KATIOI^AL FORESTS AND THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION 19 



every dollar which the Forest Service takes in through the sale of 

 national forest products, whether lumber or grazing, or by leasing 

 land for special uses, 25 cents is returned to the county or counties in 

 Avhich the forest is situated. In the intermountain region the annual 

 receipts from the national forests total about $657,000 and accord- 

 ingly some $164,000 reverts to the different counties. 



The counties receiving the largest contributions are, as a rule, not 

 the richer but rather the sparsely settled and more remote counties, 

 to which these receipts mean a great deal. In 1928 Custer County, 

 Idaho, received over $7,000; Elko County, Nev., $11,700; Fremont 

 County, Wyo., $9,909 ; and Valley County, Idaho, $14,600. The pro- 

 tection and full utilization of national-forest resources means not 

 only the prosperity of the counties adjacent to the national forests 

 but greater direct returns to the county treasury for the improvement 

 of roads and schools. 



In addition to the 25 per cent already mentioned, another 10 per 

 cent of the gross receipts from the national forests is spent by the 

 Forest Service within the State in which it is collected to build and 

 maintain roads and trails upon the national forests. Some of the most 

 useful mountain roads in the intermountain region have been con- 

 structed from this so-called 10 per cent money. In Utah the road from 

 Kamas to Stockmore across the Uinta Forest was financed by these 

 funds, as well as a large part of the road from Ephraim to Orange- 

 ville, across the Manti Forest. In Idaho the road along the South 

 Fork of the Payette River, which opens up an extensive and valu- 

 able forest region on the headwaters of the Payette, was financed 

 by 10 per cent money. Anything, therefore, that increases the 

 receipts of the national forests means an increase in road and trail 

 building. This, in turn, means accessibility for the resources in the 

 distant mountains and more pleasure for the recreationist. It also 

 means greater efficiency on the part of the Forest Service in pro- 

 tecting these vast areas from fires and other possible destruction. 



WHAT THE PUBLIC CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT THE FORESTS 



COOPERATION OF PRIVATE OWNERS 



Through well-considered regulation national forests are being 

 brought to a high degree of usefulness in timber production, water- 

 shed protection, and utilization of grazing and other resources. 

 There are, however, great areas of mountain lands in the inter- 

 mountain region similar to the national-forest lands but not included 

 within their boundaries. It remains, therefore, for the owners of 

 such forest and mountain grazing lands as lie outside the national 

 forests to assist in preserving and increasing the wealth of the region 

 by applying to their lands such principles of forestry and range 

 management as have proven valuable in their application to the 

 national forests. Some owners are already doing this. 



Arousing private owners not already alert is a desirable action in 

 which all well-wishers of the forest can take part. Public opinion, 

 properly fostered, will sooner or later crystallize into the hoped-for 

 cooperation. The application of sound principles of management of 

 mountain lands would not only increase the prosperity of the region 



