RECREATION IN THE FORESTS 



269 



the National Forests than ever before because of good 

 range management. Watershed protection depends 

 directly on good forest cover, and the better the cover 

 is maintained the better will be the watershed. Both of 

 these do not in the least interfere with timber growth 

 when properly directed. And what is true in the National 

 Forests, also is true in the State, county and municipal 

 forests that are springing up over the country. 



Recreation is a third utility of the forest that can be 

 fully developed without any serious interference with 

 the other forest activities. It does not interfere with 

 timber production and, indeed, a good forest cover is 

 one of the very necessary elements in the landscape 



CASS LAKE, IN THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL FOREST 



Taken from on of the "points of Star Island." few places can truly rival 

 the delightful lake scenery and the opportunity for water sports offered by 

 rests of Minnesota. Fishing, game, motoring, canoeing, bathing 

 njuyment of nature may be had. 



which makes recreation pleasant in a certain locality. 

 Fire, the demon enemy of timber, is as great an enemy 

 of the recreationist, for the great scars which fire leaves 

 on the face of the hills destroy some of the greatest 

 charm found there. 



In the case of watersheds, there are today several 

 instances where camps have been developed right on 

 the watershed of some municipal water supplies. The 

 reason for this is, if there is no provision made for 

 campers there are some who will invade the territory 

 anyway, and it is safer to see that sanitary measures 

 are practiced efficiently by many than not at all by a 



A NEWLY BUILT SUMMER HOME ON THE COLORADO 



Many snug little summer homes similar to this are built on the National 

 Forests. That such places are appreciated is evidenced by the fine returns 

 from such use of the forests. 



few. And in the regions where the watershed is main- 

 tained and protected for irrigation purposes the big item 

 is the protection of the timber, and timber is one of the 

 beauties of a recreation land. 



Only in very limited areas is there a conflict between 

 grazing and human occupancy of forest lands. Where 



CATCH FROM A LAKE IN THE ROUTT NATIONAL FOREST 



Catching fish is a form of recreation which may be indulged in 

 in nearly every National Forest. 



people live or camp it is undesirable to have cattle in 

 the immediate vicinity. It is a case of whether a few 

 acres shall be used by cattle or by humans, and because 

 the human use is undoubtedly a higher use than bovine 

 use it is necessary to exclude the cattle during human 

 occupancy. It is entirely possible, however, where this 

 measure is taken to allow late grazing in the area and 



