Potential Carrying Capacity ^ 



Timberlands in Working Circle 3 carried 127,948 AUM's or 74 percent of 

 their potential. As shown in Table 17, potential available AUM's are the 

 amount that could be supported if every acre of grazable commercial timber- 

 land were in excellent condition. In 1978, a total of 172,277 AUM's could 

 have been supported on sampled timberlands. 



If every grazable forest acre were in excellent condition, the 1978 

 carrying capacity could have been increased by 44,330 AUM's. Translated 

 into head of cattle, assuming a four month grazing season, the recommended 

 stocking rate could have been increased from 32,000 to 43,000 head. 



The potential number of AUM's depends on more than just the understo- 

 ry condition. Other factors, like the number of acres in each crown density 

 group and the grazability factor, also affect the carrying capacity. Obvious- 

 ly, one way to increase AUM's would be to harvest enough timber so that 

 every acre has a crown density of 0-30 percent. A more practical and realis- 

 tic way to increase potential available AUM's is to increase the grazability 

 through effective range management. Salting, herding, fencing, increasing 

 the number of trails, increasing water developments, and reducing slash, 

 debris, and other mechanical barriers are some of the management techniques 

 that might be used. Properly applied, these methods will increase the amount 

 of grazed forest land and thus the range's carrying capacity. 



Table 17. Potential animal unit months (AUM's) on commercial timberland by 

 crown density and ownership group. Working Circle 3. 



Ownership Group 



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