Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-28
EROSION MUST
Be CONTROLLED
SAYS LEOPOLD
Forest Service Expert Tells
KiWanianS of Need for
Government Assistance toI
Stop Damage

Government control Of some Of
the natural resources Of tho south
west is necessary for the protection
of tho capabilit,- of the seni-arid
regions to support human life. This
was the conclusion reached by
Aldo Leopold of the United States
forest service IN a paner on "Ero-
sion as a Menace to the Social and
Economic Future of the South
west" read yesterday to the XII
wants club.
Following is n summary OF MT
Leopold's remarks:
Grazing of arid lands induces
erosion. Overgrazing is worse than
conservative grazing, but any KIND
of grazing results in concentration
Of stock on the water courses ana
allows floods to tear out the al
jacent lands.
Grazing Of the southwest has re-
shifted in the loss of many OF the
smaller AGRICULTURAL valleys, and
those which remain are threatened
with similar loss.
These losses have been so grad
nal and so scattered that they are
not generally known to the public.
Nevertheless. they are comparable
in area and value to the new lanus
artificially reclaimed.
These losses are especially seri-
Gus because these small valleys are
a "key resource" necessary to the
utilization Of the adjacent range
and timber. They are also often
the only economical routes for
roads and the only fit place TO es-
tablish homes with proper living
conditions for family life.
These losses cannot, in any
proper sense, he replaced by arti-
ficial reclamation of lands else
where because the irrigable land
I'm the southwest is all needed for
future development. and to reduce
the total possible irrigabie area IS
10 reduce the total possible ulti-
mate development. already limited
by nature.
In addition to the losses OF ag-
ricultural lands along stream
courses. much valuable range is
being cut up by gullies, reducing
The forage and leaving the re-
mainder inaccessible.
Damage 10 Irrigation
All of this erosion is sitting up
and amortization of reclamation
projects. 1t is also, by clogging or
channels, a main cause OF seepage.
This erosion has also covered up
streams, exposed underground
waters 10 evaporation, and lowered
channels so that water can not De
diverted for irrigation.
The prevention Of further ero-
sion is an obligation which VIII
some day attach to the ownership
Of all land. In the meanwhile
here are cheap methods by which
further losses an often be pre-
vented.
These methods need further
demonstration and DEVELOPMENT by
our engineering. conservation and
agricultural agencies, especially
agricultural colleges.
One of the outstanding abuses
in the erosion situation Is the con-
dition Of the unreserved public DO
main. This must either be put un-
der regulated use or passed to pri-
vata control.
The southwest, and other semi
arid countries, can not be used by
man without serious damage TO its
ultimate capacity for supporting
man. This will necessitate govern
ment ownership of some natural
resources. and government regu-
Iation of the use of all others. The
use Of land, the fundamental re-
source, must be put under govern
ment regulation.
Invited to Santa Fe
The club yesterday had fourteen
guests. among whom was Judge
Reed Holloman Of Santa Fe.
The club received an invitation
from the Santa Fe Kiwanis club to
attend a meeting on Tuesday. Jam
uary ., when the incoming COVER
nor and the retiring governor. both
Kiwanlans, will be guests of honor.
The attendance prize. given by
Col. D. K. p. Sellers, was won by
q. c. Hernandez. 1t consisted of
an order on the Alvarado hotel for
four New Years dinners. The idea
of the giver was that the winner
should take his wife, and another
Kiwanian and wife for n Jolly New
Years meal. D. NJ. Stevens gave
lead pencils for the silent boost.