ELEVENTH IN A SERIES ON HARDWOOD

Hardwood group uses audio-visual program to uarious to get its message out publics

Story at a Glance

The American South produces more than half the U.S. hardwood requirements, but the supply is dwindling and land manaqement is inefficient South-ern hardwood mfqrs., rightly concerned, have a new audio-visual program designed for a wide audience that cliscusses industry problems and potential solutions in non-technical terms.

rr\ ONCERI{ED about the future (- of hardwood lumber markets, a dwindling supply and what they describe as a "long history of poor management" by hardwood growing Iandownerso the Southern Hardwood Lumber Manufacturers Assn., in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, has produced an audio visual program that it hopes will help highlight facts on Southern hardwood lumber markets and forest management. It was also produced so that SHLMA would have an educational tool that would draw attention to hardwood management in a non-technical manner.

IMPORTANCE TO U.S.

The slide series explores the markets and management of hardwoods and includes many interesting facts concerning multiple use of the hardwood forests of the South. Of great importance to the nation, as well as the region, is the fact that about 285,000 people are employed in harvesting the region's hardwood timber and manufacturing it into hundreds of products.

Hardwoods grown in the South now supply about 557o of the United States' hardwood requirements. However, the supply is decreasing slowly largely because the forest lands are being cleared for other uses. The latest U.S. Forest Service survey notes that Southern hardwood forests lands have declined 207o during the past four decades and the general quality of the trees has slipped.

Most important of the reasons is that hardwood forests are beine cleared for soybean production and conversion to pasture. Less important are forest land losses to suburban developments, utility rightsof-way, supelhighways and water impoundments.

Poor Management

Another factor is a long history of poor management. The land owners simply have not applied available knowledge about how hardwoods grow and should be managed.

The audio visual program is designed to help remedy the situation. The 100-slide program and taped narration will be shown to civic and conservation groups and a broad variety of other organizations with an interest in Southern hardwood forest management.

D.A. Craig, area director of the USFS in Atlanta, Ga., said that one set of slides, a reel tape and one narrative guide has been sent to each State Forestry in the South. Also several sets are to be placed on a loan basis, he said, available with reel or casette.

Every effort is being made to see that the program reaches maximum viewing and in the places it will do the most good toward boosting Southern hardwoods.

The SHLMA has copies for sale or loan and those using them pay only one-way shipping charges. A number of SHLMA members are purchasing copies for use locally, according to the association. A slide set with taped narration is available for $20. The SHLMA is located at 805 Sterick Building, Memphis, Tenn. 38103.