Natural Resource Economics and Management Essay

Land Management

Forest Land Management

One of the most precious resources that the United States possesses are the national and state forests which dot the landscape. Federally protected forests can be a great asset to government if they are properly controlled, and there has been some concern shown by the present administration regarding this issue. The Bureau of Land Management has just issued new directives about "which parts of the forest can safely be opened to logging, mining and recreation, and which parts must be set aside to protect wildlife and the health of the forest" (NY Times). This paper discusses what investments are worthwhile for foresters.

The main issue for the loggers and other who would use the federal lands is whether the projects they wish to undertake are a good investment for them. Of course, the federal government is much more concerned with management practices that benefit both the forest and the public which wishes to enjoy the land. For the foresters this is a simple calculation.They realize that "Any project with a positive net present value is worth doing" (Buongiorno & Gilless 378). This means that they have to calculate whether the worth of the trees they are going to harvest are worth the costs incurred from paying the government fee, replanting the area, and other costs that may be incurred. The benefit to the government is that the land is used in a responsible manner which revitalizes it, and that there are jobs created for a large group of people because of the activity.

The article in the NY Times says that "The new rules will allow all uses, including logging, energy development and recreation. But the clear focus is….....