196 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the National Forests, or in National Parks, or in properties belonging 

 to States and municipalities may be secured. For example, the 

 full recreation value of the Oregon National Forest, which surrounds 

 Mount Hood and borders on the Columbia River Valley, can be 

 realized only through a development coordinated with what the 

 City of Portland and the Counties of Multnomah, Hood River, and 

 Clackamas have undertaken to do and have largely accomplished. 

 Such a coordination has in this particular case been effected, with 

 most happy results. Again, recreation development in the Yellow- 

 stone Park region can not be made to serve the public interests to 

 best advantage if National Forest administration is uncorrelated 

 with the administration of Park, and vice versa. In short the 

 National Forests, which must be administered with a view to recrea- 

 tion use as one of their major functions, can not carry out that 

 function in fullest measure except through cooperative relations with 

 other agencies in the same field, resulting in joint effort under a 

 truly national and common policy. 



The w41d life resource of the National Forests is in many ways 

 closely related to recreation. It comprises mainly the game, the 

 fish, and the fur-bearing animals, and tne matter of most immediate 

 importance is suitable provision in the administrative plans for the 

 perpetuation of the existing herds of elk. 



In spite of difficulties created by war and other conditions that 

 made it necessary to carry on the ranges all the domestic live stock for 

 which a place could safely be found, progress was made in working 

 out better methods of elk conservation and in providing more ample 

 feeding grounds for the herds in and around Yellowstone Park. 

 In general, recognition of the fundamental problem involved has 

 been secured to a greater degree than ever before, and an increased 

 public support has been obtained in carrying out the protective 

 and constructive work necessary to solve the problem. The Forest 

 Service is formulating as fast as possible plans which will coordinate 

 the various other uses of the National Forests with game conservation. 

 This is especially important in connection with grazing use. In 

 places it is necessary to restrict or entirely prohibit grazing in order 

 to take care of the elk. The most important single situation of 

 this kind is that near the Yellowstone Park. 



For several years a study has been conducted by the Forest Service 

 in cooperation with the Biological Survey of the habits of the Yellow- 

 stone elk, their requirements, and other matters, knowledge of which 

 is necessary as a basis for a practical program. This program, which 

 was completed during the past year, calls for certain legislative and 

 administrative action. A beginning was made on the administrative 

 phases by imposing added restrictions upon the use by domestic stock 

 of portions oi the National Forests adjoining the park. Some lands 

 were wholly reserved and others restricted to limited use by cattle 

 during certain months. A beginning was also made in the progressive 

 exclusion of stock from areas where total exclusion could not be put 

 into effect at once. The program for handling the Yellowstone elk 

 was placed before the public with a view to full discussion and con- 

 sideration of the proposals for State and national legislative action. 



While it may require slight changes and revisions from time to 

 time as conditions alter, it is believed that the underlying principles 

 are essentially correct. The program was approved by the Benevo- 



