The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-02-25
SUGGESTS OPENING
FOREST RESERVE
Supervisor R. v. R. Reynolds
Makes Recommendation,
Which Is Approved.
INVOLVES GREAT ACREAGE
TRACT is IN THE VERNON DIVI-
SION, TOoELE COUNTY.

More than one-fifth of the Wasatch
national forest Will be eliminated from
the public domain if President Taft ap-
proves the action Of Supervisor Rob
ert Y. r. Reynolds, who has recon-
mended that 69,440 acres Of the total
area of 319 600 acres in the forest be
taken out of the forest and opened to
entry. The action has been approved
by the district office at ogden.
Inc tract TO be eliminated Is known
as the Vernon division and lies in the
southeast corner Of IOOele county. II
mas been utilized for grazing purposes
by a number of small cattlemen, Oper-
atlng under permits from the forestry
service. Twice annually 100000 head
OF sheep are herded past the land, kept
OF by the patrols Of rangers. The
opening Of this land viii raise a howl
or protest from cattlemen, who have
long regarded it as their own range.
none OF the land is good for anything
but grazing.
As the grazing season opens about
April l, rapid action on the reCommen-
daJlOn or Supervisor Reynolds has been
urged, and II is likely that such action
VIII De taken as quickly as possible.
Until final action is taken by the gov
eminent, free grazing privileges will
be extended to cattlemen and the for
est rangers viii patrol the tract as
heretofore.
In Compliance with Rule.
The action OF Supervisor Reynolds
Is IN compliance with rule I, embodied
IN the following letter to President
Taft from James Wilson, secretary of
agriculture, and r. a. Ballinger, sec
rotary Of the interior.
After having carefully considered
the matter OF eltminatiOns from and
additions TO the national forests we
respectfully recommend that the fol-
lowing general policy be adopted;
First Lands wholly or in part COW
un1RTRTOVETn
which protects streamflOW OF checks
erosion on the watershed Of any stream
important TO irrigation or to the wa.er
supply of any city, town or community,
or open lands on which trees may be
grown. should be retained within the
national forests, unless their perma-
nent value under cultivation is greater
than their value as protective forest.
second. Lands wholly or in part
covered with timber or undergrOWth
or cut-OVer lands, which are more val
uable for the production of trees than
Tor agricultural crops, and lands dense
" stocked with young trees having a
prospective value greater than the
value Of the land for agricultural pur-
poses, should be retained within the ma
tiOnal forests.
Third. Lands not either wholly or
In part covered with timber or under
growth, which are located above timber
line within the forest boundary or in
small bodies scattered through the for
est making elimination impractiCable,
or limited areas which are necessarily
included for a proper administrative
boundary line, should be retained with
in the national forests.
Fourth. Lands not either wholly or
in part covered with timber or under
growth, except as provided for In the
preceding paragraphs, upon which it
is not expected TO grow trees. should
be eliminated from the national for
ests.
Statement of District Office.
con authority Of the district office at
Ogden the following statement is made:
'The forester states that the Prasi-
dent has approved the policy outlined
in this joint letter in regard to e-iml-
nation from and additions TO the ma.
tiOnal forests, and that, in the future,
all recommendations TOr changes in
boundaries should be based entirely on
this policy. regardless of the question
of public sentiment. AS viii be no.
ticed. paragraph I of the above letter
will render it mandatory to recommend
for elimination all non-timDered areas,
suitable only for grazing purposes,
which do not come under the eXcep-
tiOns provided in the preceding para
graphs. Such action viii be necessary
Irrespective of whether local public
sentiment IS in favor of the retention
Of the areas in question within the
national forests"
Last June Supervisor Reynolds rec
commended the elimination of three
areas in the forest. a part OF the land
being available for dry farming pur-
poses These areas were included IN
the 100000 acres Of land recon-
mended TO be restored to entry, after
elimination from the forest service.
The $4,000 acres affected by the later
recommendations are in addition TO the
600 600 acres which win be segUe-
gated from the forests or the united
States under the progressive policy OF
the service.