The tiny 7,400 acre (30 km) Cheaha Wilderness preserves a portion of this natural wealth near Rebecca Mountain.

Last year, pine loopers severely damaged 200,000 acres of the forest preserve, nearly one seventh of the total.

The remainder is mostly rolling fields and woodlands, 500 acres of which are part of a nature preserve that attracts thousands of hikers, birders and photographers each year.

Spraying the roughly 150-million-plus acres of America's last great wilderness preserves is simply impractical.

And every acre of hemp turned to paper, Schlichten added, would preserve five acres of forest.

He estimated that the cost of acquiring the 1,500 acres of the proposed 4,500-acre preserve area that were in East Hampton would exceed $50 million.

The 7,000 acre (28 km) preserve is composed of swamps, pools and channels and is a stopping point for migratory birds.

The fund to accommodate timber interests was created in legislation that set aside 107 million acres in Alaska in Federal land preserves.

It includes more than 300 acres of nature preserves, 3 public beaches and numerous Gold Coast mansions.

The state now owns 2.5 million acres of forest preserve that intermingles with more than 3 million acres of private land, including 110 villages, hamlets and towns.