Show Ashley Forest Is Fast Becoming a ai i Noted Scenic Area I D B By A L TAYLOR Ashley Forest Supervisor The use of or the Forest r reserves is closely related to the welfare of the local population that It Is felt that every citizen should have an Interest In such resources lIe He should know how they are arc being managed and In what way they con con- contribute con contribute tribute to the public welfare rol- rol Fol Following lowing is a brief report of oC the For For- Forest Forest For For-e con I est t for the year 1037 1937 Improvements Improvement I Of or the Improvements which have been constructed during the past year probably the one of ot most In- In Interest In Interest terest to the public is Ls the completion com com- completion corn of ot the road through no Hone lope creek reck and Sheep creek canyon can on Al- Al Although Al Although though the completion of or this road does not shorten the distance be- be between be between tween t Vernal and Manila l It re- re replaces replaces re replaces places the old switchback sec sec- section section sec section tion that was steep narrow and dangerous with a road that i wide vide has easy grades and is much safer The new road rand Is also much more scenic than the old one and follows along alone streams throughout most of Its length Another road which was constructed con con- con constructed was vas an extension from Hickerson Park west to Birth Birch Creel and down Birch Creek to the For For- Fore Forest Forest e est t Boundary This road ro makes an ao drive and shortens the t r distance between Vernal and the Lonetree toun and Mountain MountainView MountainView Vie View by approximately twelve t miles Recreational development of oC the past year year ear f consists of ot the clearing cl and Installation of ot camp to eC and tables at seventeen se camp grounds at Palisade Park or Sheep Creek Crt A playground has al- al also also al also so been cleared and playground equipment Installed Group table tabler find and nil stoves hate ha h l aLso been bf n provided for group gatherings A supply 01 o I pure water yater has been piped to both picnic and camping areas from ad ad- ad ad 1 springs Grazing Snowfall of or last year was vas heavIer heavier ier than for several 3 years ears The moisture from the snow together w nth Ith the frequent rains through the the early part p rt of or the summer re- re re resulted In an unusual forage crop Approximately cattle and horses grazed on the Forest dUr- dUr dUrIng during dur during ing the grazing season and 87 heep cheep All AU cla classes ses of stock made bettor rain gain than for several se years ts Ma-ts ts were also very verv favorable fa II at t th hp h cc of the grazing go are s-o- s I Since Ince the production cr cf livestock ll Is one of the Urine pal activities lUes of or adjacent communities the la graz- graz grazing Ins ing conditions on the Forest is re- re reflected re reflected 1 in the Income of or such com com- comet comm et m Tim Timber ber Greater use of or timber from the theo o Forest orest has been made the past sear ear than for several se years vears ears The demand for saw timber Umber has been I greater reater than usual and most of the mills have had longer runs than for several years During the past year sales sale have been made for tor the following classes of or timber Saw timber 1 98 9 beard feet mine props board feet poles pole posts and hOI horse se log logs 49 board feet I While most of or the saw timber poles and posts posto have been used lo- lo locally lo locally cally the props have largely lai been shipped to the mines at Kemerer and Rock Springs s Wyoming and the Carbon County coal mines In Utah The latter mines are coming to depend more and more upon timber from th the Ashley Forest for their mining operations Recreation Recreational use of the Forest Forests f rs s rapidly each ach year year eAr This Is due to better roads an In- In in-crea in ed appreciation of ot the recreational recreational a opportunities of or the Forest For For- Forest For Forest est and aud the development de of or camp camp- Ing campIng camp facilities Campgrounds ha have ve now hen boen Improved at Bridger Lake Pali- Pali Palisade Palisade Pali Palisade sade Park Deep Crt Creek ek Red R-d ira Iron Springs Uinta Can Can- Canyon Canyon Canyon yon Yellowstone Creek and Moon Lake Camp stoves and tables have e been Installed at these areas and aster vater and toilet facilities base been pro provided el There Is a need for considerable further Ile j and It Is hoped that eventually c I more campgrounds can be I I ed Since the Forest Service makes no charge for tor recreational use there Is no direct source of revenue re for this purpose COnsequently funds for tor campground are rather limited Registration of or Stat but vis- vis vis visitors to the Forest lists the follow follow- ing following states California Colorado Idaho Iowa Kansas l Nebraska I OK New Mexico New York Olno Jt- Jt Pennsylvania Texas The total number l ot or visitors from all states was estimated to be 30 Naturally the majority of these thee I came from Utah and Wyoming 15 ie r t ts tY s Y wEd d 4 I I f s sM sw ss M w I j 1 iT- iT s to Ij h j I I Scenery on Newly Completed Sheep I Creek Dugway way Between ernal and Manila l Fishing The Th demand for fishing on the I Is growing to such an ex- ex extent extent ex extent tent that natural propagation and growth of fish will not begin to meet the demand ly lythe lythe lythe the quality of fishing depends al- al almost al almost I most entirely upon the num number r rand 1 and size of fish that can cin be art arti tidally produced in fish tish hatcher 1 hatcher hatcheries ies yes Although the local 11 are operating to capacity they cannet can canI cannet cannet I net produce sufficient fish to stock nearly all U the waters on the t e Forest Forest to capacity Increased hatchery facilities and especially rearing ponds are urgently needed The fishing fishing- was vas somewhat some bet better bet bet- ter than average during the Dast past I season Some of t the lakes lakes in In the hig higl i country afforded some excel excel- excellent excellent lent catches Hunting Hunting- Hunting was the beston bt best st on record I I Of OC the number of hunters checked over oer 63 per cent were successful ml bagging deer The average weight or of all d deer er taken was over lbs The number of yf deer seen before I wring c and nd after the seas seas- season season Ion on Is greater than for several years and they are In better condition It Is believed the deer are making a satisfactory increase 1 On a recent trip from Carter Creek II to Vernal over O seventy five deer were counted along the road While the elk are re making slight increases they are apparently not snaking making the Increases that are de- de desired desired de desired sired It Is hoped that this matter can be given ghen some study t to deter deter- determine determine mine deter mine the reason for Cor the slight In- In Increase increase In Increase crease and If It possible some meas meas- measures measures ures taken to accelerate it Fire rIre mens-j mens During the past year five fires d on the Forest Of or these three were man-caused man and nd two were caused by lightening While this Is considered a no good record the three man-caused man fires were a result of carelessness bv people so It la w felt there Is room Improvement ement The fires burn burn- burned burned burn burned ed less Jess than one acre cre of ot Umber timber which was largely because of the thenet v net et season and promptness in sup sup- suppressing suppressing sup suppressing pressing then water ter Su Supply ply One of ot the primary purposes s of establishing the Forests WAS gas for forthe forthe forthe the preservation pres en atlon and protection n of the watershed watersheds I n Jt was vas believed ed I that that if a good cover cover of or timber and other vegetation was as as maintained on the mountains that all snow would not melt and the water vater rush down Into the valley vaney with the first warm days of oC spring but that such snows sno would melt sIovI slowly and thus I maintain the flow of springs throughout th the summer While the I amount of oC water vater Is of course dir dir- directly directly dir dependent upon the th amount of precipitation it l Is believed belie the Forest c cover does haze hare a benefi j benen-j beneficial stream dial cial effect in regulating flew n Since all aU water used by com com- communities com communities I adjacent to the Forest originates on the forest lorest an any mess mess-i meas ure meas-ure 1 ure v which affects the stream flow nO nOts ts is very ery important nOI I Irrigation companies report that the they have ha had a greater supply cupply of water w and that It has held up bet bt better bet better II ter than for fer Severa e years Conclusion It Is believed belle that In product product- production Son product ion of or forage timber recreational opportunitIes fish and game came and the tp preservation of water Rater sheds that the rarest Forest has made a mater mater- material material ial 11 contribution to the welfare of adjacent communities The coop coop- cooperation of all aU classes of users of the Forest in complying with the the- ther r regulations that have been made for such use Is Ls teU madeI I |