Greetings W,s Dou

"At increasingly frequent intervals rve are advised of losses to the government for rvater storage reservoirs, rightsof-way, channel improvements, air bases, military reservations, national forests and purchase units, national parks, rvilderness reservations, bird sanctuaries, reclamation projects, administrative sites and the like. The situation has become so alarming that rve can no longer failto treat this problem with other than serious concern."

- As one solution, the lumber rvitness urged the lawmaker-s to establish a legislative policy giving Congress "close control" over land accluisitions by federal agencies.

On the subject of r,vilderness areas, the rvitness explainecl rvhy the lumber inclustry is opposing legislation to create a National Wilderness Preservation System-this, by permanently'il'ithdrarnu'ing from commercial use some 55 million acres of federal land. much of it in timber.

Nelson said sucl.r areas rvould be highly vulnerable to firc, insects and disease, and closed to all but "a very small proportion of the American people."

He also protested that the legislation 'ivould infringe uporr the administrative discretion of the U.S. Forest Servicc and-by locking up valuable natural resources-deprive thc national economy of additional taxes, \\.ages and consumer products. Nelson added :

"If it appears reasonalLrle to the Congress to establish a National Wilderness Preservation Svstem . . then it woul<1 :rppear equally reasonble that the Coug.ess also establish a National Timber Production Area System, a National Grazing Area System, a National Mineral Area Developrnent System, and so on for water, fish, game, campgrourrds lrnd other resources -

"This is not to suggest that existing u,ilclerness areas be abolished, but simply t<l pleacl for reasonableness and objectivity in developing a l>alance lvherebv a fes' n,ill not gain unduly at the expense of the many."

Free Books on Lqminoted lumber

Durir.rg tl're past fcrv ycars, a phenomenal increase in the rrse of structunrl gl ue<1 lan.rinated lumber for churches, scho<.rls, arrditoriums. n':rrehottscs, commercial buildings, bridges an<l othcr large structures has necessitated a co,-rstant studv o[ ncu- techniques anrl nerv mcthods. To keelr pace rr'itl'r thesc develoDurents. the \Vest Coast Lumberilen's Association has just issued new and revised standarcls. Calle<l Standard Specifications for Structural Glued Laminated Douglas Fir Lumber, the nerv edition, {or convctricnce, has been diviclecl into trvo publications:

The first booklet co\-ers Design aucl is intenderl primarill' for architects arrd engineers. The sccorrd covers Faltricatiorr Irnrl is for tl.re use of timber fabricators and inspection agcncies. These neu' editior-rs alsc'r incorporate the latest reconlmendations of the U.S. Forest I)r<;rlttcts T-altoratory. Copies of both Design and Fabricatirtn are ar':rilable rvithout chargc: frorn the West Coast Lumbertlen's Association, 1410 S.\V. Nforrison Street, Portland 5, Oregon'

Ghristmos Gift Suggestion For Architects qnd Engineers

- Architects, engineers, designers, and students and professors of these professions will welcome the new reference book, 'Timber Design and Construction Handbook," pre- pared by Timber Engineering Company, engineering and research affiliate of the National Lumber Manufacfurers Association.

The Timber Handbook is a complete compilation of basic reference material for designing and buildihg in timber, a comprehensive timber design reference as well as a practical field handbook. It offers the essential information needed to develop and construct the best, most economical wood structures. It includes much new material never before ap- peqlng in print and consolidates information previously published, but scattered over many sources. Descriptive folder is available on request from Timber Engineering Company, 1319 18th Street, Northwest, Washington 6, D.C. Copies of the handbook may be purchased from Dodge Books, F. W. Dodge Corporation, 119 West 40th Street, New York, New York.

McGuire to Foresl Reseorch

John R. McGuire has been appointed chief of the division of forest economics research at the California Forest and Range Experiment Station of the U. S. Forest Service. He will be responsible for the continuous inventory of California's forest resources which the station conducts as a part of the nationwide Forest Survey, the study of the economics of wild-land management, and the survey of soil and vegeta- tion on wild-land areas, in cooperation with the California State Division of Forestry, the University of California, and the national forests of the California Region.