1,331 357 222 87 711 56 161 51 415 142 1,356 106 Lodgepo\epiae. ~~ 2,202 ~~~~~~:~~~:~1

Total...... 1335,038 221,565 270,951 325,315 373,9371433,067[423 4511448,-1:20 IH1,623 )413,4:89 !499 7H 1 597,S82 1

Hu~~~:~;wood ...... [ .... '.1 ... 1< 1;~ .. . 23. . . J: I ... 221 .. 691 ... 781 .. 126. ~~:--216 :~- ; ~ 0 ~::., .. . . . ~~~~~r--,-_,-i- ---~3 :~;---"-~~;~~~;~~~:~, Toul ••u ••"'",······· 1;;---;;=,~l~i~r~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~=;:;';~

1 Source: 1869·1Q46, U. S. Dept. Agr, Misc. Pub. 669, Lumber Production in the United State!-1799-1946; 1947, U.S. Bureau of the Censu5, Census of Manufactures-1947; 1948, Forest Service data. 3 Includes 5 M Ieet board measure of birch.

74 Forest Resource Re ort No. 5 U. S. De artment of A iculture TABU. 23.-Lumber produetion and numb~r of active sau•mil!s in .\fontana, b\' mill size. for specified years, 1921-48 1

I I Large ).!edium Small (10,000 fe~t bo:~rd measure II, 000 to 9, 999 :\! feet ooq M feet bo:~r.J measure Total " and over• :,n:~rd measure! ood leu) I !umber Toni Year : produc- mlils RelatiOrl Re!Jtior. Relation tlon Lumber Anive Lumber Acrive Lum:Oer i Active produc- total prodllc- tot.1! total prodac- mlil• mdls prodllc- mills t1on '" t1on "proJuc- t:on '"pr~duc- i tlOn tun uon ------1----'------____ ,____ ------.\!ft. b. m. · Sumber .Vum/)~r · .\1 fl. fJ. m. Ptrant .Y1tmbrr .\l.ft.!J. m. Percent .\"11mber : .\( (t.IJ. m .. Perrmt 1<121. 2!+.908 159 160.878 75 12 32, 8+3 15 1<0 21.187 10 1926. 379.563 161 :36. 9H 76 19 71. 181 19 135 21. H8 !931..- ...... !59, +91 ll9 124,288 78 21,540 127 li. 663 1936. 296. 866 198 188. 176 6) 17 84. 3+6 " 176 3H 8 19+1. 373,970 Z65 24:2,375 65 90, 379 H" 2 i 3 ~I."' 216 11 19~6...... 413, S59 ! !01 ' 158,725 38 67" 102,905 .iil 62. 229 15 1947 ...... 499,959 <07 202, 063 " 2'26. 0'1 "H :;:6 iO, 043 l! 1948...... 597, 9-H +3+ 208,930 "35 87 286, Bli H2 102.628 17 " Total production and number of sawmills for 1921, 1926, 193l. and 1936 exceed those ~hown in t::~ble ~:! becau~ table 22 does not include production and number of mills that cut less than 50 :'-.1 feet. board measure, in the~e years.

TABU 24.-Lumbtr production and number of active saT.!.' mills h; ,\.fontana, In' 111ill .ii:e, 1945-.Ji 1

19i5 194:6 ~Hll 11ize and annual pr<)ductio.n rate i-----~------,------(:\1 ft. b. m.) 1 , ------1 Active mil!& ~~~ction ~~=~:..~.:~:~~_:~ive mdl! __:::duct!CI~

Small Vrlm/Jn I .\[ ff IJ m _Vumb!r \{II IJ m .\"um/)(r .\f (I !) m

1- 49 ...... 1 76 I, Sll I 101 2. J3! so I, '"q9 50--199...... -1' 64 6.+82 ' !Z9 13.657 135 14.716 200--499...... 38 11.043 65 ~0.548 fi5 zo.12s 1 soo-·n1...... n H,3t5 36 15,692 -+6 3J.70J ~1edium: 1. 000-2,999. ll 53, liS

1 Data from Burl!au of Ccnill!l ~~ases. "Ia orde:r to avoid dL

TABLE 25.-Number of poles produced annually i11 .Ho11ttma, by specit:s, I93i and 19-16--/9

Specie~ 193 7 19i6 194:7 1948 l9

':.ocH;epr,le p1~e. j_ 214 :65. m 269. 1-t·l 11+, 705 172, lOS Western redcedar H,-+25 ;, 769 16, 984 17, 8-ll 15, +08 Larch. ••·I 26, <76 32, 704 29.695 32,546

Dougiu-tir ...... 1, 608 !, """""") 5. 905 -+. 615 I, 75:i ~i•ce\laneoul ...... !00 I, ' ------Total. 29,247 301. 322 32-i. 734 166, 856 221,815

Forest Resources of 1.\1ontana 75 TABLE 26.-Annual production of Christmas trees, cross ties, TABLE 27.-Di.stribu.tion of Montana [umber shipments, by shingles, and lath in Montana, 1925-49 section and Stale, specified years, 1924-~5 1-Continued

ChriHmou Sawed crou Year tree• - tie&' Shinglet Lath Section and nate 1924 1936 1938 1945

Number ~vumbtr 8'}u.are' .'J ;;ieee• .v: ft. M ft. M fl. Mjt. 1925 ...... l, 225,000 3,387 32,209 Middle We•t-Con. b. m, b. m. b. m. b. m. 1926 ...... 481 32,306 Minnesota ... ,, ... ,. 37.019 13.059 7' 950 29,430 1927 .•..••.•. 1.0H, 796 300 19,U9 Miuouri .. . 4, 866 2, 97-4: 2. 956 3,557 1928 ...... 959,175 252 15,416 ~ebrulr.a .. 10.309 2,677 1. 698 4,880 1929 ...... 91$,895 210 17,003 ~orth Daltota .... , . 5. 281 13. 105 2,040 10,000 _')30 ...... 824,51$, 66o 14. 488 Ohio ..•...... , .•••. 1. 945 3,048 3.686 2,722 j'JJl ...... 613,1+3 385 6, Hl South Dakota .... ,,. 3, 569 9<9 1. 021 2,801 1?32 ...... 670.000 H7 4.361 Wiaconain ...... , ... 11. 798 .C.,610 3, 278 11,758 1933 ...... 525,000 430 7,449 19H ...... 750 8, 705 Total ....•...... 141. 464 78, 412 54,730 1935 ...... l, 587 10,416 1936 ...••••.. 1,242,500 ...... 6. Ill 13,481 Northeast: 1937 ...... " 1,534,500 ...... 3. 366 16,869 Connecticut. 7, 061 3, 173 2, 879 1,109 1938 ...... 1, 676,000 554,540 5,9\2 11,856 Delaware .....•..... 178 355 1939 ...•.•... 1,967,350 ...... 10, 608 12, 530 Maine .. 69 90 178 904 1940 ...... 2, 338,3$0 1, 237,668 12.512 11,747 Maryland and Dis- 1941...... 3,082.650 1,398,968 12, 410 11,466 trict of Columbia .• 48 H8 621 299 1942 .•..•.•.. 2, 203,750 2, 319,978 9,491 11,691 Mauachu1etu. 1, 516 1, 762 720 476 1943 ••..•.•.. J. 102, 480 2. 239, 584 3,081 S,OH New Hampahire ..... 192 103 21 61 1944 ...... 1,75j,750 1,090,428 425 7, 300 :-.lew]eney ...•.•••. 775 3. 513 J' 891 l, 615 1945 ...... 2, 723,500 l. 302, 2j8 1,024 2,680 New York .. ,,, ••... 10.905 9, 210 8, 947 4, 704, 19-46 ...... 3,299,400 1,008,619 1, 942 5,361 Penntylvania. lJ. 590 6, 828 5, 7q8 ll, 530 1947 ...... 2.515,640 1,336,555 Rhode hlaod ...... 26J 237 148 167 1948 .. " " .. . 3.098, 8S61 ...... Vermont 165 109 105 34 1949 ...... 3,156,956 ·······•···· West Virginia ..• ,·,,. 1, 563 123 15J 155

1 Production o( sawed ttrlS! ties is included in total vt~lume o( lumber Total .. ,.,, •.•.. , 36,157 25,974 23,812 11, OH production, table 22. 1====,1=====1====1,====-= South: TABLE 21.-Distribut{on of Montana lumber shipment!, by Alabama ...... •...... JO 1 Arkansas. section and State, specified years, 1924-45 Florida .... , ... ,, ... Geor~~:i• ...... , , .. , . Section and •tate 1924 1936 1938 1945 Kentud:y .. J04 Loui&i;~.na .. :\Iiuiuippi. i M/1. M[t. .\.{ft. .u ft. :--lorth Carolina. b. "71. b. m. b. m. b m. 26 ·----~~~ Oldahoma ...... 145 49 71 I, 251~ Montana. l 169,732 134,673 192,934 ""'') 118,249 South Caroiina ...... Tenneuee. 25 25 12 29 wm, j ' Te:taa ..•.•...•...• , . , , •• , , .. , 25 9 687 I 61 ~:~~~fo::;~ .-:::::::: :·1 .. ·.... 69 ·1::: T· .. ·.. s·1 575 Virginia...... 25 63 429 172 C>J!orado...... 10,562 3, 044 1, 780 3, 947 1'-----~----~---- 1 I Total ...... •. 195 182 576 2, 6\4 3,886 r · · · · I 15 ~e·:~od~::::::::::: :I.·.·~:~~- ~:~~~.I. ••· ~: ~~~ Tor a! domestic ...... , ·l·J· 9. ·.'.'. 7• 8=78 356, 487 Ne..,.Mexico ...... ,; ...... ' 119 ·I .1'=.=.2=8=9=.=,9=6=~2=2=4=, ······!··········! Exportl ... , •.....•••.. 'I' 18 9

-tz U, •• OOVI:ftNMIENT l"ftiNTING O"'IC1h ltsz.-aOI:UZ

76 For est Resource Report No. 5 U. S. Department of Agricu/turl!