NATIONAL FOREST TIMBER MANAGEMENT OVER THE PAST DECADE - A CHANGE IN EMPHASIS FOR THE FOREST-SERVICE

Timber output, the major commodity use of the National Forests, was tr acked from 1981 to 1993, to assess changes that have occurred in the a mount of timber offered, sold, and harvested. In addition, changes in the method of harvest used on the National Forests were examined to vi ew trends in the management practices of the Forest Service. Although trends regarding changes in timber harvest methods varied from region to region, data on timber offered, sold, and harvested shaved a dramat ic decrease both nationally and in important timber-producing regions since the late 1980s. This reduction, when seen in the light of other recent studies, suggests that the Forest Service is changing the empha sis of its management practices, placing less priority on the traditio nal high level of timber output.