Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-26
NEW MEXICO FOREST RESERVATIONS.
A Description Of the Reserves at the Head
waters of the Gila and the Pecos.

Few people have any idea of the area
| of the forest reserves in New Mexico,
/ and the object the government sought
to attain by establishing them.
The Pecos reserve, which was estab-
lished in 1892 and increased in size in
1898, covers 431,04 acres in Santa Fe,
Mora, Rio Arriba, Taos and San Miguel
counties, and is more han half the size
of the state of Rhode Island.
The ella reserve covers 3,270,000 acres
in Socorro, Sierra and Grant counties,
and is larger than the state of Con-
| necticut.
The object in setting aside such large
/ areas is to protect and improve forests,
for the purpose of securing a permanent
supply of timber for the country, and
to insure a continuous water supply on
the great streams on which they are
situated. From the reservations it has
been sought to exclude lands that would
be more valuable for agricultural than
for forest purposes, and where such
lands are embraced within the forest
reserves they may be restored to set
tlement. AS a matter of fact, many fine
ranches are situated on the ella, and
the Pecos forest reserves. Young tim
Der is protected On the reserves, and
til a late period in the season, furnish
ing an abundant supply of water to
springs, wells and other sources of sup
ply. The snow acts as a cover for the
young growing shrubs and the small
growth of timber, and gives protection
in winter against frigid winds that
sweep across the land.
Being at the head of two mighty riv-
ers, the reserves include large mountain
ranges. On the Pecos reserve are two
ranges. the Santa Fe and the Las We
gas, which have more than a score of
peaks on the reserve that are over 10000
feet high, the highest of which attains
a height of 13, 306 feet. On the ella re-
serve are the Mogollon, San Francisco,
Tularosa, Little, Diablo and Black
ranges. Besides the Gila and the Pecos
rivers there are any number OF smaller
rivers which have their source on the
reserves. The mining interests located
on these reserves, especially the ella
reserve, are very valuable, and are
worked to a large extent. On the ella
reserve much live stock also ranges,
contributing much to the wealth of New
Mexico.
Game and fish abound on the reserves,
and on the Pecos many tourists spend
the summer months fishing for trout.
Game such as grouse, turkeys, rabbits,
squirrels, deer, bears, mountain lions,
and on the ella reserve wolves,
abounds.
The Pecos reserve is divided into ten
districts in charge of a forest super
visor stationed at Willis, and six ran
gers stationed on different parts of the
reserve. The forest supervisor of the
Gila reserve is stationed at Silver City,
and five forest rangers patrol the re-
serve, burning fire breaks, piling brush
and logs preparatory to burning, and
guarding the forests against timber
culture depredations. They are equipped
with ak shovel, pick, rake, brush hook,
steel file, fire bucket, all used in fight
ing fires or constructing trails and
roads. The rangers are well armed, and
are generally mounted.
W. H. Buntain, who has his Office in
the federal building at Santa Fe, is the
superintendent of forest reserves in
New Mexico and Arizona, and under his
efficient management much progress
has been made in attaining the object
for which the reserves were wisely set
aside by the federal government.