546 A NATIONAL PLAN FOR AMERICAN FORESTRY 



The degree of success attained in the past 28 years in accomplish- 

 ing the above objectives by means of the permit system on a per head 

 basis is noteworthy. The improvement in condition of the range 

 resource during this time, although it has not been uniform, is on 

 the average marked. This in turn has furnished a corresponding 

 improvement in watershed-protective values and in conditions favor- 

 able for wild life. Improved forage conditions also are of consider- 

 able value in sustained livestock production on national-forest 

 ranges. 



A discussion of grazing on national forests is presented in this 

 report under "The National Forests." 



INDIAN RESERVATIONS 



The objective of Federal management of grazing on the 12 million 

 acres grazed of the 14 million acres of commercial and noncommercial 

 forested lands (including 6.7 million acres of pinpn-juniper type) 

 within the Indian reservations is to obtain the maximum benefit for 

 the Indians. In carrying out this objective the Federal Government 

 aims to obtain a maximum revenue for the Indians, insofar as it is 

 possible, and perpetuate the range resource. A grazing plan has been 

 or is being formulated for each Indian reservation. In connection 

 with this, provision is first made for Indian-owned herds, range not 

 needed by the Indians being leased under a system of competitive bids 

 to the local stockmen. These leases run for periods of from 1 to 

 5 years. Leased lands are either (1) lands allotted to individual 

 Indians, or (2) unallotted tribal lands. 



The revenues obtained for lease privileges vary with the demand 

 for and the condition of the range. They have been on the average 

 16.9 cents per head per month for cattle and 7.3 cents per head per 

 month for sheep. 



PUBLIC DOMAIN 



The unreserved public domain contains approximately 21.5 million 

 acres of grazed forest land. This area is the forested part of the 

 land remnant held by the Federal Government after reservations, 

 grants, and private appropriations have been made. It is a free 

 range open to whatever grazing use individuals may make of it. The 

 serious conditions on it reflect the absence of management. A 

 rancher must graze the range near his property as heavily as pos- 

 sible, from early spring till late fall, or year long if in the region of 

 mild winters, in order to avoid having someone else crowd in on 

 him. During the summer growing season "tramp " herds may closely 

 utilize feed that should, for the best interests of the industry as a 

 whole, be reserved for winter. Such herds often come in and profit 

 by whatever protection local stockmen have given the range. 



It is of the utmost importance, if such range is to be saved from 

 utter destruction, that these forested public-domain areas, as well as 

 the many million acres of nontimbered range land in the public 

 domain, be given a status which will make possible management and 

 restoration. 



STATE LANDS 



The aim of western States, in handling the State forest land grazed 

 by livestock, of which 4 million acres now remain, has usually been 

 to convert the land into cash by sale or to obtain the greatest pos- 



