Show Utah And American Forest Week 0 0 B By Orange A A. A Olsen Utah has more than fifty million acres of land suitable principally principally ally aUy for the production of trees forage wild life and for watershed and recreational values A wise utilization of these resources is of vital importance to the people of this state The yield of our ourDe cue cne De and one-half one million acres of cultivated land has been constantly constantly con con- increasing the yield of at least half of these fifty million n m ores acres res has been constantly declining except where under supervision supervision supervision super super- vision of the Forest Service Utah's gross area is acres of which but 27 per cent centis is is cultivated 14 per cent is National Forest land the remaining 83 percent is largely public domain Not more than 5 per cent can caD be farmed armed Agricultural colleges and experiment stations have been established throughout the state at no small cost to investigate investigate investigate gate and teach better methods of improving the tillable lands The Government is conserving the resources within the National Forests But the 48 million acres go practically without any attention attention attention at at- whatever This vast area has an incalculable value in natural resources forage forests watershed wild life and recreation recreation recreation all of which are renewable resources and ther permanency can be insured with wise use Of or these natural resources perhaps grazing is the most im im- Utah has some beef cattle and sheep Approximately 13 per cent of th forage consumed by our livestock livestock live live- stock comes from the f farm rm 17 per cent from the National Forest and 70 per cent from the open public domain and private ranges About 43 per cent of Utah's farm receipts are derived from the tale ale of livestock It t is apparent that the 48 million acres of grazing land plays a very important part in ut our economic life It costs 4 to 8 times as much to feed an an animal as it does to furnish grazing Hence the importance of maintaining and improving our forage lands Certainly a resource so valuable as these grazing lands should be cared for Cattle and sheep men know that the livestock in industry industry industry in- in of today is short of feed To whatever extent the ranges have been and are being abused through stocking over too early grazing trampling and burning to that extent will the livestock livestock livestock live live- stock industry be affected in the future By judicious use and wise vise management the ranges upon uon which we are so dependent can an be made to increase in value and carr carrying carrying carry carry- ing capacity Plants are living li organisms capable of growing and reproducing themselves if given a chance They should not be grazed until at least 30 da lays days s 's after growth begins in order that the new leaves may manufacture food and maintain the plants plant's vi vi- vi Too early grazing stunts growth and does not satisfy the animals animal's hunger because of the low feed value alue in short succulent forage Grasses should be 6 G inches high before grazing begins and the earlier maturing plants should have flower stalks show show- ing A portion of the plants each year should go to se seed d. d More forage is made available in the long run if 10 to 25 per cent of the palatable vegetation is left unutilized atthe end of the season By careful managing the use of a range practically no forage is wast wast- ed Grazing can be so o conducted as to not injure timber lepro- lepro watershed cover wild life or recreation If sound principles principles ples pies of range management are practiced on our 48 million acres of grazing lands Utah's five renewable natural resources forage e forests watershed wild life and recreation will be assured Southern Utah is espe especially int interested rested in these resources and conscientious effort should be exerted to conserve them |