the additional benefit of increased livestock valuation, for tax purposes. 

 Montana derives a large share of the tax revenue from the property tax and 

 here I show the $25iOOO of assessable livestock valuation that grazed Brown 

 Ranch unit previous to treatment. After the treatment the same number of 

 livestock is shown except the state doubled the assessment d\iring this per- 

 iod of time. A result of the additional livestock, made possible by the 

 range improvement, was a ^Ofo increase in taxable valuation. 



Wildlife habitat is maintained or improved by this range management plan, 



since all the willow bottoms and mahogany ridges are included as leave areas. 



Also included are the sagegrouse strutting groiinds areas that were defined 

 by Montana Fish and Game. 



The most of you have read Rachael Carson's book "Silent Spring" or have 

 heard of it. Well, since the control of Rachael Carson's "moisture saving 

 sagebrush", several new springs have appeared and other springs have incre- 

 ased their flow. Most of the water now appears at higher elevations than 

 before including old springs that now produce more higher up. These springs 

 aid the distribution of wildlife just as they aid the distribution of live- 

 stock. Also consider that the livestock now are confined to one or two 

 pastiires leaving the rest of the area to the exclusive use of wildlife. 



The vegetative cover of the rested range provides good cover for game 

 birds that is not available on the range grazed all season long. 



Here's a picture for Joe Helle! Predator control is largely funded by 

 the livestock industry. Although it is somewhat controversial in some cir- 

 cles, there is strong evidence that predator control is a very necessary fac- 

 tor in game management. I believe now that the Fish and Game Department is 

 coming to understand this fact. 



In these next two slides, I want you to notice the change in vegetative 

 cover of the soil in 14 months as two growing seasons. This picture taken 

 the day the area was sprayed for sagebrush control. 



Here is the area I4 months later showing how the grass responds to this 

 treatment. This does great things for the watershed. Water infiltration 

 into the soil is increased reducing runoff diiring high intensity storms. 

 Sediment load is reduced because the soil is held by the vegetation. The 



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