"Trade and other policies are being considered by the U.S. Forest Service according to the terms of the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-378,93d Congress, S.2296). This paper describes the issues involved in the question, "Should we or should we not attempt to reduce net imports of forest products?" In terms of volume, net imports of forest products amount to about 12 percent of U.S. consumption. The value of imports exceeds the value of exports by about $1.5 billion. Most of U.S. softwood imports come from Canada and hardwoods from South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. Japan and the Common Market countries are the major markets for U.S. forest products exports. Without a change in trade policy, net imports of forest products may increase. Constraints on options for increasing exports or decreasing imports limit the feasibility of policies designed to change existing and expected trade patterns. Policies should be weighed in terms of their effects on both international and domestic goals. Most effects of changes in either import or export policies would be due to increases in the relative prices of forest products. There is no clear rationale, either in theory or in existing U.S. trade policy, for balancing imports and exports of a commodity."

After World War two, the United States became integrates into the world forest economy however the complexity of their trade agreements introduced several issues which needed to be addressed by world forestry policy. Originally published in 1981, this study delves into important issues related to forest resources and trade such as the future role of the United States in the world forest economy, trade restriction and U.S log exports. This title will be of interest to students of Environmental Studies and Economics.

By the end of World War II, the United States had become well integrated into the world markets for forest products. No longer can domestic prices of forest products be viewed as being wholly determined by domestic demand and supply, nor even by North American supply and demand, but must be viewed in a worldwide context. Originally published in 1980, this work provides a comprehensive overview of the nature of global forestry, particularly as it pertains to international trade flows of forest products, and analyses the role of the United States in a global context. This is a valuable resource for any student or researcher interested in environmental studies, global trade relations, and foreign market development.