PROTECTIVE AND MAXIMUM LIMITS. (Beg. G-ll.) 



Protective limits are established to protect permittees from 

 , fl reductions in the number of stock which they are 



Protective limits. ,1 -, J .. 



allowed to graze under permit, to a point where it is 

 inadequate to maintain a home, or is too small to oe handled at a 

 profit. The average number of stock which a settler must graze in 

 order to utilize the products of his farm or derive a reasonable profit 

 will be determined upon each Forest and will serve as the basis for 

 the protective limit. In arriving at this average number the depend- 

 ence of settlers upon National Forest ranges will be considered. Where 

 stock growing is the only pursuit in a region, the number of stock 

 guaranteed a settler must be sufficient to support his family. In an 

 agricultural region where the product of the farms is fed to stock, 

 the number should be sufficient to consume the forage produced by 

 the average farm. 



Protective limits have been established for various Forests running 

 from 25 to 300 head for cattle and horses, and from 500 to 2,000 

 head for sheep and goats. The limit on sheep is proportionately 

 higher than on cattle because as a general rule the cost of handling 

 is increased by requiring a man to run less than one band. With 

 cattle or horses, which can be turned loose upon the range, a pro- 

 portionately smaller number of animals can be run with profit, 

 tinder ordinary conditions the average number of stock per permit 

 may be the basis for the protective limit of the Forest. 



When in the judgment of the District Forester it becomes neces- 

 sary for the protection of class A owners, he will establish a Forest 

 protective limit for each kind of stock, and renewals of all permits 

 within such limit will be made without reduction. A holder of a 

 permit for one class of stock may secure a permit for another class, 

 providing the number holds the same ratio to the protective limits. 

 For example: A holder of a cattle permit for 50 head on a Forest 

 where the protective limit is 100 head may also be allowed a permit 

 to graze 600 sheep if the protective limit on sheep is 1,200 head. 



When necessary to prevent monopoly in the use of the range 



through the purchase of permitted stock and ranches, 



Maximum limits. the District Forester will establish a maximum limit 



in the number of stock allowed any one applicant. 



No permittee will be allowed to increase the number of stock above 



this limit. WTien necessary, reductions in permits for more than the 



maximum limit will be made in accordance with the sliding scale. 



Maximum limits may be absolute or preventive. An absolute 

 limit is the largest number of stock for which a permit will be issued, 

 regardless of existing priorities. Where an absolute limit is estab- 

 lished all permits in excess will be reduced to that limit immediately. 

 Only in extreme cases where the use of a Forest range is intensive, 

 and a large number of deserving applicants must be taken care of, 

 will an absolute limit be established. 



Preventive maximum limits are designed to bring about a better 

 distribution of grazing privileges. Renewals of old permits in excess 



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