18 



MISC. CIRCULAR 4 7, V. S. DEPT. OF AGElCrLTtJRE 



DIRECT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE NATIONAL FORESTS 



TO THE COUNTIES 



Not only do the national forests contribute indirectly to the pros- 

 perity of nearly every county in the intermountain region ; they also 

 yield a good direct return each year in cash, a contribution that in- 

 creases automatically as the utilization of forest resources increases. 



Figure 9. — Enjoying the national forest near the summit of Mount Hyndman. the 

 highest peak in Idaho (elevation 12,078 feet), on the Sawtooth-Lemhi Forest 

 boundary 



When the national forests were created and the lands embraced 

 within them were removed forever from the tax rolls, Congress 

 realized the burden that was thus imposed on the counties in which 

 the national forests were located. In order to rectify matters it 

 specified that 25 per cent of the gross receipts of the national forests 

 .should revert to the States for distribution among the counties in 

 proportion to their national forest acreage, for the construction and 

 maintenance of roads and for the support of schools. Thus, out of 



