Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-11-23
'GRlz|VG CAPACITY;
RANGE IMPROVEMENT.
ARE VITAL QUESTIONS.
Aims of Forest. Service Set
Forth in Statement Issued by
District Office-Would Build
Up Ranges.

Dlstrict headquarters of the forest
service at Ogden has issued a state
ment dealing with grazing capacity
and the question of range Improvement
in which sheep and stockmen of Idaho
are Interested 1t is as follows.
One of the aims of the forest sery-
ice Is to offer the maximum use of all
or the resources Of the forest to per-
sons entitled to enjoy the privileges
The forage resource of the national
forests is no exception to this policy:
grazing is restricted only to the ex-
tent OF properly protecting the annu-
al forage yield consistent with its con-
tinued production and the fullest pos
s1ble development and use Of other
resources
One of the first essential measures
in building up depleted range is to
accurately estimate the grazing ca
pacity. By grazing capacity is
meant the number of stock a
range unit will support for the pe-
Rod OF grazing allowed without injury
70 the range, yet with the fullest pos
sible utilization of the forage crop.
Systematized observations designed to
procure data leading to the improve
ment in management and to increased
profits from utilizing the forage crop
is known as Grazing Reconnaissance"
CHIEF OBJECT.
One of the chef objects of grazing
reconnaissance is to record the forage
resources. The study shows among
other things what the resources are,
where they are, what their true value
is, and how they may best be utilized
and improved. The exact location of
overgrazed or lightly grazed parts of
range Is shown and methods of i'm
proving or utilizing them can usually
be proposed.
A completed grazing reconnaissance
aims to show "a the number of stock
the range will safely carry, (2) adap-
liability of range unit to different
classes of stock, (3) proper distribu-
ton of stock, ca date on which stock
should be admitted on the range, and
t5) length of grazing period. These
problems require careful observations
| as to the topographic features, eli
matte conditions, need for watershed
protection, character and abundance OF
| forage, stock watering facilities, and
certain other factors. The completed
reconnaissance shows on maps and by
a descriptive report the above men
| toned phases in addition to certain
other facts.
In ascertaining the number of stock
the range will carry the ground cover
is first classified into grazing types,
such as grassland, browse, etc. For
the purpose of determining grazing ca
pacity, the various plant types are ex-
pressed in terms of forage acres. The
forage acre may be defined as an acre
having a complete 10-10) cover of
palatable vegetation. In determining
the number of forage acres a range
type embraces the total number of
surface acres are multiplied by the ac-
tual acreage which supports vegeta-
ton, then by the density of the cover
as whole, and lastly by the percent
age of palatable vegetation.
With the completed map and de-
scriptiye report the full data obtained
serves as basis for complete graz
ing working plan such as is used by
forest supervisors, Through the use
of the maps there is at ones disposal
birds eye view of all the more i'm
portant grazing resources, the topog-
raphic features, as well as the more
important effects of improvements
and other factors important to the ad.
ministration of the forest.