Arizona republican., 1908-01-22
THE ENLARGED FORESTS
 OF HIS TERRITORY
An Addition to the Tonto Reserve Looks to the Future Mcdowell Pro- feet.

1 Washington, Jan. IS, Special cor
 respondence Of The Republican.)-
 President Roosevelt has just signed a l proclamation making a National Mon
 ument of the Grand Canyon of Ariz-
 ona, and another creating an addition ! of 1,2SS,S20 acres of land to the Tonto ! National Forest which Is also located | in Arizona.
 The world-famed Grand Canyon has
 been part of the Grand Canyon Na- tional Forest, and it's establishment as National Monument is made by vir-
 tue of the Act Of June s. 1906, which provides that objects of scientific in terest may be declared National Mon uments if such action is deemed neces- sary for their preservation and protec- ton.
 The president of the importance of protecting the Grand canyon as a Ma tional Monument, says in his proclaim ation: Tt is an object of unusual scientific interest, being the greatest eroded canyon within the United States, and it appears that the public interests would be promoted by re- serving it as a National Monument, with such other land as is necessary for it's proper protection
 IL has long been realized that it was highly desirable to have this wonder full gorge made by the Colorado river. set apart as a National Monument. This assures the area of exclusion from all kinds of entry. and means that the government will have power to prevent the marring of the scenic beauty by unsightly exploitation of any kind. The area put in the Nation al Monument constitutes approximate ly S25,2S0 acres. In determining the boundary of the National Monument an effort was made to draw the line approximately one mile back from the rim of the canyon.
 The addition of l.2ss,32O acres to the Tonto National Forest in Arizona Is situated in Marlcopa, Gila and Final counties. That part of the addition which is situated on the west side of the Tonto Forest is given National Forest protection because it includes the watershed of the Verde river. above the proposed McDowell reservoir site, which Is located on the Verde just above its junction with Salt river. It seems probable that this Mcdowell reservoir will be built by the Reclama- ton Service. at some future time, and when this project Is completed, some thing over 100000 acres of land will be irrigated in the Salt river valley, in addition to the land that will be as- sured of a uniform supply of water by the great Salt river project at Roosevelt.
 .F rfn 0d includes the headwaters of the Pinal and Pinto creeks. Both of these streams empty into the Salt river above the Roosevelt dam. Their wat ersheds have been damagd by over grazing, mainly by goats. It is of the utmost importance that the watersheds of these streams be protected. They are already carrying large quantities of silt into Salt river, and since they both empty near what will be the up- per end of the reservoir. they could do enormous damage in filling it with silt The most southern portion of the addition, lying directely west of the Pinal Mountains Forest which has now, by this proclamation, been made a part of the Tonto National Forest. protects the watershed of Queen creek the waters of which the Reclamation Service has determined it will one day be desirable to impound.
 The Pinal Mountains National For est of 45,76O acres has been thrown into the Tonto Forest, giving an area in- cluding the new addition. of 2,44s.2s0 acres. In the large addition there is very little commercial forest, but in most of the canyons and draws there are stands of oak and chapparal spec ies, and in limited areas very dense stands of Arizona cypress. This limit ed supply of wood is of great import ance, both from the point of water conservation and of prolonging the fuel supply in a country in which the supply is very short.