FOREST PLANTING IN THE IN TERMOUNTAIN EBGION. 11 



Wyoming, and Idaho) or aspen {Popuhis iremuloides) (in Utah and 

 Nevada) has become dominant temporarily. Below the Douglas- 

 fir zone comes western yellow pine in both central Idaho and southern 

 Utah. In central Utah, however, north to the Snake River drain- 

 age, a brush belt takes the place of the western yellow pine type; 

 and, where this species is lacking in Idaho and western Wyoming, 

 either a grass type covers the lower mountain slopes or the Douglas- 

 fir or the lodgepole-pine type extends directly to the sagebrush 

 valleys or plains. In central Idaho, below the western yellow pine, 

 is an open grassy type extending to the Snake River plains; while 

 in central Utah, below the western yellow pine and oak-brush types, 

 is a belt of pinon pine {Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper (Juniperus 

 utahensis) which extends to the valley flats. 



The chief areas in need of reforestation in the Engelmann-spruce 

 type are old burns where recurring fires have completely removed 

 the former forest cover. Through fire and erosion the rich soils of 

 some of these areas have been rendered sterile; but those areas 

 which have recently suffered from fires are among the easiest to 

 reforest. These recent burns are still strewn with down timber, the 

 mineral soil is exposed and there is neither serious erosion nor the 

 difficult problem of dense grass or brush growth. Far less promising 

 are the many large open areas covered with weeds and grass, usually 

 dotted with clumps of trees. These have never been considered as 

 planting sites and should not be so considered. European experience 

 on similar sites has shown that the highest use of such land is for 

 grazing. 



In the Douglas-fir zone below the Engelmann-spruce type,where 

 burns do not become so rapidly covered with dense grass and herbs 

 and deep-rooted shrubby species are much more prevalent, older 

 burns offer excellent planting sites. Indeed, some sites that are now 

 brush-covered occupy burns so old that no direct evidence of them 

 exists. In general, any brushy area at that elevation occupying 

 normally forested slopes forms a satisfactory planting site. 



The western 3 T ellow pine type offers few opportunities for planting, 

 as burns are rare and not severe. Natural reproduction is generally 

 taking place, except on sites too severe to be desirable for forest 

 planting. The oak brush, however, although its aititudinal position 

 is analogous to the western yellow pine zone, is mainly without 

 forest growth. A great deal of planting has been done here, on the 

 supposition that this belt was a potential western yellow pine site; 

 but, while planting has been proved possible, more careful investiga- 

 tions have indicated that the oak-brush zone of central Utah pos- 

 sesses characteristics which will make it impossible for the western 

 yellow pine to perpetuate itself naturally. 



Below the western yellow pine and oak-brush belts, no planting 

 sites can be considered on account of their severity. They support 

 at best only open forests of piiion pine and Utah juniper. 



METHODS OF PLANTING. 



The general methods of planting management and organization in 

 vogue throughout the country have been used in the intermountain 

 region. These are well known and are described in detail by Tourney 

 and by Tillotson (8, 9). 



