Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-06-09
FOREST RESERVE AREA
LARGE INCREASE in COLORADO
Three Reserves Consolidated into
Pixies Peak Forest Reserve
Other LARGE Reserves,


a considerable expansion of the for.
est reserve area In the central part of
the state OF Colorado has been effected
by three proclamations issued by the
President on May IL. 1905.
BY this action the three reserves
heretofore known as the Pixies Peak.
South Platte and Plum Creek forest re.
serves have been consolidated into one
reserve. under the name OF the Pixies
Peak forest reserve with the inclusion
therein OF various additional areas and
the elimination OF a small tract. and
two additional adjoining reserves have
been established. under the respective
designations of the Leadviile forest
reserve and the Gunnison forest re-
serve.
The Pixies Peak reserve. as Il now
stands, embraces an area OF l,oSl.C .CC1
acres: the chief expansion OF the boun-
Diary having been made on the north.
to include region around Mount
Evans OF about 279.730 acres. with n
view to remedying. In the interest OF
the city OF Denver ana the South
P.attc valley. the shortage OF water In
the South Platte river. which has long
been an increasing trouble as the re-
gion develops. A considerable cx.
pansion was also made on the south
In the interest OF the stock raising In
dustry in that region.
The Lcndyillc forest reserve en-
braces l.2is.st7 acres and includes all
OF the Arkansas river water
shed lying north OF the south
line OF township 81 north OF
the New Mexico principal meridian.
and the watersheds Of Blue and WI.
iiams Fork rivers. In the counties OF
Grand. Summit. Lake and Chaifec. II
contains the highest and most impor.
tant mountain area In the state. In
length this general tract extends about
100 miles from the town OF Buenn
Vista. one the south. and extending nj.
most to Sulphur Springs on the north.
with an average width OF about TWEEN
ty.iiyc miles.
The valley Of the Arkansas river. In
which Bucna Vista is located. and that
OF the Eiuc river. both OF which valleys
penetrate the region deeply. have.
however. been excluded from the re-
serve, In order TO avoid embracing
open agricultural land.
Tho industry OF farming. and also
that OF stock raising. throughout the
widespread regions watercd by the I'm.
IoftIut htFsamN ucuutuH III Aiiis nts'
tion. will be greatly benefited by tho
establishment OF this reserve.
In these reserves II will be the pol.
Icy to allow full utilization OF the
forage products and to grant permits
to craze the stock which are now oc-
cupyinH the ranges. Should the
ranges be found to be ovcrstockcd the
number OF permits will be gradually
reduced each year until proper limit
Is reached. by pursuing this course
more judicious and permanent use OF
the ranges will be preserved TO the
Biockmcn.
The establishment OF the Lcadvillc
reserve In also. OF great importance to
the mining industry. since the need
for carefully controlled use of the re.
naming timber In that region is OF
vital Importance to such mining dis
tricts us the Lcadvillc. breckenridge
and Montozumn. which are located
within its limits.
The GunnIson forest reserve includes
90l FL acres OF the Gunnison river wa
tcrshod In Gunnison. Delta and Mont
rose counties. The chief object of the
reserve is to insure the success OF the
uncompahgrc valley reclamation pro-
jcct. which has In view the irrigation
In the Uncompahgre valley OF. approx.
imntcly. 10000 acres.
In addition to this undertaking and
the usual necessity for preserving wa.
ter. range and timber for the general
adjacent population. the development
OF immense coal fields also calls for
the protection OF timber supplies in
this region.