EFFECT ON TIMBER AND GENERAL VALUES

THIS STUDY IS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE ROAD EFFECTS ON TIMBER VALUES. INTERVIEWS WERE MADE WITH PEOPLE EXPECTED TO HAVE GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT, PRINCIPALLY THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE. A PILOT "BEFORE AND AFTER" STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN THE COEUR D'ALENE AND BOISE NATIONAL FORESTS. THE FACTORS ANALYZED WERE: (1) HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION COSTS, (2) TIMBER PRICES, (3) STUMPAGE PRICES, AND (4) LUMBER PRICES. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DECREASE OF FOREST FIRES AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN FOREST REGIONS WHICH IN TURN SAVES RESOURCES, RESULTS IN GREATER EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE IN THE AREA, AND PROVIDES THE BASIS OF INCREASED COMMUNITY BENEFITS. ACCESS TO THE ESTABLISHED HIGHWAY SYSTEM IS A BASIC DETERMINANT AS TO WHAT FOREST LAND SOULD BE HARVESTED AND THE VALUE OF THE STUMPAGE. /VHRC/