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NATURALIST'S GUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



but forest reproduction is often dense. 

 The fauna is very similar to that of the 

 Douglas fir type. 



ALPINE ZONE 



This term is applied to the areas lying 

 above the upper limit of normal tree 

 growth, which is not, strictly speaking, a 

 forest type. Engelmann spruce, bristle- 

 cone pine and alpine fir, where present, 

 assume a bushy or trailing posture. The 

 trailing juniper (Juniperus communis) 

 is characteristic. Some of the grasses 

 and other herbs whose usual habitat is 

 several thousand feet below, occur here 

 in a dwarfed form. This is the home of 

 the ptarmigan, the pipit, the marmot 

 (Marmota flaviventris group) and the 

 pika (Ochotona}. 



PARKS 



Within all of the forest types are tree- 

 less areas known as parks, prairies and 

 mountain meadows. The parks and 

 prairies occur mainly within the yellow 

 pine forests, and their existence is at- 

 tributed to various causes. They are 

 occupied by grama grass (Bouteloua) 

 or bunch grass (Muhlenbergia), or in 

 some cases by shrubs such as sagebrush 

 (Artemisiatridentata) or shadscale (Atri- 

 plex canescens). The term mountain 

 meadow as usually understood applies 

 to wet valleys or other comparatively 

 flat lands in the high mountains. They 

 bear a luxuriant growth of grasses, 

 sedges, and often of showy flowering 

 plants such as the iris and gentian. 



FOREST RESEARCH 



A research organization is maintained 

 by the Forest Service for the purpose of 

 solving problems in forest and range 

 management. Forest research is con- 

 centrated to a large extent at the South- 

 western Forest Experiment Station lo- 

 cated near Flagstaff, Arizona, but 

 studies are being conducted on a number 

 of National Forests. Permanent sta- 

 tions for the study of range problems are 

 maintained on the Santa Rita Range 



Reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and the 

 Jornado Range Reserve near Las Cruces, 

 New Mexico. So-called permanent sam- 

 ple plots for the study of forest reproduc- 

 tion and growth are being maintained on 

 several National Forests. They vary 

 in size from 5 to 480 acres. On all but 

 one of these plots, cutting has removed 

 from 40 to 75% of the original stand of 

 timber, and all are subject to further 

 cutting in from 50 to 75 years. Some of 

 the plots are fenced against all grazing, 

 but present plans do not contemplate 

 exclusion of grazing more than from 20 to 

 25 years, or until natural restocking is 

 completed. In short, the purpose of 

 the sample plots is not to create natural 

 conditions, but rather to demonstrate 

 various methods of forest management. 

 Similar plots are maintained for the 

 study of herbaceous vegetation and 

 methods of range management. Fur- 

 ther information regarding these plots 

 can be obtained from the District Fores- 

 ter, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 



The present administration of Na- 

 tional Forests, though safeguarding 

 against devastation, does not insure the 

 preservation of any areas in a natural 

 state. Extensive tracts, because of 

 inaccessibility, will remain relatively 

 free from industrial development for 

 many years, but this status cannot be 

 regarded as permanent. From the for- 

 ester's point of view, as well as that of 

 the botanist and zoologist, the reserva- 

 tion of typical forest areas under dis- 

 tinct provisions for keeping them in a 

 natural state is desirable. 



The Forest Service invites scientific 

 workers to avail themselves of the 

 opportunities for research afforded by 

 the National Forests. It is possible in 

 summer to travel by automobile over 

 considerable portions of all the Forests. 

 Sections which are inaccessible by 

 automobile can usually be reached by 

 wagon roads or trails. Camping equip- 

 ment is often necessary and always 

 desirable. Information regarding roads, 

 means of transportation and subsistence 

 can always be secured at the office of 

 the local Forest Supervisor. 



