Gunnison news-champion., 1913-12-26
Sisiy-tlve Momesieads tisiDd u
Ter Forest Aansstsat Aa
Slacs 1895
A.s III. ROAD sUllT
Fsfesiers Re- -t0Testlas Areas L.
auast BY Fires, Help senless
Jno. 5 Xiii Predatory Animals

iHnnisoH National Forrest
tor the most part IN Ganni
'unty. embraces an area of
acrs. OF which S5.605 acres are
atod lands. and Is separated BY
raj boundaries into ten districts
administered By nine Forest off
81. The following Is a summary
the results attained during the past
ear
Timber in the amount of 500 zoe n
board measure was cut and used Tor
domes ic and building purposes under
the Free Use" regulation
Twelve new homesteads we're list
ed for settlement under the Forest
Homestead Act" making total of
50 since June IL. 1906.
Seven free permits were issued to
oettlers for constructing reservoirs and
bitches for irrigation and for tele-
phones.
To make the forest more accessible
to settlers. prospectors and camping
parties. S4ia miles OF roads and trails
end two miles of telephone line were
constructed. aggregating since the
creation of the Forest 300 miles of
trails and roads and 81 miles of tel
GDhone lines.
HtfHfHE fotdilDuH nave
been made. which shows considerable
urogress In this industry
In order 10 provide timber for the
future as well as the present increased
demand dead, mature, over-mature,
defective and insect infested trees
ere removed In such a way that the
remaining stand of young timber is
improved To accomplish these re.
suits. besides the free use granted 20
settlers, there was sold and cut 3.07s.
600 board feet, of which more than 50
per cent was dead Mature, dead and
down timber which may be cut with
out injury to the Forest is being sold
In any desired amount to homestead
settlers and farmers at the actual cost
of making and administering such
sales, which is rs cents per thousand
feet board measure and 25 cents per
cord.
There Is sufficient range for 29. 500
head Of cattle and horses: 152 per
mits for 1T.434 head of this class of
stock were issued
For several years the Forest Off
GERS have co-operated with the set.
tiers in exterminiating predatorv
animals IN order TO reduce the loss
Of stock from this source Along
this line during the past year 81
coyotes were killed.
One Of the chief activities of the
Forest is the reforestatiOn Of denuded
and barren areas by artificial planting
and seeding With this end in view
during the past year 379 acres of this
character of land has been reseeded
with vari0us species suitable 10 this
part OF the country. Most Of this work
has been done on the North Fork
valley and Pitkin watersheds. The re
suits attained in previous years along
this line. especially with small trees
transplanted from nurseries. have been
very successful since q5 per cent Of
the trees are living and show good
growth
Foremost among the duties of the
Forest officers is the protection Of the
Forest from fires In view of this a
systematic patrol has been Organized.
= lookout station established on Fair.
view peak, al an elevation of IA 200
feet, cooperation secured with set
tiers. miners. State aud County Off
cials rural mail carriers and railroa 4
cmpanies, and numerous snpciaI fire
notices have been posted throughout
the forest. ProEress in this line car
be readily seen from the fact that but
eight fires we're discovered and extfn-
guished with a damage OF only s12 to
the timber