Forest Regions of the USA
I. Northern Forest
     A. Practically al this area glaciated during last ice age, so very irregular soil,   topography, drainage
     B. Spruce Forest
          1. New England, Northern New York
          2. Primarily on higher slopes of mountains
          3. Red, white, black spruce; red, white pine; balsam fir; hemlock;
          tamarack; white cedar; maple; birch; aspen
     C. Hardwood Forest
          1. New England, Northern New York
               a. Lower elevations
               b. Beech, birch, maplesintermixed with spruce
          2. Southern Appalachians
               a. Abundant rainfall
               b. Long growing season
               c. Rich soils
               d. 135 species of trees
               e. Chestnut(RIP), basswood, chestnut oak, yellow poplar,
               black, white, red oak
     D. Pine region of Lake States
          1. Light soil
          2. High precipitation
          3. Vast areas of swamps & bogs
          4. Much devestated by man, but still supplies considerable timber
          and pulp wood
          5. White, Norway, Jack Pines; Birch; Beech; Maple
II. Southern Pines
     A. 150-200 miles inland from southern coast
     B. Warm
     C. Humid
     D. Long growing season
     E. Flat or gently rolling plains
     F. Sandy soil
     G. 1/3 of softwood lumber in USA
     H. Wood distillation
     I. Southern yellow pines
III. Central Hardwoods
     A. Now scattered woodlands broken up by farms and strip mines
     B. Seasons well divided into growing and dormant periods
     C. 30-40" percipitation
     D. Rich deep soils
     E. Low, rolling topography
     F. 1/5 of hardwood lumber in USA
     G. Intermixed species of oak, maple, beech, ash, walnut, hickory, cedar
IV. Prairie or Fringe Forest
     A. Transitional zone between central hardwoods and treeless prairie,
     extensive agriculture
     B. Forest confined to bluffs, hillsides, stream banks
     C. Hot dry summers
     D. Long severe winters
     E. Rapid fluctuations in temperatures
     F. Low annual rainfall
     G. Uniformly flat or gently rolling topography
     H. North -> bur oak
         South -> white, bur,red,black,scarlet oak
         Stream banks -> cottonwood, box elder, green ash, willow

V. Northern Rocky Mountain Forest
     A. Mountain slopes above 4-5,000 ft to timber line (9-11,000 ft)
     B. Much is National Forest Land
          1. Timber
          2. Range
          3. Mississippi, Columbia, Hudson watershed
     C. Severe climate
     D. Severe winds
     E. Short growing season
     F. 12-20" rain
     G. Uniformly rugged steep topography
     H. Ponderosa (low) & lodgepole pine (high) in +- pure stands
         with some Douglas fir and Engelmann spruce
VI. Southern Rocky Mountain Forest
     A. Continuous with N.R.M.F. but there are broad desert plateaus between
         the mountain ranges
     B. Practically no forest below 5,000 feet
     C. Highest timberline (12,400 ft) in USA
     D. Four subregions based on altitude and meterological characteristics
          1. Pinon pine -> 5-6,000 ft, just above deserts
          2. Ponderosa pine -> 6-8,500 ft (90% of marketable timber)
          3. Transitional or fir forest  -> 8.5-9,500 ft
               Douglas, white fir, Engelmann spruce
          4. Alpine forest -> 9,5-12,400 ft
               White fir, Bristle cone pine, Engelmann spruce
VII. Pacific Coast Forest
     A. Most heavily wooded region in world which produces the largest trees
     B. « of timber left in USA
     C. Foresty, lumber very important to economy
     D. Equally warm temperatures
     E. Heavy precipitation uniformly distributed throughout long growing season
     F. Soils very good for tree growth
     G. Almost exclusively conifers with great species variety exhibiting rapid growth 
         and rapid natural reproduction
     H. Tree distinct geographically seperated subregions 
          1. Northern Douglas fir -> western WA & OR, Olympic temperate
              rain forest
          2. Sugar/Ponderosa pine -> CA & S. OR, less rainfall, but with few
              isolated moister regions (Coastal Redwood)
          3. Northern White pine -> N. Idaho, NW Montana, NE Washington,
              between Cascade and Rocky Mountains

Public Land Management and Missions by Departments of Government

Department of Interior
     I. National Park Service
          A. Preservation and recreation
          B. 10%
     II. Fish and Wildlife Service
          A. Habitat protection
          B. 12%
     III. Bureau of Indian Affairs
          A. Reservations
          B. 7%
     IV. Bureau of Land Management
          A. Range, mineral extraction, commercial forests in west
          B. 43%
Department of Agriculture
     I. US Forest Service
          A. Timber production, public recreation, watershed management,
               range, wilderness preservation, oil and mineral extraction
          B. 25%
Department of Defense
     I. Military bases
     II. Army Corps of Engineers 
          A. Flood control and navigation
     III. 3 %
NASA
     I. Space related facilities
Department of Energy
     I. Power grid right of ways
Departmen of Transportaion
     I. Interstate right of ways