The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-03-11
Old Grazing Lands Made New.

The rich grazing lands of the West
are being seriously damaged by excess
i've and unrestrained use. A band Of
sheep in grazing destroys much more
grass than il eats, and constant over
grazing has ruined thousands of acres
of the best grass lands. The effects of
unrestricted or i'll directed grazing not
only lessen production of forage for
one or two seasons, but the carrying
capacity of the range is permanently
impaired. Worn out acres quickly
spring up to worthless or noxious
growths which spread and supersede
the natural range cover. Large areas
are sometimes so barred by destructive
overgrazing that they become practi-
cally barren wastes.
The Forest Service and the Bureau
of Plant Industry of the U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture, have cooperated
in series of experiments looking to-
ward the artificial reseeding of portions
of grazing lands with cultivated grass
es, and studies are being carried on to
find out how over grazed areas can be
reseeded naturally, and how the carry
ing capacity of the range can be in
creased through notifications of the
present methods of handling stock.
Much of the grazing land of the, National
Forests was comparatively unproductive
as result of unrestricted grazing be-
fore it came under Forest SerAice con-
troll. Since that time it is estimated
that. the efficiency Of these lands has
been increased 80 per cent merly by the
prevention of misuse. This represents
but the beginning of the good that will
result from the experiments and studies
already started.
The Wallowa National Forest in
eartern Oregon was chosen for the
first experiments, because il afforded
prime test conditions and was in need
of early attention. This forest con-
tains about 747,000 acres, of which
approximately 100000 acres, because
of it's irregular broken surface, are
given over to sheep grazing. The bal
ance is used for toe grazing of cattle.
Owing to the wide range of altitude
and of topography, the grazing areas
are naturally divided into number of
rather distinct zones of vegetation, and
each presents problems of it's own.
Because of these conditions, the results
of this experimental work should prove
EXTREMITY valuable to stockmen in many
sections, presenting as they do solu.
tions, so far as the work has progressed
at this time, to many range problems.
The object of the initial experiments
has been to bring about the natural re.
seeding of large range areas, without
withdrawing them, except temporarily,
from use. This involves studies of the
Towering and maturity of range plants,
the termination of seeds, and the de-
structive effects of trampling by stock.
The results of the first of these
studies and experiments are contained
in preliminary report entitled 1.-THE
Revegetation of Overgrazed Areas,
issued by the Forest Service as Cir
cular 1853. Copies may be had by per-
sons interested on application to the
Forest Service, U. S. Department OF
Agriculture, Washington, d. C.
In addition to the above preliminary
report, there has previously been ISIS.
ued by the Forest Service progress
report on another phase of these in
vestigations, namely, an experiment
in coyote-proof pastures, published as
Circular l56, which may also be obtained
on application to the Forest Service.