(a) Harvesting timber on commercial forest land will not be permitted unless provisions for natural and/or artificial reforestation of acceptable tree species is included in harvest plans.

(b) Clearing of large contiguous areas will be permitted only on land that, when cleared, will be devoted to a more beneficial use than growing timber crops. This restriction shall not prohibit clearcutting when it is silviculturally appropriate, based on ecological principles, to harvest a particular stand of timber by such method and it otherwise conforms with objectives in §163.3 of this part.