Show Livestock Men and Farmers Take Stand The livestock men and farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers of this community have taken upon themselves the task of bringing to the citizens of Manti ManU the facts in regard to the proposed reductions in cattle in Manti l and Six-Mile Six canyons canyon Because of the seriousness of this problem we feel we should bring some of these facts to you youVe We Ve feel in order that we citizens of Manti might better understand this problem it might be best if we would go goback goback goback back to the beginning of national nation nation- al forests Conditions Before Forest Start Start Start- Before the creation of the forest Manti City was greatly alarmed by the flood menace Because of the heavy grazing by local cattle and sheep as aswell aswell aswell well as by the various transient herds from other parts of the country a serious problem presented presented presented pre pre- itself in Manti and Six SixMile SixMile SixMile Mile canyons Something had to be done in order that Manti ManU City would have some protection protection protection tion from floods A group of Manti officials petitioned along with other petitions and asked for aid from the government As a result of this and other workings the national forest was created The Forest Service Service Service Ser Ser- vice from that time assumed the responsibility of the management management management manage manage- ment of the watershed above Manti 1 Through the period of years that has passed between then and the present a marked change has taken place and a vast improvement improvement improvement im im- im- im provement made in the watershed watershed watershed water water- shed conditions Not Much l Sediment Now As many Manti 1 citizens can canwell canwell canwell well remember there used to tobe tobe tobe be several teams working in the irrigation system to clean gravel gravel gravel gra gra- vel from that system during high water It has been about 40 yea years s since a flood has come i from the watershed The last time any teams were used in inthe inthe inthe the system was about 1934 The sediment coming out of Manti 1 canyon as well as Six Mile 1 canyon canyon canyon can can- yon has been greatly reduced in the last few years We Vc have reviewed the history history history his his- tory of Manti lanti to now and have seen how the watershed has re recovered recovered recovered re- re covered from the flood threat days to the present days of no floods and clearer water Through the reduction of cattle fence b u i I d n g and the r recovery e e 0 v e r y through mother nature the Manti lanti watershed is in good condition Economic Factors Listed We Ve feel it is of great interest to Manti 1 citizens to take a look at the economic factors involved as it affects Manti 1 citizens both directly and indirectly First let us take a look at atthe atthe atthe the direct loss in revenue to Manti ManU as a community If the proposed reduction of cattle takes effect it will mean meana a 40 per cent to 45 per cent reduction in Manti lanti canyon and anda a 45 to 50 per cent reduction in Six Mile canyon In loss to both canyons it means about BOO head of cattle will be re reduced reduced reduced re- re with a loss in revenue of per year This means that Manti ManU citizens will directly lose per year revenue and the loss through the breaking breaking breaking break break- ing up of operational setups would mount to another large sum If the number of cattle which the Forest proposes to remove were taken the loss of orate wate due to the much increased would result in a de decrease decrease decrease de- de crease in the water for irrigation irrigation irrigation tion purposes The result of this would mean less water for forthe forthe forthe the farms and meadows which in turn support the cattle during during during dur dur- ing the fall winter and early spring Want Vant Balanced l Program The important problem the stockmen and farmers are arc in interested interested interested in- in in is a balanced grazing grazing grazing graz graz- ing and water program We Ve must have a protected watershed watershed watershed water water- shed which we now have We Ve Continued on last page c LIVESTOCK MEN l AND FARMERS FARM I FARMERS ERS TAKE A STAND Continued from page 1 feel any further cattle reductions reductions reductions in time or number ar are unnecessary The Forest Service has repeatedly re repeatedly repeatedly re- re stated that the Manti 1 and Six Mile Ule Canyons arc are im- im im im- proving We Ve stockmen feel we have average intelligence and our experience shows us that these ranges have improved im- im immensely im immensely under the slow process of mother nature It is true there are some undesirable undesirable undesirable un un- un- un desirable plants on the watersheds watersheds watersheds water water- sheds of these two canyons But we feel with and good range management and cooperation cooperation cooperation cooper cooper- between the Forest Service Service Service Ser Ser- vice and the stockmen that any problem which might exist can be worked out and solved without without without with with- out resorting to any means which might destroy the economy economy economy econ econ- omy of an entire community Six Mile Cattle Association |