Co-operation in Range Management 



MR. A. F. POTTER: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen The 

 administration of grazing in our national forests involves many differ- 

 ent phases, and I am going to talk to you mainly this morning about 

 ''Co-operation in Range Management." 



The success which the Forest Service has had in regulating the 

 use of the range, and in bringing about more satisfactory conditions 

 in the national forests, has been due very largely to the hearty 

 co-operation it has received from the stockmen. One of the first steps 

 taken after the transfer of the national forests to the Department of 

 Agriculture was to request the associations representing the owners 

 of the different kinds of live stock to appoint a committee to meet 

 with members of the Forest Service for the purpose of discussing 

 proposed changes in the grazing regulations. 



The invitation was accepted, and a conference was held at Denver, 

 Colorado, in December, 1905. This brought out many good sugges- 

 tions from the stockmen, and led to the adoption of a definite policy 

 which was to govern the regulation of grazing in the national forests. 

 The most important points were: (1) that priority in the use of the 

 range would be recognized, and the grazing privileges in the beginning 

 allowed those who were already using the range; (2) that any changes 

 which were found necessary, either in the number of stock grazed or 

 in the methods of handling it, would be made gradually, after due 

 notice had been given; (3) that small owners would be given a prefer- 

 ence in the allotment of permits, and be exempted from reduction; 

 (4) that the checking of damage to, and the improvement of, the 

 forest would be brought about so far as possible without total 

 exclusion of the stock; (5) that the forage resources of the national 

 forests would be used to the fullest extent consistent with good forest 

 management; and (6) that the stockmen would be given a voice in 

 the making of rules for the management of their stock upon the range. 



Recommendations were made to the Secretary of Agriculture, 

 which resulted in the promulgation by him, on March 31, 1906, of a 

 regulation providing for the recognition of advisory boards repre- 

 senting associations whose members were users of the forests, such 

 boards to be entitled to receive notice, and have an opportunity to be 

 heard in reference to increase or decrease in the number of stock to 

 be allowed for any year, the division of range between different kinds 



