Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-12-14
Grazing on
Forest Reserves
Agents Of Bureau G Def
mite Answers to Many Inn
portant Questions

OF the relation OF the public forest
lands 10 grazing. only those who
thoroughly understand conditions In
the west can appreciate how import
ant Is the question OF grazing IN con
nectlon with the welfare Of the for
ests. Grazing Is the principal INDUS.
try of nearly half OF the United
states. The arid region OF the coun'
try includes about twohfths OF us
entire area, from about the middle or
the continent westerly nearly TO the
Pacific ocean. and the greater part
OF this region Is natural grazing land,
mainly open, but much Of ~, partiou'
Iarly in the more mountainous parts
forcstcd or partly forestcd. The for
age varies from the scanty vegcta.
ton To the deserts TO the thick turf
Of the mountain parks and the var
led growth Of heritage and young
trees found In the interior OF the for
est. During the excessive heat OF
summer It IL customary TO drive the
cattle and sheep up into the forests,
where the air IL cooler and the pas.
ture better. This n that the
young growth IN trampled and brows'
cd and the spongy forest soil packed
or cut Try hoofs. 80 that floods aud
serious soil erosion often follow.
while the prospects Of forest repro
duction are greatly endangered.
Hence II Ia often necessary to . \.
oiude both sheep and cattle. though
the regulations are generally more
rigid against sheep, which do the
worst damage.
That the land best suited to graz.
Ing should be given owe TO It IL self
evident. But neither the public do
main nor the forests should be over
xraxed. Forests are essential 10 IT.
riEation plans for retaining aria
lands. The fact that sheep success.
fully Craze upon areas partly or Who'll
ly inaccessible to cattle has led sheep
men into high mountains and about
the headwatcrs Of streams. where
speedy and great damage can be done
the protective influence OF the for.
csts. In addition, sheep are generally
herded or concentrated on small.
areas; thus their grazing has ah In
tepsive character peculiarly acsttac'
tive. For these reasons. and because
Of special local conditions. sheep are
entirely excluded from some forest
reserves, while In others their graz
Ing Ii more ~ktringcntly regulated than
that of cattle,
Hitherto there has been continual
conflict between the sheep and cattle
men for grazing locations, and the
Limitation Of the claims Of each In
the reserves mas been one Of the most
embarrassing and difficult questions
OF forest control, Happily. through a
recent conference at Denver, there
has been the fullest and most annie
able interchange OF views IN the his
tory Of the business, II Is expected
there will be less friction between
them In the future than In the past.
That the bureau OF forestry keen.
III appreciates the Importance of the
grazing question Ii shown by the in
~structiona IL gives It's field force ex.
aiming lands with n View TO form
Ing new reserves or revising the
boundaries of existing reserves, Its
agents must give definite and full 70
ports on all the following queries
Demand upon the range: 10 what es
tent the prosperity OF the local resi-
dents depends upon live stock; how
many stock are 10 using the re.
serve. and how distributed. where
owned; whether stock men own
ranches or reside In the reserve their
home residence. TO what extent. as a
summer range. the proposed reserve
limits outside range: whether II in.
cludes lamblDg grounds. conflicting
interests. rs between sheep and cal
tie. local and outside stock, etc, mer-
Its Of the controversy description ~
the character Of the grazing lands.
the extent Of open parks and pasture
In timber 10 what extent grazing has
injured the range OF forest. the man.
ner Of handling stock the size Of
herds or bands, areas. II any. from
which stock should be excluded divi
sion Of pasture lands recommends
tions TOR a plan OF control giving the
number OF stock aud length Of graz.
Ing season 10 be allowed, and any
special regulations necessary, aud
the practicability Of a division ~
range into individual ranges. II Is
only after exhaustive examination
and fun report that action Is takca
limiting grazing rights.