The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-12-24
nation FOREST RESERVE.
USES FOR RECREATIONAL
PURPOSES INCREASING
Yellowstone Elk Herd Cannot
Stand Severe Winters and
Many Die

Washington, D. c., December "a
That the use Of the National forests
for recreational purposes Is increas-
ing rapidly and bids fair to rank third
among the major services performed
by the National Forests, with only
timber production and stream flow
regulation taking precedence over It,.
Is the statement made by Colonel W..
B. Greeley, head Of the Forest Ser
vice, in his annual report. Many sum
mer homes are being erected on the
National Forests by private individu-
ais. and the use OF forests for other
forms OF out Of door recreation was
greater during the past year than
ever before.
The summer home business prom
1ses to become an important source
Of revenue, Colonel Greeley points
out. On the Angeles Forest in south
ern California, for example, a total
of 1928 permits for summer residences
and commercial resorts We're, he says,
In effect at the close OF the past fiscal
year. The revenue from this one item
amounted to approximately $4,000.
1t is believed that within few years
the revenues obtained from the var
ious recreattonal settlements within
the Angeles Forest will pay the en-
tire cost Of protection and admins
tration
Establishing Community Camps.
Manv western communities era re-
cognizing the recreational resources
Of near-by National Forests as one
|. OF their greatest assets and privileges,
Col. Greeley says, and are establish
ing community camps under more or
| loco form, oil n ftnn Thncn ~
| take every for mirom the municipal
vacation camps erected on the An
geles National Forest under permit
| from the Forest Service and main
| tanned, and managed by the city OF
Los Angeles, to the improvement OF
some favorite picnic ground in the
| National Forests by local citizens In
| cooperation with local forest officers.
| The picnic camps are improved by the
construction of fire places, rustic
| tables and seats, and are made avail
| able to the public without any charge.
! The vacation camps under municipal
| direction charge merely the expense
| of feeding and caring for the success
sive groups of city people who en-
| Joy their privileges.
The growth of the recreational re-
sources of the National Forests is so
rapid that specially trained men are
needed to direct and plan for the
most effective development OF this
| expenditure along these lines will be
good business for the Government
since the increased receipts will re-
turn to the Treasury much more than
| the total amount expended.
The protection of wild life and the
recognition Of the National Forests az
natural breeding grounds Of fish and
| game is closely related to the devel-
opment Of the recreational resources
| To make more effective the work Of
| game protection. in cooperation with
l the State and local authorities, and
to secure better DEVELOPMENT Of the
| fish and game resources of the Ma.
tional Forests, Col Greeley believes
| that Congress should make provision
for the establishment Of game sanct.
uaries within which wild life may
find security. These sanctrartes, he
says, should be relatively limited II
area but should be established in con
siderable number.
Elks Suffer Hardsips.
Special attention is called by Col
Greeley to the necessity additional
protection for the "harassed and de
cimated herds of elk using the Vel
lowstone National Park and the sur.
l
last winter took an unusually heavy
toll from their number. Driven ou
of the high country by starvation an(
early SHOWS, the northern herd suf
fered from hunters along the bound
airy line percentage loss equal tt
that of a defeated army. Many that
escaped hunters persisted from cold
and starvation before spring. The
southern herd also lost heavily. AS 6
result, the total number of animals
in these two herds is now estimated
by the best qualified officers ii the
Forest Service to equal one half o.
their number five years ago.
The addition to the Absaroka anC
Gallatin Forests Of the lands still IL
Government ownership and under
withdrawal along the Yellowstone
River north of Gardiner is urged b!
the Chief Forester This land, he
states, is urgently needed as winta'
range for the elk and it's addition tt
the National Forests will materially
. relieve the situation, without work
ing an injustice to the local inhabi-
tants whose live stock use the range
If this action Is not taken, the out
look for the northern elk herd /.
/ gloomy The prospects for the south
ern herd are more bright, but addi
, tional purchases of ground for sum
| mer feeding grounds appear absolutely