| Show SMOKEY SAYS By Ranger KARL II HAASER sy Throughout the summer th there his been some concern r about about the poor condition of our forest roads These conditions conditions condi condi- exist throughout many here parts of the state as well as els falli here er u Utah ls is falling g gas behind hind in the improvement of its forest forest for for- est highways Which roads are forest highways highways high high- ways making them eligible for improvement financing Simply Simply Sim Sim- ply those in the state that carry primary or secondary route traffic through National Forests There are many roads on our forest that do no qualify qualify as forest highways The forest highway system in Utah includes miles of road It is estimated it will take more than 54 million dollars dollars dol dol- lars to bring this his system up to modern modem road standards The magnitude of the needs may not be astronomical compared compared compared com com- pared to Utah's estimated interstate interstate interstate in in- highway construction program for the next eight years Usually the state constructs and maintains a road up to the forest boundary and from there on its it's the federal governments government's governments government's governments government's gov gov- responsibility Actually the state can and has spent state funds on forest forest forest for for- est highways but with a huge interstate program on there hasn't been enough money to meet other state needs and go onto forest property too For 1960 Congress appropriated appropriated 33 million dollars to the forest highway program and the amount has been neither increased nor decreased de de- decreased creased since It will be 33 million yearly through 1967 Utah's share consequently is staying at around one mil mU- million lion dollars yearly This in turn is divided between the seven national forests in Utah with priority given to roads receiving the heaviest use by bythe bythe bythe the general public With Utah looking toward a growing tourist recreation trade the need for improved roads is apparent A cooperative cooperative cooperative tive effort is needed between our federal state and local government if we hope to improve improve improve im im- im- im prove our own forest road conditions conditions conditions con con- under the present level of financing Like it or not it appears that winter is on its way The most celebrated of all winter holidays Christmas is not far off Soon gayly decorated Christmas trees will stand tall taU in homes across the world Bids were recently advertised advertised advertised adver adver- for the sale of Christmas Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas trees from the Manti ManU Ranger District The trees are being offered to commercial cutters rather than the general general general gen gen- eral public because of their inaccessible location The trees will be harvested using a method of stump culture culture culture cul cul- ture that will permit continued continued continued contin contin- tree growth Using this cutting method new trees are started from the stump and root system of the harvested tree This provides for rapid growth of the new tree because of the well developed developed developed de de- de- de root system already established Proper harvesting methods such as this insure abundant trees for our future generations generations generations genera genera- for many Christmases to come |
