FOREST SERVICE. 405 



game animals and birds, and by a thorough jmtrol which protected 

 them from shinghter or molestation, increases m the numbers of game 

 animals have been brought about. Upon the Grand Canyon Preserve 

 the deer have midtiplicd beyond all expectation, and the buffalo herd 

 on the Wicliita Game Preserve is in excellent condition, while there 

 has been a marked improvement among other classes of animals and 

 birds. 



During the year the Forest Service cooperated with the Biological 

 Survey to secure data as to the geographical distribution of game ani- 

 mals and birds u])on the National Forests of the United States, and 

 with the State of Washington to secure more detailed information, 

 as a basis for recommendations for changes in the game laws of the 

 State concerning the game animals upon National Forests in that 

 State. 



PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS. 



The construction work of the year comj^rised 2,225 miles of trails, 

 320 miles of roads, 1,888 miles of telephone lines, 65 bridges, 503 miles 

 of fences, 181 miles of foe lines, 464 cabins and barns, and 51 corrals. 

 This was an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year in the mile- 

 age of lines of communication and protection constructed, and a 

 reduction in the number of buildings of 20 per cent and in miles of 

 fences of 28 ])er cent. Nearly 10 per cent of the whole amount appro- 

 priated for permanent improvements went into repairing damages to 

 existing roads, trails, and telephone hues, which suffer heavily in the 

 winter storms. 



The appropriation for permanent improvements on the National 

 Forests was 8600,000. For the fiscal year 1911, however, the 

 amount available for this work is only S275,000. While it is impos- 

 sible to equip the Forests offhand, by the expenditure of a great sum, 

 with a thoroughly well-planned and effective equipment of the various 

 kinds of permanent improvements needed, a much larger amount than 

 is now available could be used, to advantage in carrying out plans 

 already matured for such equipment. In order to prevent hap- 

 liazard work under a piecemeal method, an improvement plan has 

 been made for each Forest under which the work presumably to be 

 carried on through a series of ^^ears ma}^ be properly coordinated to 

 the end that tlic Forest ma}^ eventuall}^ be supplied witli an adequate, 

 coherent, and unified system of communications, stations, fire lines, 

 stock fences, and other aids to protection and use of all the resources 

 of the Forest. 



These plans contemplate what may be called the primary system 

 of improvements. Subsequently tliese improvements will be required 

 to be supplemented by the development of a secondary system to 

 provide for intensive use of all parts of the Forests. The develop- 

 ment of tlie secondary svstem will take place naturally as the devel- 

 opment of each locality m population and wealth calls for it, and in 

 some Forests it will not be called for at all until after it has reached an 

 advanced stage elsewhere. The primary system, however, is called 

 for on all Forests just as rapidly as it can be supphed. The plans 

 now prepared for the indiviclual Forests call for tlie building of over 

 30,000 miles of trails and nearly 7,000 miles of roads, at an estimated 

 cost of over S3, 000,000; of over 16,000 miles of telephone lines, at an 

 estimated cost of nearly' $1 ,000,000; of over 5,000 miles of fences, at an 



