0ptinisn at WWPA Fall neeting

TIHERE were a lot more smiling r faces in evidence at the Fall meeting of the Western Wood Products Assn. at Newport Beach, Calif., than at recent gatherings, a condition most likely produced by the present rate of housing starts.

"The housing boom which has been talked about for years is here, and all signs point to the building of 2.4 million housing units nationally this year," noted Wendell B. Barnes, exec. vp. This will include conventional single and multi-family units of between I.95 and 2 million units plus 450,000-475,000 mobile homes.

For 1972, Barnes said the industry could expect 2.1 million starts, not includine about a half million mobile homes. "

Lumber consumption should increase some 125%.

For 1972, the lumber industry can look forward to an additionai 5.5 billion board feet. Of the total, lumbermen in the West can expect to capture about I.4 billion feet of the predicted 1971 increase and about 2.5 billion board feet in the 1972 increase in lumber consumption.

In other actions, WWPA directors the president of \fiillamina Lumber voted support of the Forest Indus- Co., Portland. tries Council position on railroad

Sfory qI s Glonce

The long forecast housing boom is here, WWPA sees both units constructed and lumber consumption increasing again in '72 . . John C. Hampton was elected new president.

legislation and amendments to the Railway Labor Act proposed by Presidential Emergency Boards 177 and 178. They also voted to intensify their tree farm program; created a subcommittee on metrication to study implications of the metric system on the lumber producing industry; and changed the designation of the safe ty committee to the occupational safety and health committee.

John C. Hampton was elected president to fill out the unexpired term of Roy Utke, who resigned after being named the new president of Sunkist Growers, Inc. Hampton is

Hampton made a plea for wise land use policies so that forested land may best provide all the bene' fits for which it is suitedtimber production, water conservationo grazing, recreation, wildlife habitato and magnificent scenery. "Only in this way," he said, "will our forests provide the greatest benefits for the greatest number."

LOCK.OUT LAWS

Eric Julber, a Los Angeles maritime attorney, free-lance writer and ardent backpacker told WWPA lurnbermen that a change will come in wilderness policies as the unfairness built into the 1964 Wilderness Act alainst 99/o of. unbenefited Ameri' cans becomes better lcnown.

He described his conversion from the "lock-out" philosophy of those he calls "purist-conservationists" to one favoring greater access to the nation's scenic treasurers.

'oFewer than one million PeoPle visited wilderness areas' last year," he pointed out. "Most PeoPle want more sight-seeingo more roads, more campgrounds."

Manager

o Douglos Fir in sizes 24" x 24' o Ploner copocity for surfocing to 24" x 24' o' Re-Mfg. fqcilities for resowing to 34,' x 34" lf we con't find it . we'll moke it