The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-05-14
ACTION OF FOREST
BUREAU EXPLAINED

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE pro.
tests which have ben received in
siderable number by the U. 8. depart
ment OF agriculture against eliminat.
ing from national forests non-timberee
lands chiefly valuable for grazing are
regarded by Secretary Wilson as ind
eating that many communities fail to
realize the limitations within which the
department must act in carrying out
faithfully the intnt of existing laws.
Most of the protests set forth the in
jury which it is feared may result from
unregulated grazing ON the land to be
eliminated. Since, however, the lands
which 1t is proposed to eliminate are
neIther forested now nor regarded AZ
suitable for the future growing o
trees, the government has no authority
to hold them as parts Of the national
forests after their actual character has
been determined.
The policy to be pursued with re-
gard to such lands was reeentlv aorsed
upon by the secretary Of agriculture
and the secretary Of the interior joint
iy, and laid before the president, who
gave 1t his approval. This policy is
not an innovation but il the same
policy which has always been applied
by the forest service in deciding whore
national forest boundaries should be
drawn. The reason why lands formerly
included in national forests are now
being eliminated is to be found not in
a change Of policy, but in the fact
that the actual conditions were ascer-
tanned last year, for the first time.
through careful boundary examina.
tions
The evils feared by those who are
now making protest against the ex.
clusion Of the lands in question are
usually Of two kinds. In many places
residents find themselves likely to suf-
fer from an invasion Of the range by
outsiders. It the grazing is uncon-
trolled, transient stock may not only
eat up the forage but also deplete the
range through overgraing, to the loss
and even the eventual ruin Of the local
stock owners. Although Secretary Wn.
son recognizes that this may be the
case, he has pointed out to those who
make this argument that government
control of lands valuable only for grax-
ing was not contemplated by the lava
authorizing the creation Of national
forests, except as far ~ is necessary to
secure practical administrative bound.
aries.
Another ground of protest against
the eliminations is that administration
by the department Of agriculture has
already resulted in great Improvement
to the water flow, or that unregulated
grazing will result in polluted streams
or serious damage to watersheds. In
some cases the increase in water sup
ply which has followed national forest
administration is put as high as Is per
cent. To those who make this point
Secretary Wilson is replying that ev-
|ery effort has been made to safeguard
water supplies; that the eliminations
proposed are only along the borders of
the forests, and the protection Of water
flow is recognized as legitimate rea-
son for retaining brushland oven
though it is not likely ever to grow
timber of commercial value. It IL not
denied that in some cases the elimina-
tion of purely grazing lands may pos
sibly result in q certain amount OF
stream pollution, but the department Of
agriculture holds it has no authority
to try to prevent this through national
forest administration Of such lands. In
the main it is believed that the inter
ests Of water-users have been well
cared for in making the eliminations.