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Timber and the Forest Service (Development of Western Resources
Nearly one-quarter of America is covered with forests--almost 800 million acres. There are 151 national forests, comprising close to 200 million acres in thirty-nine states and Puerto Rico. These protected lands are administered by the U.S. Forest Service, an agency of the Department of Agriculture. David Clary here examines the history of and controversies surrounding the Forest Service's policies for timber management in our national forests.
In this first indepth study of the political, bureaucratic, social, and ideological relationships between the Forest Service and the production of timber, Clary traces the continuity in the agency's outlook from its creation in 1905 through fears of a "timber famine" to the "clearcutting" controversies of the mid 1970s. He shows convincingly that, despite legislative remedies and agency reports, timber production has remained the agency's first priority and that other (multiple uses--recreation, watershed protection, wilderness, livestock grazing, and wildlife management--were regulated so that they would not interfere with potential timber harvests. Throughout its history, the agency is shown to have been enchanted with the objective of producing timber.
Clary's theme, in what he describes as an "administrative, political, scientific, and anecdotal history," is that the Forest Service exhibited consistent actions and attitudes over the years and failed to confront realistically changes in the national culture that altered what the American people wanted from the forests and the Forest Service.
In this first indepth study of the political, bureaucratic, social, and ideological relationships between the Forest Service and the production of timber, Clary traces the continuity in the agency's outlook from its creation in 1905 through fears of a "timber famine" to the "clearcutting" controversies of the mid 1970s. He shows convincingly that, despite legislative remedies and agency reports, timber production has remained the agency's first priority and that other (multiple uses--recreation, watershed protection, wilderness, livestock grazing, and wildlife management--were regulated so that they would not interfere with potential timber harvests. Throughout its history, the agency is shown to have been enchanted with the objective of producing timber.
Clary's theme, in what he describes as an "administrative, political, scientific, and anecdotal history," is that the Forest Service exhibited consistent actions and attitudes over the years and failed to confront realistically changes in the national culture that altered what the American people wanted from the forests and the Forest Service.
Paperback
Published November 30, 2021
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September 3, 2025
I grabbed this for free on Nook, not really sure what I was expecting, but ended up finding it to be a rather interesting history book about the Forest Service's conception, leadership, initiatives, political hurdles, on through to the present day (well, almost present day, because the book itself is a few decades old). I've had family who worked for the Forest Service, so it was nifty to learn more about the organization.
It also goes to show that capitalists, factory owners, and timber companies have really never changed. I chuckled at how like clockwork they would be absolutely beside themselves over being asked not to completely decimate every forest on the continent, calling the Forest Service leadership variously tyrants, fascists, wicked socialists and communists, and Hitler (depending on the decade).
It also stresses how ecology and land management is not a one-solution-fits-all; different plants, animals, and human communities all have different needs, and the organization has struggled to balance all of them against each other while still remaining profitable enough to plead their justification to the government whose politicians are increasingly in the pockets of lobbying capitalists.
I wonder if there's a sequel covering the span of time where this one left off? I'd be interested in reading it.
And don't think I didn't notice the occasional tree pun in the text...
It also goes to show that capitalists, factory owners, and timber companies have really never changed. I chuckled at how like clockwork they would be absolutely beside themselves over being asked not to completely decimate every forest on the continent, calling the Forest Service leadership variously tyrants, fascists, wicked socialists and communists, and Hitler (depending on the decade).
It also stresses how ecology and land management is not a one-solution-fits-all; different plants, animals, and human communities all have different needs, and the organization has struggled to balance all of them against each other while still remaining profitable enough to plead their justification to the government whose politicians are increasingly in the pockets of lobbying capitalists.
I wonder if there's a sequel covering the span of time where this one left off? I'd be interested in reading it.
And don't think I didn't notice the occasional tree pun in the text...
Displaying 1 of 1 review